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 5-64 <br /> <br />(j)(k) Outdoor paintball or similar activities, <br />(l) Indoor/outdoor athletic facilities, <br />(k)(m) Gymnasiums, and <br />(l)(n) Other similar uses. <br />(2) The minimum lot area for recreational facilities shall be two acres. <br />(3) No building shall be closer than the minimum requirements of the district in which <br />it is located, or 20 feet to from the public right of way or private property line, <br />whichever is greateror as specified herein. <br />(4) Outdoor athletic fields shall be a minimum of 50 feet from all property lines. <br />(5) Outdoor athletic fields, pitch and putt courses, and/or play areas shall either be <br />oriented or utilize a combination of screens, fences, nets, berms, and/or <br />vegetation to protect the safety of adjacent properties and/or persons. <br />(B) <br /> <br />(B) Standards for Specific Uses7 <br />(1) Shooting Ranges <br />(a) Nothing in this section shall be construed as regulating hunting activities <br />or the operation of a shooting range developed for, and exclusively <br />utilized by, local, State, and/or Federal law enforcement agencies. <br />(b) All shooting activities involving the discharge of a firearm for any purpose <br />shall be conducted indoors. Outdoor ranges may only be used to <br />support bow, knife, and other similar targeting activities.8 <br />(c) The building shall be designed and/or incorporate noise abatement <br />devises to control or reduce the sound produced by gunfire. <br />(d) No building where the discharge of a firearm occurs shall be closer than <br />50 feet to a property line. <br />(e) No outdoor range shall be closer than 30 feet from a property line, street <br />right-of-way, or access easement. <br />(f) Outdoor shooting areas shall be required to install a Type A land use <br />buffer around its perimeter. <br />(2) Outdoor Paintball <br />(a) Areas where paintball activities occur shall be a minimum of 50 feet from <br />all property lines. <br />(b) A Type B land use buffer shall be installed around the perimeter of <br />identified play areas. <br />(3) Pitch and Putt Courses <br />(a) Pitch and putt areas shall be a minimum of 40 feet from all property lines. <br />(b) A Type B land use buffer shall be installed around the perimeter of the <br />property. <br />(C) Standards for Class B Special Use Permit <br /> <br />7 These regulations would govern the development of commercial shooting ranges.  <br />8 Staff is recommending the discharge of a firearm connected to a shooting range be conducted indoors to address  <br />noise and safety concerns.  Language within this section, however, exempts local, State and Federal public safety  <br />agencies from having to comply.  <br />14