Folly Beach City Council meets Tuesday; parking and COVID-19 protocols to be discussed

Folly Beach, S.C. (WCBD) – On Tuesday, Folly Beach City Council will vote to extend the current emergency ordinance. If approved, the ordinance will be extended through March 10th.

Under the emergency ordinance, masks are required in all public indoor and outdoor areas where six feet of social distancing is not possible.

Folly Beach first enacted the emergency ordinance back in March of 2020.

The emergency ordinance expires every 60 days.

Folly Beach Mayor Tim Goodwin says they are following the state’s and Department of Health and Environmental Control’s protocols to limit the spread of COVID-19.

“On a nice crowded weekend, you need to wear your mask,” mentioned Mayor Goodwin.

City Council will also vote to possibly reduce spaces for non-residential parking passes.

If the motion is passed, non-residential parking passes will only be allowed from the washout to the coast guard on the east end of the island.

City Council is considering the change to lessen the impact on parking revenue in other areas on the island.

Mayor Goodwin says the change will mainly affect business owners who use parking on the island, but most of the non-residential parking pass holders come to the beach for surfing which is where the passes will now be permitted.

“I would stop issuing non-residential parking passes altogether because whenever we have a problem like a hurricane or we shut down because of COVID, folks with non-residential passes will argue that they have bought a pass so they have the right to do whatever they want to do at Folly Beach” Mayor Goodwin added.