Minutes 02-09-2021 Virtual Work Session

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9 stopping. He said his department suggests that residents call 911 ahead of time to let them know they will be shooting, so public safety can reassure callers, and deputies will understand into what they are walking. Commissioner Hamilton asked if any calls have had issues of safety. Sheriff Blackwood said maybe one call out of fifty. He said he will follow up with specific numbers. He encouraged the Commissioners to ride with deputies to see what kinds of calls they get and how deputies handle situations. Commissioner Hamilton asked if there is a sense of how many people target shoot in the County. Sheriff Blackwood said numbers are different based on the different districts, with fewer shooters in southern part of County, and more in the northern part. He estimates less than 250 people total. Commissioner McKee said for historical context this issue has come up over several years, and the task force spent much of its time discussing this very topic. He said he agrees with the Sheriff's estimations. He said he skeet shoots 3-4 times a year, but others do so more regularly. He said where he lives it is normal, and he has heard it all his life. He said it is a different situation in a subdivision, where residents do not know what kind of gun a person is shooting, and there is a wide range of how far the projectiles will go. He said this was a major part of the shooting task force's discussion to try to find a middle ground between the right to own firearms and when to use them. He said it boils down to noise, and whether the noise aggravates the neighbors. Chair Price said there was discussion on how far they should impose the regulation. She said a 300 foot buffer gives room to shoot, but a 600 or 900 foot buffer gives no room to practice. Commissioner Greene said this most recently came to the Board over a year ago due to complaints from the west side of Carrboro, but the lots were large and there was nothing the Board could do to regulate the issue at the time. She asked if there is anything the Board can do at this time. John Roberts said the discussion in September 2020 was regarding subdivisions, and a distance buffer, density and urbanized developments. He said it is not feasible to make ordinances around subdivisions due to the number and variety. Commissioner Bedford said the Board looked at Durham's noise ordinance, but Durham found it unenforceable. She said a family came in front of the Board who agreed to only shoot one day of a week and communicated this to neighbors, which worked well. Chair Price said there is very little the BOCC can do, and agreed with the Sheriff about calling 911 before one shoots. She said if someone contacts Commissioners with concerns, they should also call 911. Sheriff Blackwood said the topic has been discussed many times and all options have been explored, including what other counties do. He said an educational program may be helpful in neighborhoods where lots of shooting is happening to help with expectations, and tools for resolving issues. He said he would be happy to facilitate this type of endeavor. He said people feel entitled to shoot on their own land, while others feel entitled to not have to hear shooting on their own land. Commissioner Dorosin said a community education policy makes a lot of sense, but he is not ready to jettison the discussion of buffers. He clarified that if a 300-foot buffer is instituted, no shooting could happen in a buffer of 300 feet around a residential structure. He reviewed a map in the agenda packet. John Roberts said yes. Commissioner Dorosin said each map has more shaded areas, because the buffer distance is increasing with each one. He said the number of residences does not change.