Agenda - 05-01-2012 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

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6 Changes in BOCC Regular Meeting Schedule for 2012 This item was removed and placed at the end of the consent agenda for separate consideration. Boards and Commissions—Commissioner Assignments The Board approved the list of boards and commissions on which members of the Board of County Commissioners have chosen to serve as agreed upon at the January 31, 2012 BOCC work session and as incorporated by reference. VOTE ON CONSENT AGENDA: UNANIMOUS 6. Items Removed From Consent Agenda L Amendment to Orange County Code of Ordinances Regarding Weapons The Board considered amending the Orange County code of Ordinances and prohibiting the carrying of concealed weapons on certain Orange County property and authorizing the Chair to sign. John Roberts said that this is a proposed amendment to the Orange County Code of Ordinances Section 18-151 and 152. In the current code, weapons, etc. are all prohibited from all County property. In July last year, the State enacted a statute that withdrew the authority of counties to ban weapons from county property. The Board of County Commissioners then passed a resolution opposing this statute and this ordinance amendment is actually less restrictive than what has been law in Orange County since 1995. The only changes in the amendment are the definitions of recreational facilities and the locations of which recreational facilities where concealed weapons will now be banned. He said that it does not include lakes or greenways. He said that the City of Winston-Salem attempted to restrict from lakes and greenways and is being sued. This is only a recommendation. Public Comment Alex Arab is a 20-year resident of Orange County. He said that he is coming in opposition to any additional laws to ban guns in Orange County because it does not make sense to him. He referred to a book, More Guns, Less Crime, and said that this book tells statistically that when there are more bans, then there is more crime. He said that he and his daughter are concealed carriers. He said that not everyone has the police nearby if something goes wrong. He said that the Board of County Commissioners represents everyone. He said that there is not a smaller minority in Orange County than gun owners. Chris Weaver said that when he first found out about this, he then looked at the state law. He said that this is all county property and all weapons, which includes pocketknives. He asked who the ordinance amendment was for. He said that it is for the law-abiding citizens. He said that this protects the criminals if they pass this amendment. He said that this is not going to work and it would not do anything to stop criminals. Jason McDonald is a resident of Orange County for six years. He used to live in Chicago and they could not own a handgun in the city limits. He said that he applied and received his permit in North Carolina to own a handgun. He said that they all need the proper training. He said that a gun in the hands of a law-abiding citizen should be able to take place in parks, etc. He said that a handgun allows a 110-pound woman to match up to a 250-pound man. Commissioner McKee said that his concern was that this was on a consent item and he thought it should have been on the regular agenda. He thought that it warranted a more extensive public input. He does have a question about whether some of the parks and greenways should be reconsidered because of the isolation of some of the trails. John Roberts said that there are no greenways in these proposed areas and he deferred to Dave Stancil about the greenway in Twin Creeks. Commissioner McKee asked about the difference between trails and greenways and Dave Stancil said that Twin Creeks is the only greenway. Commissioner Yuhasz raised the question of pocketknives and said that there needs to be a distinction between pocketknives, which people regularly carry. He said that carrying