City of Laurens Updates the Parades and Assemblages Ordinance

LAURENS, S.C. – On February 16, the City Council of the City of Laurens unanimously approved second reading of an important new events ordinance which replaced the city’s inadequate and obsolete “Parades and Assemblages” ordinance which was adopted in the 1980s.

The new ordinance, which is officially titled “Ordinance 9-20-01: Parade, Event, Block Party, Performance, Filming and Picketing Regulation Ordinance of the City of Laurens” provides a more comprehensive approach to ensuring the safety of public events, it establishes guidelines and limits on the City’s authority to impose restrictions on public and private events, and it provides a structure for the permitting of public events, street performances, filming, and picketing.

During the course of 2020 and the unrest experienced by the entire nation, the City of Laurens was forced to face the shortcomings of its “parades and assemblages” law which was, until now, in effect.  Demonstrations were staged in the Public Square, but because there was no ordinance requiring permits for such demonstrations and picketing, in some cases, Laurens Police were left to guess who the event organizers might be, what the anticipated crowd size would be, and whether there would be any need for additional security or safety measures.  Given this lack of vital information, had other measures not been taken by City Administration and law enforcement to ensure public safety, these pickets could have led to dangerous or even tragic consequences.

Picketing and public demonstrations were only one part of the problems facing the city under its old ordinance.  Even though it was titled as an “assemblages” ordinance, events which welcomed the public were not addressed at all.  In fact, it dealt almost exclusively with the permitting of parades.  Beginning under previous administrations, attempts had been made to impose certain safety/security requirements on public events involving the sale of alcohol or events which could pose a risk to public safety.  And there was good reason for this.

Frequently, would-be nightclub owners would sponsor “special events,” rather than operate an established nightclub which would have required them to obtain a state liquor license.  Instead, these “special events” allowed sponsors to take advantage of a legal loophole and avoid complying with liquor sale licensing laws.  Unfortunately, with no formal legal structure in place to combat this and other abuses of the law, Laurens Police had their hands tied.

Another issue confronting City Council was the lack of any system whatsoever to regulate street performances or the filming of television and movies on public property.  Laurens is no stranger to television, having been featured in the 2005 series, “Town Haul.”  With all of the improvements slated to occur around the city, it is likely that cameras may one day find their way back here.  And, as the City, Main Street Laurens, and local merchants proceed with plans to encourage a new nightlife scene here, soon it may not be uncommon to see street performers around Square on any given weekend.  Looking forward and preparing for our future, City Council felt the need to make sure these possibilities could be encouraged while still maintaining the safety and tranquility of our community.

The new events ordinance has received more consideration by City Council than any ordinance before council in the last several years.

While city ordinances are only required to have two “readings,” this matter has been on the Council’s agenda at four separate public meetings, including a special called meeting of City Council where Council received legal counsel regarding the details of the ordinance and its Constitutional implications, and several members requested various revisions.  In addition to the feedback given by the City’s Attorney, Tom Thompson, and its Chief of Police, Chrissie Latimore, at the public meetings concerning this ordinance, a great deal of input was received from various members of the public, and much of that input was helpful in shaping the way the ordinance was written.  And though the formal process of finally passing this ordinance occurred at two meetings in February, the finalized ordinance itself is the product of months of deliberation and communication between the Mayor, City Council, and members of the public.

The City of Laurens’ new events ordinance now brings the city in line with similar ordinances passed by our neighbors.  Mayor Nathan Senn recently met with a group of other mayors from across the Upstate and they discussed this issue.  “I asked them whether they had event ordinances on the books similar to the one we were crafting that allowed them to address some of the public safety issues that we have been confronted with over the summer, and as I suspected, they did, and it confirmed my belief that we needed to bring our city’s laws into the twenty-first century.”

City officials hope that the public is reassured that there will now be a fair, uniform system in place which respects the important Constitutional rights and liberties of citizens, but allows for law enforcement to keep the peace and protect public safety.

“One of the things that I think is most important for folks to understand is that, more than anything, the ordinance gives the us ability to plan properly and maintain public safety while also limiting the government’s ability to improperly or unfairly deny a permit,” said Mayor Senn.  “We can’t have anarchy where everyone does whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want.  We must have respect for law and order.  But, if there has to be a system in place to maintain order and public safety, then it should be a system which properly respects the sacred Constitutional rights of individuals.  And that’s what this ordinance does.”