Taking a shot at a gun range

“This has been more of an academic exercise for me,” planning commission member George Forsa said.

Like many of the commission members, he has little knowledge of guns and gun ranges, but he visited several and looked at more than 15 different city ordinances pertaining to them. They recommended there be no food, drink or alcohol in the range area at any time.

Petitioners must apply for a license through the police department; it will cost $100 and be renewed each year following an inspection by the chief of police. Those using the range may fire both guns from the range itself as well as properly contained guns from outside the range.

External guns can be fired as long as they do not exceed the noise and trap containment levels set by the limits and specs of the buildings construction. The commission also recommended the use of external ammunition. Originally, developers wanted to only use ammunition available at the range, but due to a shortage of ammunition, they wanted to allow for external ammunition as long as it inspected by them personally.

“Ammo is in short supply everywhere,” Forsa said.

The ranges are allowed to be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week, but if that becomes an issue, then it can be changed. Many aspects of the range are expected to simply follow National Rifle Association (NRA) guidelines.

Staff training, shooter rules and regulations, hearing protection, internal noise levels and the internal construction specs are simply required to follow the guidelines set by the NRA.

“The government kind of lets the NRA do this,” potential gun range petitioner Craig Parsons said.

External noise guidelines will follow Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. The guidelines are based not just on decibels levels, but on a methodology of not only how loud a sound is, but also for how long as well.