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Safeguard or unnecessary hinderance? Depends on who you ask.

Following in the wake of the Christmas Eve shooting of a Bluffton man whose car was booted by a controversial towing company, new rules and regulations are coalescing for all towing in Beaufort County.

On Monday, May 9, those rules took a big step towards reality when Beaufort County Council gave a first reading approval. 

And while those rules may yet change much or never be approved at all, it seemed like a good time to pass along what they were.

You can read the full proposed ordinance here, or keep reading below for some highlights.

- Violations of the ordinance are punishable by a $100 fine or 30 days in jail.

- Fee caps for ordinary towing (the ordinance outlines specific situations where they can be exceeded). Carrier $200; light-medium wrecker $200; no-tow (arrival only) $75; no-tow (attached) $100; tow exceeding one hour $125 per hour; storage (per day, after first 24 hours) $40.

- Tow operators must allow personal items to be removed from vehicles. 

- Booting is forbidden.

- Property owner associations will not be allowed to have special rules to their private roads if the roads are enforced by public law enforcement.

-  Restrictions on who can tow private vehicles and if a property owner and tow company have an agreement to tow vehicles, and written approval must be obtained before towing.

We'll be sure to keep you posted.

• If the debate on new towing rules is new to you, get the backstory here.