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, including skeet shooting12, <br />not otherwise exempted herein,13 shall be designed or <br />oriented to keep projectiles on the 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 directed14 Direct all stationary target shooting <br />activities into a projectile-proof backstop consisting <br />of concrete, steel, earth, wood, or combination <br />thereof15 a minimum of 15 feet in height and 30 feet <br />in depth.16 <br />(iii) Shooting activities occurring indoors shall:17 <br />a. Be located a minimum of 100 feet from all property <br />lines, rights-of-way, or access easements, and <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 Orange Underlined  text added to address October 7, 2015 Planning Board comments the term ‘target  <br />shooting’ did not specifically include or allow skeet shooting.  <br />13 Bold Blue Underlined was language added in consultation with the County Attorney’s office designed to address  <br />a concern from the September 8, 2015 Quarterly Public Hearing proposed regulations could restrict the ‘incidental’  <br />discharge of a firearm.  This language has now been deleted.  <br />14 Language deleted to address concerns from the October 7, 2015 Planning Board meeting that, as written, the  <br />ordinance would not allow skeet shooting.  <br />15 Bold Green Underlined text was eliminated to address concerns from the October 7, 2015 Planning Board  <br />meeting, specifically staff is eliminating language defining the materials that could constitute an acceptable  <br />backstop.  In consultation with the County Attorney it was determined projectile proof backstop would be  <br />sufficient.  <br />16 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 />17 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 /> 34