SURFSIDE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — The clock is ticking for Surfside Beach as the town nears a moratorium deadline on vape shops within town limits.
There have been miscommunications and missed emails, and the town attorney has not responded to emails and questions from the town’s planning commission.
Mayor Robert Krouse said the town attorney was requested at a planning commission meeting several times when the moratorium was discussed to help answer members’ questions.
He has not shown up at any request.
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“We had a couple of miscommunications between the planning commission and staff here. The attorney didn’t realize he was requested to be at a meeting so on and so forth so we had to work that out,” said Krouse.
The town passed a moratorium in October 2024 and stalled any new vape shops trying to come into town for six months.
They are more than halfway from the moratorium expiring, and questions are still unanswered for planning commission members who are responsible for creating the ordinance.
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“It’s just a complicated process, and it does take some time, and if I see progress I’m not too concerned about it,” said Krouse.
The process is rigorous, and the planning commission expected town attorney Jarrett Bouchette to help members understand how to create the language for the new ordinance so vape shops cannot pass as normal convenience stores.
“In any event, there’s ultimately gonna be seven viewpoints, plus the attorney’s viewpoint, and then that will come to town council,” said Krouse.
Seven viewpoints on the ordinance, and several opinions on how this mishap occurred.
ABC15 reached out to town attorney Jarrett Bouchette to let him weigh in on what has been happening.
“Staff reached out to an old email address, and there were no further attempts to get in contact with me, and that explains the miscommunication,” said Bouchette.
Newly elected chairperson Dusty McCracken also gave his perspective.
“The commission looks forward to the upcoming work in 2025, and to finalize an ordinance that fits the needs of Surfside Beach. We will be addressing this in the next few meetings, and should have an ordinance in place after reviewing as a commission with the town attorney,” said McCracken.
Krouse told ABC15 he does expect Bouchette to attend the next planning commission meeting discussing the vape shop moratorium.
Planning Commissioners said last week that the vape shop moratorium can be extended if needed by the town council.
This article was originally published by a wpde.com . Read the Original article here. .