Orange County NC Website
Article 5: Uses <br /> Section 5.7: Standards for Recreational Uses <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Orange County, North Carolina – Unified Development Ordinance Page 5-65 <br /> <br />(c) Outdoor sports field lighting, as detailed within Section 6.11, shall be <br />prohibited.9 <br />(2) Specific Standards10 <br />(a) Shooting activities11 <br />(i) All shooting or targeting activities, not otherwise exempted <br />herein,12 shall be designed or oriented to keep projectiles on the <br />property. <br />(ii) Shooting activities occurring outdoors shall: <br />a. Be located a minimum of 300 feet from all property <br />lines, rights-of-way, or access easements; <br />b. Be located a minimum of 1,000 feet from occupied <br />dwelling units external to the property; and <br />c. Be directed into a projectile-proof backstop <br />consisting of concrete, steel, earth, wood, or <br />combination thereof a minimum of 15 feet in height <br />and 30 feet in depth.13 <br />(iii) Shooting activities occurring indoors shall:14 <br />a. Be located a minimum of 100 feet from all property <br />lines, rights-of-way, or access easements, and <br />b. Be designed to keep the shot within the structure.15 <br />(iv) Shooting or targeting activities occurring outdoors shall <br />occur only between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. <br /> <br />recommending language that would prohibit the installation/use of equipment allowing for the expanded use of a  <br />recreation amenity beyond what is considered customary for a residential setting.  <br />9 This would prohibit the erection of sports field lights for accessory recreational land uses developed to support a  <br />residential recreational facility.  <br />10 As written staff is still proposing to establish specific standards for target shooting activities as an accessory use  <br />to a residence.  There was some discussion at the public hearing to eliminate these standards, specifically setback  <br />and backstop requirements, and enforce non‐residential target shooting activities only.  <br />11 There have been issued associated with the discharge of firearms on private property, focusing on noise and  <br />public safety issues.  Staff is attempting to establish reasonable land use regulations to address safety concerns by  <br />requiring discharged items remain on the subject parcel and for those areas where a gun is discharged to be set  <br />distances from a property line and occupied dwelling units.    <br />12 Bold Blue Underlined text represents a change made in consultation with the County Attorney’s office designed  <br />to address a concern from the September 8, 2015 Quarterly Public Hearing proposed regulations could restrict the  <br />‘incidental’ discharge of a firearm or be construed as limiting a person’s right to do so.  <br />13 Bold Green Underlined text represents a change to address comments from the September 8, 2015 Quarterly  <br />Public Hearing and combines what was proposed to be Section(s) 5.7.1 (B) (1) (b) and (c) into 1 section.  Staff has  <br />decided to add language reducing required setbacks if shooting/targeting activities occur indoors to address BOCC  <br />and Planning Board concerns over the possible impacts proposed setbacks would have on a property owner’s  <br />ability to engage in target shooting activities.  <br />14 Bold Green Underlined text represents additional regulations to address comments from the September 8, 2015  <br />Quarterly Public Hearing to provide greater flexibility for those property owners who choose to erect an indoors  <br />target range on their property with respect to required setbacks.  <br />15 Staff is not recommending the establishment of a standard with respect to an indoor projectile‐proof backstop.   <br />We believe this can be addressed on a case by case basis.  <br /> 122