Folly looks at 'safe swimming zone'

Folly Beach City Council has postponed voting on an ordinance to declare a "safe swimming zone" from 2nd Street East to 3rd Street West that would prohibit surfboards, skim boards and motorized watercraft from being used in the area.

The ordinance also would prohibit personal watercraft and boats from being launched from the beach (except for emergency rescue) and would require motorized watercraft to be operated no closer than a half-mile from the shore.

The ordinance is the first of several considerations to come out of the Beach Franchise Committee made up of council members Tim Goodwin, Laura Beck and Tom Scruggs.

Last September, Goodwin proposed the city form the committee to look at beachfront enterprises, such as lifeguards and vendors. Right now, the only vendors allowed on the beach are for personal watercraft rentals.

Council members decided to postpone voting on the swimming zone ordinance until the beach committee gives a full presentation of all its considerations for the beach at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 7 at City Hall.

Councilman Eddie Ellis made the motion to postpone the vote. "This is the beginning of an array of things y'all have been discussing," he said. "This has potential to guide Folly Beach. It's a good idea to postpone this and get members of the community (involved)."

The decision was unanimous.

Presentation or not, Councilman Wallace Benson said he was opposed to the ordinance, saying he had no knowledge of any swimmers being injured by personal watercraft, such as power skis, on Folly Beach.

"They've been here for 10 years. This has not been a serious problem," he said, adding that the watercraft have saved swimmers' lives over the years.

Beck said the personal watercraft rental business has grown considerably, and it's time for stricter regulations. "There are more and more out there," she said. "If we don't have rules to operate, I can go out there (and start a rental company)."

In addition to a safe swimming zone, other considerations from the committee include hiring lifeguards on the beach, particularly in the same proposed swimming area.

"We're trying to keep families at this area of the beach and enhance business on Center Street," Goodwin said.

Beck said the committee also discussed limiting the number of personal watercraft rental businesses allowed on the beach and establishing a lottery to decide which companies can operate.