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Beaufort County delays vote on gun-discharge ordinance after extensive public hearing
Summary
Council postponed the second-reading vote on a proposed ordinance that would restrict firearm discharges near dwellings, parks and public spaces, directing staff to wordsmith the measure with law enforcement and the solicitor and to return March 23.
Beaufort County Council on March 9 opened a lengthy public hearing and then voted to postpone second reading of a proposed countywide ordinance aimed at restricting the discharge of firearms within specified distances of dwellings, parks and playgrounds.
The proposed ordinance drew large turnout and testimony from residents, public-safety officials and hunters. Chief Jeff Meyers (Port Royal Police) described a December shooting incident in Shadow Moss in which rounds entered a home and a nearby tree at a park. "This could have been a Christmas tragedy," Meyers said, urging council to "do something." Jorge Guerrero, a Shadow Moss resident, said the issue is not about "a gun grab" but "mere accountability" for people who discharge firearms near homes.
Opponents said the draft's 500-foot rule is overbroad and would be difficult to enforce in rural areas. Eric Berman, a local resident, argued the measure as written risks curtailing lawful private use on large parcels and called instead for language that criminalizes negligent discharges into dwellings. "This draft ordinance is not accountability. It's an illusion of safety," Berman said.
Council members agreed the issue warranted action but said the draft needed legal and operational review. Councilman Bartholomew moved to postpone the second-reading vote and direct staff to convene a stakeholder meeting with the sheriff, the solicitor and DNR to refine enforceable language; Councilman Reits seconded. The motion passed unanimously. A stakeholder session was scheduled for March 12 at the solicitor's office; the council set March 23 as the next target for reconsideration.
What happens next: Staff and invited law-enforcement and agency partners will meet to suggest revisions focused on enforceability, exceptions (for hunting, shooting ranges or large agricultural parcels), and whether the ordinance should focus on negligent conduct rather than a fixed-distance rule. The council directed that any substantial changes follow the required reading process before final adoption.
