011011 Wooster City Council approves indoor firing range legislation
By Sharon Haught
December 30, 2010
342
With no objections from members of council, on its third and final reading the members of Wooster City Council approved an ordinance which allows for the establishment of indoor firing ranges for firearms and archery equipment within the city limits.
The December 20 vote was unanimous with Councilman Jon Ulbright recusing himself from the discussions and subsequent vote.
The legislation was initially introduced by Wooster City Council Laws and Ordinances Committee Chairman Mike Buytendyk at councils November 15 meeting after a public hearing earlier in the evening during which committee members heard testimony in favor of the ordinance from a businessman who has expressed interest in opening a public indoor firing range and members of the public and the law enforcement community.
The ordinance was given its second reading at councils December 6 meeting.
According to Buytendyk, the only feedback that he received from the public regarding the ordinance since it was introduced was positive.
The change to the citys codified ordinances provides a detailed procedure for the licensing and operation of indoor firing ranges, which the ordinance defines as any establishment which offers to the public and/or members of a private club, the right to discharge a firearm or use archery equipment to practice or develop shooting skills within the confines of a structure, facility or premises.
The required license is issued by the Police Chief and must be renewed annually. A license request can be denied or an issued license revoked if the range owner fails to comply with the requirements of the ordinance.
The ordinance also contains stringent requirements for the design and operation of the range including the posting of firearms safety rules, the installation of bullet-proof partitions separating each shooter, the construction of a backstop to trap bullets and prevent ricochets and continuous monitoring by a range employee while patrons are on the range.
The idea of establishing the ordinance was brought before city officials by Vic Schantz, who plans to convert the existing All Seasons Sports Center on Route 585 into a state of the art indoor range, self defense training center and retail sales facility for shooting sports equipment and supplies.
During the November 15 public hearing Buytendyk noted that local residents who have a need for an indoor range currently have to take their business out of town to Canal Fulton or Ashland, the closest two indoor ranges to Wooster.
Im excited at the thought that this is yet another business wanting to come into the City of Wooster that will not only keep dollars that are already going outside the city for this type of activity but would also bring dollars from outside the city into the city, Buytendyk said during the hearing.
Its a business that has the potential of attracting outside dollars, which is something that is always good for local municipalities economies, added Buytendyk.
During the public hearing Schantz advised the members of the committee that he expects the business to do several million dollars in sales during the first two years and would grow beyond that.
While recreational marksmen will likely be Schantzs primary customer base, law enforcement officers will also likely take advantage of the facility, especially during inclement weather.
As Wooster Police Chief Steve Glick noted during the hearing, his officers are required to undergo re-certification on the firearms they use multiple times each year. Because the officers cant use the departments outdoor range on Prairie Lane during the winter months an indoor facility would obviously be very handy for us, said Glick.
