Agenda - 03-22-2016 - 6-a - Minutes

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14 1 Dallas Taylor said he is concerned about this ordinance, as it curtails the rights of those 2 that do not own big properties, or are not rich. He said he is opposed to the ordinance. He said 3 if this ordinance is passed, the range where he, and many others practice would have to move 4 or be shut down. He said he understands and is willing to be considerate, but at the same time 5 he wants to be able to exercise his rights. He said law enforcement needs areas to train, and to 6 be able to train their own kids. He said turkey shoots would be cut off if the time limitations 7 were imposed. 8 David Brown said he has been in Orange County for 33 years and his children were 9 trained to shoot. He reviewed all the elements of the ordinance which he found to be 10 unacceptable. He said one of the things that makes rural Orange County the way it is are the 11 people and their customs. He would prefer they do away with the ordinance entirely. He has 12 forwarded the proposed ordinance to the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Institute for 13 Legislative Action. 14 Don O'Leary said the proposed ordinance is not constitutional and should be thrown out. 15 He said the second amendment was put in the constitution in case of a tyrannical government, 16 so that the citizens could protect themselves. 17 Jack Hunnell said he farms 25 acres and he likes to hunt and fish on this property. He 18 said his neighbor has 155 acres, and the State regulates a lot of these. He said Chair McKee 19 should have gathered more input from broader areas to involve them in this discussion. He 20 asked the BOCC to table the issue until further discussion can occur. 21 Larry Roberts said the BOCC needs to decide what it is trying to accomplish. He said 22 he too reviewed the abstract information and he did not find a situation or complication, but 23 rather he only found resolution. He asked if the goal is safety, noise or firearms regulations. 24 He said he shoots for several reasons, including shooting varmints, such as copperhead 25 snakes, in his barn in order to protect his grandchildren when they visit, as well as his 26 neighbors. He said the ordinance is confusing as to what is restrictive and what is not 27 restrictive. He asked if the BOCC has considered the funds it will take to enforce this 28 ordinance, both for additional law enforcement, as well as litigation. He said do not dismiss 29 these concerned citizens as northern Orange gun owners but rather consider them to be 30 concerned citizens that can help keep this county safe. 31 Brad Burton said most of his points have been addressed. He is a life-long resident of 32 Orange County and was taught to be a responsible gun owner on three acres of land. He said 33 these skills, and the opportunity to practice them, helped to shape his life. He said he wants to 34 teach his son the same life lessons on the three acres that his family now lives on. He said this 35 proposal imposes on his rights as a gun owner as well as his second and ninth amendment 36 rights. 37 Rick Perry said BOCC meetings do not start before 7:00 p.m. in order to allow working 38 citizens the opportunity to attend. He said this same common sense should apply to this 39 ordinance. He said if one has a job and does not get home till 6:00 pm, one cannot practice 40 shooting with this proposal. He said he has a berm, and the proposed regulations are 41 excessive and unreasonable. He said if the proposed signage is put in place, the properties will 42 look ridiculous. He said areas available for shooting are decreasing rapidly and asked if 43 Orange County has a place for law enforcement to practice shoot. 44 Steve Hopper said he is from Efland and intended to ask if any harmful incidents had 45 preceded this proposed ordinance. He said the earlier speaker enlightened him of issues that 46 are problematic. He said he greatly empathizes with her situation and believed it should be 47 addressed, but this ordinance is no help to her in his opinion. He said the concepts in the 48 proposed ordinance are excessive. He said he does not hunt but he grows crops and he has 49 authority from the State to kill animals that attack his crops. He said he finds enforcement of 50 this ordinance is another issue. He said he is in favor of rejecting this.