The James City County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to delete a redundant part of the county code governing the possession of concealed weapons at parks and recreation sites.
The vote was a housekeeping matter. Citizens with a concealed-carry permit — or who fell into several categories, such as police officers — were allowed to carry concealed weapons at county parks before the vote.
The board’s vote simply deleted an old prohibition on the carrying of concealed weapons that was not enforced. No rules were changed.
Several people attended the meeting wearing orange stickers reading “guns save lives.” Some of them openly carried handguns.
“I’ve heard there are 22,000 laws on the books involving guns,” said James Prince, a York County resident who attended the meeting and spoke during a public hearing about the deletion of the old ordinance. “It’s hard to stay current with every law. Make it easier for police officers and citizens.”
Doug Peterson of Newport News told the board he had to leave his gun at home during a recent trip to upstate New York. He referenced the escape of two inmates from a prison there during his comments.
“When they found the second one, he was nowhere near where the perimeter was set up,” Peterson said, noting there were likely many people in the state keeping their guns close during the search for the two inmates.
Supervisor Mary Jones (Berkeley) expressed her support for the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
“Anytime we can simplify what’s on the books in James City County, the better,” she said.
