Media release provided by the City of Greenville Monday.
Council to Consider Prohibiting Open Carry Firearms at Events
Change Would Align City Permitted Events with Sports and Entertainment Venues
Greenville City Council will consider an ordinance to prohibit openly carried firearms at city permitted events during its formal meeting Monday night. The proposed change comes after Gov. Henry McMaster signed the Open Carry with Training Act that gave local governments the ability to prohibit the open carrying of firearms at certain events happening on public property.
Overview of proposed changes:
City’s open carry policy better aligns with local venues hosting large eventsNo open carry during City permitted events on public property, including pickets
This change would align permitted City events with similar gatherings like sporting events, concerts, and large-scale functions at local venues like Bon Secours Wellness Arena, the Peace Center or Fluor Field, that already prohibit openly carried firearms. Examples of City permitted events are runs/walks (Reedy River Run) to major festivals (Fall for Greenville, Artisphere) to weekly events (Main Street Fridays, Saturday Market).
The City of Greenville does not allow any weapons in city buildings or facilities.
In keeping with the proposed open carry restrictions at other events on public property, the ordinance proposes the same restrictions on open carry at pickets. It would require picketers to obtain a permit at no charge in the same manner as the written notice of intent to picket process already in place.
Other agenda items include:
4pm – Presentation of feasibility study on Downtown Conference Center. There will be no action taken on this item, informational only.
5:30pm - Dr. Brannon Traxler, Director of Public Health for SCDHEC, will attend the formal meeting to provide councilors COVID-19 updates and answer questions. Informational only.
Item 11B – Formal appropriation of $3 million to the Greenville Housing Fund for affordable housing projects. This is part of a $4 million commitment to affordable housing in the city’s FY22 budget year. The funds will come from Economic Development and surplus parking revenue.