MURRELLS
INLET, SC (WMBF) - It may be months away, but many businesses are already
getting ready for the spring rallies.
On Monday
night, vendors found out what they can actually plan or can't plan to happen
outside of biker bars.
One
of the top announcements made by Horry County Assistant Administrator Paul
Whitten at the meeting was that for the second year in a row, motorcycle
burnouts (a popular activity where riders spin their tires) will not be
permitted. Any business caught violating the rules risks losing its business
license, losing its bike rally special event permit, and the owner is subject to arrest.
Horry
County officials say burnouts violate DHEC regulations, plus they receive
numerous complaints from those living nearby.
"We've also received a number of complaints from citizens
who are, who live nearby some of the establishments that have had the burnouts
and had numerous complaints about the air quality, the impact, the smell - the
smell of burning rubber is not necessarily a wonderful smell," Whitten said.
The
specially-called Public Safety meeting discussed all things Bike Week; it laid
down the county's laws and expectations for how everything will go. This
meeting was held for all the interested vendors looking to get special event
permits for this year's spring rallies.
People
in the area say they can see why the county is putting its foot down.
"I've
been here 15 and a half years and I do hear the noises," said Bill
Sullivan, who lives near the SBB Biker Bar. "But it doesn't bother me, but
it bothers my wife. My wife is a very light sleeper, especially at 2:00 in the
morning."
But
local businesses say the county's "No Burnout" rule will really just
scorch the bottom line. Bill Barber, Events Director for Suck Bang Blow, says
burnouts are a top bike week attraction that rolls in the customers, and keeps
the bars busy. Barber claims stopping burnouts may be easier on your ears, but
it will certainly be harder on everyone's bottom line.
"We
will feel it, the county will feel it financially, the state will feel it
financially, everybody will feel it," said Barber.
After
Monday's meeting, Barber said SBB will contact its attorney to figure out the
next move.
"We'll look into the reasoning to why they don't want to
have it because you know what they said tonight was pollution and that. But,
we've proven it doesn't change the chemical compound of the rubber- it's just
like shaving or sanding wood," Barber said.
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