INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – Those who have a valid concealed weapons permit will be allowed to carry their weapons into Indian River County parks, the Board of County Commissioners decided Tuesday.
Current county ordinances prohibit weapons from county parks, but state laws allow it. County Attorney Alan Polackwich told commissioners that the county ordinance is overruled by the state.
Commissioners unanimously supported Polackwich’s request to begin the process of amending the county’s code, bringing it into compliance with state law.
“I agree with it whole-heartedly,” Commissioner Gary Wheeler said of amending the county ordinance. “I think this is a step in the right direction.”
Up until now, only those who had a permit issued through the Indian River County Recreation Department were allowed to carry guns, pistols and other firearms into county parks and recreation facilities.
State law preempts all other local rules on “the whole field of regulation of firearms and ammunition, including … ownership, possession, and transportation thereof,” Polackwich cited in his agenda materials to commissioners.
Florida statutes allow for those who have a valid concealed weapons license to carry concealed weapons in all places except those specifically listed in the statute, Polackwich further explained.
“County parks and recreational facilities are not among those places listed,” he wrote.
