LOCAL PARKS WHERE AN OFFICIAL DECISION HAS BEEN MADE

[Fallguy]

Use this thread to post any local parks where the local government has voted and either prohibited carry or the prohibition failed.

Please include

Name of Park:

Address: (If known or at least general location)

City or County: (Name of city or county where park is located, not whether it is a city or county park)

Results of vote: (Carry to be prohibited, Carry not to be prohibited)

Entity taking vote: (*** City council, *** County commissioners)

Also please make an entry into our CCW Prohibited Locations - TGO Database

***NOTE***

No off-topic discussion will be allowed. This thread is strictly for tracking results of local park carry votes. If you wish to discuss an entry please create a new thread and you can post the link to the thread.

[Fallguy]

Name: ALL CITY PARKS

City: Johnson City

Results of Vote: Carry prohibited (unanimous vote), by Johnson City City Council. UPDATE:* No Guns Allowed In Johnson City City Parks | TriCities

Edited July 7, 2009 by Fallguy

[Fallguy]

Name: ALL CITY PARKS

City: Jackson

Results of Vote: Carry not-prohibited, by Jackson City Council

Tennessee Firearms Association, Inc.

Legislative Action Committee

Local Reports from a TFA member (Richard Archie) who attended the Jackson City Council (Madison county) meeting on July 7 reports that the city council voted 6 to 2 with one abstaining to REJECT a motion to close Jackson City parks under the local parks option.

[Fallguy]

Name: ALL CITY PARKS

City: Paris

Results of Vote: Carry prohibited (vote 4-1), by Paris City Council

The Paris Post-Intelligencer > News > Local News > Commission decides no guns in parks

[Fallguy]

Name: ALL CITY PARKS

City: Murfreesboro

Results of Vote: Carry prohibited

City bans guns in parks on The Murfreesboro Post

[Fallguy]

Name: ALL CITY PARKS

City: Baileyton

Results of Vote: Carry prohibited

The Greeneville Sun - News Story

[daddyo]

Name of Park: All County Parks

City or County: Williamson

Results of vote: Carry to be prohibited

Entity taking vote: County commissioners; vote unanimous on 7/13/09

[Fallguy]

Name: ALL CITY PARKS

City: Lebanon

Results of Vote: No vote but see below. (Looks like carry will be allowed)

From The Lebanon Democrat.

GUNS IN PARKSBy: By J.R. LIND

Posted: Sunday, July 12, 2009 12:03 am

Comment Email Print Despite some mumblings, it appears unlikely Lebanon will opt out of the recently-passed guns-in-parks law.

The law, which allows handgun-carry permit holders to have their weapons in city parks, passed the state legislature late in this year's session. The law includes a provision allowing city councils to "opt-out," effectively banning weapons in parks under their control.

During a handful of recent Lebanon City Council meetings and work sessions, Councilor Kevin Huddleston obliquely indicated he would be asking City Attorney Andy Wright to draft the opt-out ordinance.

Friday, Huddleston said he will not pursue that move.

"I thought abouut it but i'm not going to. I have had some people in my ward and some family members that said i shouldn't do that," he said.

Huddleston said safety concerns were first on people's minds as they argued against the ban. He said it's the same reason he wants to keep the attendant at Don Fox Park in the budget. That job is one of more than two dozen city jobs that appear to be victims of budget cuts. City Recreation Director William Porter said he can save the job if he's allowed to move money from other lines in his budget allocated for part-time workers and overtime.

During the brief moments in which guns-in-parks came up, Councilor Kathy Warmath expressed that she would not vote for the ban.

"I'm totally against that. I don't carry one myself. I believe everyone has a right to protect themselves. Law enforcement can't be everywhere. If you are in danger and you are a responsible person, you should be able to carry them anywhere," she said Friday.

Wright said no member of the council has indicated they would like him to draft the opt-out ordinance.

The state law goes into effect Sept. 1 and cities must act before that date to opt out. City councils in Murfreesboro and Clarksville voted to opt out Thursday. Nearly 50 city and county governments statewide have opted out to date.

Staff Writer J.R. Lind can be reached at 444-3952 ext. 16 or by e-mail at jr.lind@lebanondemocrat.com

[dralarms]

Meigs county:

Will not ban:

Source: Daily post athenian (our local rag)

[Guest db99wj]

Name: ALL CITY PARKS

City: Germantown Unanimous Vote

Results of Vote: Carry prohibited

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/jul/14/shelby-votes-to-keep-gun-ban-in-parks/

Name: ALL COUNTY PARKS

City: Shelby County 10-3 vote

Results of Vote: Carry prohibited

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/jul/14/shelby-votes-to-keep-gun-ban-in-parks/

The policy would apply to county-owned properties such as Shelby Farms.

Voting yes to keep the current ban were commissioners Henri E. Brooks, Carpenter, Sidney Chism, Joe Ford, J.W. Gibson II, James Harvey, Matt Kuhn, Deidre Malone, Steve Mulroy and Ritz.

Voting no were commissioners Joyce Avery, Wyatt Bunker and George Flinn.

[Fallguy]

Name: ALL CITY PARKS

City: Danridge

Results of Vote: Carry Allowed. (Vote 4-2)

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/tennessee-politics-legislation/24099-danridge-considers-park-ban.html

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jul/15/gun-ban-in-parks-denied-in-dandridge/

DANDRIDGE - Retired police officer Ronnie Smith of Dandridge has a gun-carry permit and is a pistol-packing believer in the right to carry firearms.

"Most of the time I'm awake I've got mine," said Smith during a Tuesday night Dandridge City Council meeting that included a resolution to prohibit hand guns in public parks in the Jefferson County town.

Smith, 68, was pleased with City Council's 4-2 vote which nixed the resolution that would have prohibited any person authorized to carry a handgun from possessing a handgun while within a public park, natural area, historic park, nature trail, campground, forest, greenway or waterway that is owned or operated by the town of Dandridge.

"Criminals don't go to the police station or Army base, they go to parks, nursing homes and schools," said Smith as he addressed the gathering of 20 people at the meeting.

Dandridge is one of many cities in Tennessee that has been mulling a new state law that comes into effect Sept. 1 that will allow citizens with handgun permits to carry guns in public parks.

The new law has a loophole that allows cities and counties to axe the provision and keep their parks free from guns - after adoption of a resolution by the legislative body.

Tuesday's decision by City Council was of particular note because Dandridge was rocked by a 2006 shooting where three adults were killed in an ongoing dispute between two families at a city ballpark complex at Grace Schrader Park called the "Field of Dreams."

The shooting took place as more than 50 spectators filed out of a youth baseball contest at the complex on U.S. Highway 25W-70. The shooting was not related to any developments during the game.

The other municipal park in Dandridge affected by Tuesday's vote is the Point Resort and Marina.

Smith, along with several members of City Council, deemed the resolution as unenforceable.

"You'd have to have 100 officers down there to pat people down," said Smith. "It's unenforceable and something we don't need. You have an incident that happened three years ago infringing on my rights."

Town Administrator James Hutchins said he doubted any law banning firearms in the park would deter criminals from carrying guns. "No law we make can make people obey the law," said Hutchins.

Like Smith, Dandridge resident Sabrina Large has a gun-carry permit and believes she should be able to carry a handgun in the city's parks. Large, 32, said the Field of Dreams shooting was part of the reason she decided to obtain a gun-carry permit.

"That, and how the world is today," said Large, who frequently attends games and events at Field of Dreams.

"People who have carry permits ought to be able to carry guns for their own safety - that's what we got them for."

[Punisher84]

Too bad we don't have people with sense here. Maybe I'll move to Dandridge lol

[Fallguy]

Name: ALL CITY PARKS

City: Martin

Results of Vote: Carry prohibited

Just reported on Channel 7 News.

[RRMan03]

Thanks to Meigs County Officals.

[Worriedman]

From a contact in Lexington, received late last night.

I also just saw in our paper that our city parks are closed to the carry option. The aldermen passed it this week.... the mayor and his opponent will be in your audience as well as maybe one or two of the aldermen that are running. The reason for denial was city liability. One more item mentioned last week in passing was by one of the attorneys (who has a carry permit) that thinks the restaurant carry option is insane.

Will get verification and post in the database today.

[Guest Old goat]

Trenton City Park - Carry allowed

From one of the Alderman- vote was 3-2 to not opt out.

[threeshot]

Name of Park: All CITY parks

City or County: Brentwood

Results of vote: Carry to be prohibited

Entity taking vote: City commissioners (Passed unanimously)

[Guest canynracer]

Shelby County, Brentwood, Germantown and Williamson County have all opted to keep guns out of parks

Opt-in on guns makes more sense than opt-out | tennessean.com | The Tennessean

[threeshot]

Name of Park: All municipal parks, natural areas, historic parks, nature trails, campgrounds, forests, greenways, waterways and similar public places in Goodlettsville.

City or County: Goodlettsville

Results of vote: Carry to be prohibited

Entity taking vote: City commissioners

City officials say they are producing the required signage and it will be in place by the Sept. 1 effective date of the state’s new handgun law.

[Motasyco]

Name of Park: City parks, natural area, historic park, nature trail, campground, forest, greenway, waterway or other public place owned or operated by the town.

City or County: Vonore

Results of vote: Possession of a handgun to be prohibited

Entity taking vote: Vonore Mayor and Aldermen approved a resolution

Author: Mia Rhodarmer

The Vonore Mayor and Aldermen approved a resolution Tuesday night that would prohibit people from carrying handguns in city parks.

Mayor Fred Tallent said he was not against handguns, but did not think people needed them in the parks where children could get hurt if a gun went off accidentally. He said if someone brings a gun to a park, it should be left in the car with the car door locked.

The resolution came about after the state General Assembly approved Public Chapter No. 428, which changed the regulations concerning where people could carry guns. Prior to Sept. 1, 2009, carrying a weapon in municipally owned parks, playgrounds, civic centers and other public buildings is a Class A misdemeanor.

The new law approved by the General Assembly made it legal to carry a handgun in a public park. However, the state will allow each county and city to adopt resolutions making it illegal.

The Vonore resolution prohibits anyone from possessing a handgun while in a city park, natural area, historic park, nature trail, campground, forest, greenway, waterway or other public place owned or operated by the town.

Signs will be posted in places where it is illegal to carry a handgun. Violations carry a maximum sentence of 11 months and 29 days and a fine not to exceed $2,500.

Look for more coverage from Tuesday's meeting in the Sunday edition of The Advocat e & Democrat.

editor@advocateanddemocrat.com | 337-7101

[Guest bkelm18]

Name of Park: All City Parks

City or County: Oak Ridge

Results of vote: Voted to prohibit carry (5-2)

Entity taking vote: Oak Ridge City Council

[Guest JCE]

Name of Park:all

City:Dresden

Results of Vote:Banned

Entity taking vote:board of Aldermen

I'm sorry to report that our ignorant town leaders decided to get on the gun ban wagon and make the parks safe for criminals.

I will remember come next election

[cadillacdude1975]

Name of Park:all

City:Chattanooga

Results of Vote:Banned

Entity taking vote:Chattanooga City Council 9 for the ban, 0 against

[cadillacdude1975]

Name of Park:all

City:Hamilton County

Results of Vote:Banned

Entity taking vote:Hamilton County Parks & Recreation Department as far as i know.

[Guest nokomom]

Name of Park: All Parks

City: Memphis

Results of Vote: Banned

Entity taking vote: Memphis City Council (Hey at least I called and tried.)

This new law will protect us all in city parks I'm sure! I'm wondering what kind of cool force-field technology and wizardry ole Godwin will use to keep all those thugs with illegal guns out of parks. We just will continue to not go to the parks. My husband and I go rarely because of safety and thought that if this passed we could go more often. (Tip: Arkansas has great state parks and allows HG carry.) I want a vote count...but I'm pretty sure I have an idea of how everyone voted.

http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/local/story/Memphis-City-Council-Bans-Guns-In-Parks/eVbG-nvf90itK98A_5TKtg.cspx

Edited July 22, 2009 by nokomom
added link to news blip