Charleston-area residents protest restrictive beach parking on Isle of Palms

ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCIV) — Many Charleston area people are upset with new parking restrictions on the Isle of Palms.

Around 15 people stood in protest on Palm Boulevard, where signs litter along the road to not park without a IOP resident parking decal.

"They [town council] put the ban together claiming it's in the name of COVID protection but forcing thousands of people into one tiny spot is the opposite of a COVID plan," said Kevin Bunting, one of the 15 people out on the island today protesting.

On July 15th, IOP Town Council held an emergency meeting focused on limiting the spread of COVID 19 on the island.

IOP Police Chief Kevin Cornett said that emergency meeting enacted an ordinance that restricted parking in all of Palm Boulevard and all of the avenues to residents only with decals.

He added Municipal Lot B was reduced by 50 percent, although the Isle of Palms County Park is still operating at 100 percent.

"Council enacted this ordinance with the intent to reduce the number of people that would father on the beach so that they could ensure social distancing was taking place," said Chief Cornett.

RELATED: New IOP parking rules restricts beach use for some

An online petition created by Jane Bunting last week demands equal beach access in the Charleston area.

As of Saturday evening, it garnered 1,300 signatures.

"We are asking them to get back together right away to vote to reverse the parking ban," said Kevin Bunting.

He adds hundreds of parking spots have been taken away from visitors - crowding everyone to one area.

"It's no longer a question of social distancing there; it's trying to not rub sweat all over each other," said Bunting.

ABC News 4 has reached out to IOP Mayor Jimmy Carroll. He says council will hold a meeting Tuesday night to discuss changing parking to one side of Palm Boulevard.

Chief Cornett says he and the organizer of the event came together and agreed his department would not ticket protesters that parked along Palm Boulevard for the duration of their event as long as they stood outside their vehicles, wore masks and held their signs.

In the first weekend of the new rules, IOP Police ticketed 347 people, compared to 118 the weekend before.