Meeting Notes 072016 - Laserfiche WebLink

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5 We included commercial shooting ranges in our amendment process, those that are open to the public and receive compensation, he said, as a means of establishing minimum basic criteria for setbacks and buffers for indoor and outdoor ranges.As part of that process, we were tasked to look at the need to develop regulatory standards for the discharge of firearmsonprivate shooting ranges. In looking to develop those standards, it was determined that we weren’t going to make everybody happy. There had been several court cases essentially stipulating that if a land use is not listed in zoning regulatory standards then the use can go wherethe applicant wants it to go. There were also court rulings dealing with the regulation of private shooting facilities that we needed to take into consideration when determining what would and would not be permitted in the county.The Board of County Commissioners decided that land use management was not the best way to regulate private ranges; Planning staff agreed. The Board then passed regulations addressing commercial ranges only. To establish a commercial shooting range you have to acquire a Special Use permit. In order to do so, you must appear before the County’s Board of Adjustment, and through competent material evidence and sworn testimony prove that you comply with the Code and will be promoting the public health, safety, and general welfare. From a zoning standpoint, he said, the County does not regulate the discharge of firearms on private propertynor does it regulate hunting. There are no mechanisms in the land use component dealing with noise. Planning does not haveany regulatory standards nor will we be proposing any that would somehow restrict or otherwise limit the type of firearm that can be discharged. We were mainly looking at setbacks,buffering, and backstop standardsfor private shooting ranges, and in the end it was determined that such things would best be handled through the Firearms Safety Committee. In reply to questions from Committee members, Mr. Harvey added: x There is one commercial shooting range in Orange County. It existed before we established aregulatory standard. It is located near Buckhorn Road. x There is a private shooting range on Duke Forrest property that is used by law enforcement. It is not regulated by what we have adopted. x Planning has not had more than one or two complaints about private shooting. Most of our work on this was precipitated by complaints alleging that an individual was operating a commercial range. We initiated an enforcement action but ultimately rescinded it because we didnot have sufficient evidence documenting andproving that it was a commercial facility. That determination was appealed to the Board of Adjustment, which then upheld that the County was within its rights to rescind the notice of violation. We still monitor the