MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. --Myrtle Beach passed 15 ordinances Tuesday to crack down on a 70-year tradition of motorcycle rallies in the city, but some attorneys warned the new laws may not survive legal challenges.
The Sun News of Myrtle Beach reports that city council unanimously passed nearly all the ordinances, which include rules requiring motorcycle riders to wear helmets, restricting where bikers can park and strengthening loitering rules.
Lawyers representing Harley-Davidson of Myrtle Beach and businesses that cater to bikers suggested some of the laws are illegal, but city attorney Tom Ellenburg told them to "save those arguments for the judge" and councilman Wayne Gray said the city is ready to face any legal challenge.
The helmet law may get the toughest challenge. State law doesn't require helmets for riders 21 and over.
The city decided to get rid of the rallies after years of complaints from residents about noise, lewd behavior and congestion, and council raised property taxes earlier this year to help pay for the effort. So far, none of the surrounding governments have followed suit.
The Harley-Davidson rally has been a fixture in Myrtle Beach for nearly seven decades and attracts mostly white riders. The Atlantic Beach Bikefest during Memorial Day weekend is a much newer event. It lasts four to five days, caters to black bikers and doesn't have the same kind of organization as the Harley rally.
Officials estimate the two rallies bring more than 500,000 people to the Grand Strand every year.
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