Greenville City Council voted unanimously on Aug. 24 in favor of an ordinance that would prohibit the open carry of firearms at permitted events held on city-owned property, like Fall for Greenville, the TD Saturday Market and Reedy River Run.
There will be a second vote before the ordinance is passed.
In a press release sent before the meeting, city officials noted the change would align the city with local sports and entertainment venues such as Bon Secours Wellness Arena, the Peace Center and Fluor Field, which have prohibited open carry firearms as well.
The ordinance comes after the recent signing of the Open Carry with Training Act by Gov. Henry McMaster on Aug. 15, which gave local governments the option to prevent open carrying at some events that were held on public property.
Events covered by the ordinance would be runs or walks, major festivals and weekly events, according to the press release.
Greenville already does not allow any firearms or weapons of any kind in city buildings.
Approved on second reading:
An ordinance that would lower the minimum parking requirements for “adaptive reuse” projects (projects that repurpose old buildings for new uses) and create eligibility requirements for a project to be considered “adaptive reuse.”
Approved on second reading:
An ordinance appropriating $3,000,000 for affordable housing support in accordance with the city’s commitment to give $5,000,000 in affordable housing funding as part of the County Square development plan.
Approved on second reading:
An ordinance to give $163,000 for the event lawn planned for the Grand Bohemian hotel as part of an amendment to the development agreement between the city, Grand Bohemian Greenville, LLC, and Kessler Enterprise, Inc. The event lawn is considered a public improvement and, in addition to the $163,000 allocation, the ordinance also amends how the lawn can be used.
Approved on second reading:
And ordinance that clarifies the purpose of having neighborhood meetings as part of the city’s planned development and flexible redistrict rezoning process and that will require neighborhood meetings for: multifamily developments, applications for certificates of appropriateness that include a multifamily use, and any project that both requires a public hearing and is either a commercial or multifamily use that is adjacent to any single-family, detached property.
Unapproved on first reading:
An ordinance authorizing $1.15 million to buy a half-acre site in the Village of West Greenville and to build a new, 48-space parking lot on it. City staff estimates buying the land will cost about $850,000. Staff estimates demolishing existing buildings, preparing the site and building the parking lot will cost about $300,000.
