We The People Gun Range Under Fire by Neighbors

[MrPeabody]

I know a guy who lives in the boondocks. He started a little paintball field on his back forty. They played there twice a month. The neighbours complained a lot, saying his property wasn't zoned for that. The county, after someone called them, looked into it and sure enough they were right! No more paintball field. The property owner then went around to all the happy neighbours to inform them that his little paintball field was indeed closed. He also informed them that his property was zoned to allow a hog farm to be on the premises. So he told the neighbours they could smell the hogs year round or listen to the paintball guns twice a month.. Paintball fields back open! Wooooo Hooooo!

Now that is a very unique approach....

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Doesn't Elmore's get around the Greenwood smoking ban for businesses by calling their business a private club?

I doubt it. The requirements to be a private club are in the ordinance and requires more than just declaring yourself a private club.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...g2aTUH4BYbcRCtqcA&sig2=20JnAoaKsYIqIXSMNolNlA

 

[Indyvet]

I doubt it. The requirements to be a private club are in the ordinance and requires more than just declaring yourself a private club.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...g2aTUH4BYbcRCtqcA&sig2=20JnAoaKsYIqIXSMNolNlA

So by reading this, do they charge a membership to be a customer? Or do you have to go in with a member to shop? That's how I read it. Maybe I'm wrong. Don't really care just curious as I am a smoker. So it doesn't bother me.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

So by reading this, do they charge a membership to be a customer? Or do you have to go in with a member to shop? That's how I read it. Maybe I'm wrong. Don't really care just curious as I am a smoker. So it doesn't bother me.

No idea. Once they priced a pmag over $100 after Newtown I said I'd never go back and I never have. The smoke was a bother, but that was the anvil that broke the camel's back.

 

[radar44]

Anyone notice that the only time we put the words ' good ' and ' lawyer ' in the same sentence is when one is needed ? -

 

[Twangbanger]

I saw this news story on TV the other morning. From my understanding, the public range was disallowed, so the owners declared it "private," then started holding Indiana Multi-Gun events there. The matches have not been shut down by any enforcement authority, yet. That alone makes me wonder if there's more gray area here than some might suggest, because if it was a clear-cut violation of zoning rules, it seems the law would have come down pretty hard by now.

If they charged everyone a $50 fee to become members before they could participate in the matches, would that get around the zoning issue? The discharge of firearms does not seem to be at issue here...just whether it's open to the public or not. If only members can compete...well, I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn last night, so we'll have to let it play out. But the news story said absolutely nothing about any zoning regulation preventing the discharge of firearms. So at first glance, the range's owners would seem to be well-advised in playing upon the public/private technicality.

Here's hoping it's resolved in their favor. From the news story, it certainly didn't look anything like a suburban or densely-populated area. The Uptight Annies already have enough Homeowners' Association localities to live in. I don't think any reasonable person would draw the conclusion that anybody's property values are being damaged in any way here.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I saw this news story on TV the other morning. From my understanding, the public range was disallowed, so the owners declared it "private," then started holding Indiana Multi-Gun events there. The matches have not been shut down by any enforcement authority, yet. That alone makes me wonder if there's more gray area here than some might suggest, because if it was a clear-cut violation of zoning rules, it seems the law would have come down pretty hard by now.

If they charged everyone a $50 fee to become members before they could participate in the matches, would that get around the zoning issue? The discharge of firearms does not seem to be at issue here...just whether it's open to the public or not. If only members can compete...well, I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn last night, so we'll have to let it play out. But the news story said absolutely nothing about any zoning regulation preventing the discharge of firearms. So at first glance, the range's owners would seem to be well-advised in playing upon the public/private technicality.

Here's hoping it's resolved in their favor. From the news story, it certainly didn't look anything like a suburban or densely-populated area. The Uptight Annies already have enough Homeowners' Association localities to live in. I don't think any reasonable person would draw the conclusion that anybody's property values are being damaged in any way here.

I should probably tell you that most LE guys (and gals) aren't really up on zoning ords. Most could actually care less..... until somebody complains, and the city sends their people out to investigate.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I guess time will tell what happens.

Most sage line of the thread.

Wait and see. Property rights are not absolute. County government's ability to regulate is not absolute.

 

[sidewinder27]

I saw this news story on TV the other morning. From my understanding, the public range was disallowed, so the owners declared it "private," then started holding Indiana Multi-Gun events there. The matches have not been shut down by any enforcement authority, yet. That alone makes me wonder if there's more gray area here than some might suggest, because if it was a clear-cut violation of zoning rules, it seems the law would have come down pretty hard by now.

If they charged everyone a $50 fee to become members before they could participate in the matches, would that get around the zoning issue? The discharge of firearms does not seem to be at issue here...just whether it's open to the public or not. If only members can compete...well, I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn last night, so we'll have to let it play out. But the news story said absolutely nothing about any zoning regulation preventing the discharge of firearms. So at first glance, the range's owners would seem to be well-advised in playing upon the public/private technicality.

Here's hoping it's resolved in their favor. From the news story, it certainly didn't look anything like a suburban or densely-populated area. The Uptight Annies already have enough Homeowners' Association localities to live in. I don't think any reasonable person would draw the conclusion that anybody's property values are being damaged in any way here.

I asked once what it cost to be a member there and he said $250.00.

 

[sidewinder27]

The biggest issue is still going to be the same as it was a few years and like Bob told me it all comes down to PCP or Putnam County Politics. They had addressed every concern that the group opposing them had brought up and it still wasn't good enough for them or the county board. He has enough land that the neighbors are in no danger from what I understand.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Doesn't Elmore's get around the Greenwood smoking ban for businesses by calling their business a private club?

No, they get around that by having allowed smoking on premises prior to the ban going into effect. I think the ban may have been more "absolute" for restaurants/bars and such establishments, but there was some wiggle room for other places. Elmore's just took advantage of a premise within the law that allows them to be legal. Just like PSS in Plainfield.