Georgetown aims to tighten bike week vendor rules

At Tuesday’s council meeting, Georgetown council members passed first reading of a new ordinance that puts stricter regulations on vendors in the area.

Some of the proposed changes are, only one vendor would be allowed for every 100 feet. It also restricts vendors from selling goods from semi-trucks and in some areas, even from cars. Another part of the ordinance said that vendors cannot set up before sunrise, and must tear down by sunset.

Leslye Beaver, owner of The Beaver Bar in Murrells Inlet said she already thought there were some restrictions in place during the spring rally that included setting up in the morning and breaking down at sunset. Beaver said bikers who come to the south strand during the rallies don't come to Georgetown County for the vendors. "Bikers come for the marsh walk, they come for the inlet view, and they come for the great food that the quaint little village of Murrells Inlet you know offers, so I’m not so sure that the bikers aren't gong to come to Georgetown just because we might not can have a vendor."

Councilman Jerry Oakley, who represents Murrells Inlet, said some people who live in the small four-mile community told council they are worried about the large crowds they associate with the rallies and that's why changes to the existing ordinance are being proposed. “What we're dealing with here is simply managing traffic so that we don't get unmanageable traffic issues with congestion, that you don't get unmanageable people congestion either."

Bill Chandler, 76, said he’s lived in Murrells Inlet all of his life and owns property on Highway 17, across from some restaurants. Chandler said he and some other people who live in Murrells Inlet want peace and quiet and county council is just doing what the citizens want. Chandler said he believes some laws put in place in Horry County are pushing rally-goers towards Murrells Inlet and he doesn’t want to see an increase in bikers and the noise, behavior issues, and traffic he said he’s seen come along with them.

Oakley said there were only about a dozen vendor permits issued in the county for the spring rally, but said more vendors and bikers are likely to look to Murrells Inlet as a destination after stricter rules were passed in Horry County. "I'm not hearing anti-biker sentiment, if we're focusing on bikers, what i'm hearing is let's just don't let it grow so big that it overwhelms us."

Beaver said she doesn't think there will be any more bikers in Murrells Inlet than during past rallies and doesn't think they won't come if the rules for vendors are changed. "For ten years, I’ve always thought that they've just basically stayed in Myrtle Beach and then partied on the north and the south ends."

Beaver and Oakley said the ordinance is written now; it might have a negative effect on other types of vendors, like those with roadside stands.

But Oakley said there is no intent to hurt existing vendors and a number of changes will likely be made before the ordinance passes third and final reading.

The next council meeting is scheduled for September 22.