Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Can a shooting range expand?

I would not want to live that close to a busy range, but it seems that someone should have thought about that before the land was used for such a purpose.

Reminds me of the story of my favorite condiment, Sriracha sauce.

When first opened up it was out of town, now folks have built around the factory and are complaining of the smell.

No zoning board seems to be able to see past the quick buck when it comes to planing.

It's not just gun ranges. I remember when they built Seattle International Raceway and then put a subdivision close by. Homeowners complained about noise even though they knew the race track was there when they bought.

Think about all the subdivisions and houses back in the hills that should never be there.

Fire Fighters get killed and home owners get burned up every year....at the cost of millions of dollars.

the map on their website places them closer to town and about due south 1/2 mile from your pushpin. However, the photos in their gallery look a lot like where your pin is, right on the river.
A number of their photos show houses fairly close behind the ranges. I wonder if they have a separate range for 5.56 shooting.

effin' NIMBYs will get you every time.

One of the best decisions in property rights I've ever heard of was in either AZ or NM some years ago. There was a feed lot built way out in the country. Over 75+ years, the city grew out and houses were built all around the feed lot. Eventually the new residents sued to try to close it down, nothing unexpected there. The ruling was outstanding. The judge said that the feed lot would have to move...but the plaintiffs had to pay 100% of the relocation costs. The lot owner got a brand new facility for his efforts.

RC, zoom in using Google earth and it;s obvious the pin is at the range. The entrance, a home, and other buildings are 1/2 mile or so away, at the end of public road.

GE will let you zoom in close enough to see targets etc.

I literally thought this was going to be a Gus thread.

Rock Chuck: I like that stance.

Our local range is about 3.75 miles from downtown. Well within range of most cartridges. Used properly though, no lead should be heading in that direction.

The encroaching neighbors in Corvallis, Or sued to have the college dairy shut down. When the college agreed and said they'd sell the property to a developer, the suit ceased. Seems folk would rather look at a green pasture and grazing cattle than the back doors of another development.

I noticed that. I wonder why the map on their website shows differently. Either way, though, it's still within 5.56 range of town. That bare hillside across the river is the Hagerman Fossil Beds Nat. Monument which has also been there longer than the range. Plus, the river is popular for fishing and duck hunting. I'm surprised they ever allowed it to be built there. By issuing the permit, they relinquished the ability to do anything about it.

Mailing address and offices vs the actual range Rock Chuck?

RC,

I would be willing to bet that if you were to give them a call and then drive out there and look at the range that they would be more than willing to explain what they do and why they think that it a safe practice.

It may well be time well spent.

It's very unlikely that I'll ever go there shooting unless I decide I need some professional training. I live only a few miles from BLM land with unlimited distance for safe shooting.

I'm not sure the impact fan is safe, but withotu knowing more, can't say for sure.

That said, .5 to 1 mile from folks, and they complain? Geez get a life...

Our personal range is out to 600 only due to terrain. And a lot of the shooting I do is about 150 yards from the house. I've never really heard any noise inside the house that would or should bother anyone.

I just took a look at the Gooding county (Idaho) P&Z ordinances and rifle ranges in the county require a Special Use Permit which means that the County P&Z Commission would have had to have a Public Hearing on the range. Given that they issued a Permit I am doubtful there was much, if any, public testimony against it when it was proposed and it is too late to do anything now.

Here is what the Gooding County P&Z Ordinance has to say about the requirements -

Rifle and Pistol Range:
Shall be designed with a backstop;
Shall be designed to avoid a line of fire that is directed toward any existing residence, business or roadway
within one (1) mile;
Shall incorporate landscaping that is compatible with the surrounding landscaping;
Shall provide supervision and security measures during periods of use.

It would have had to meet this requirements in order to be granted a Special Use Permit

As far as the State Statute I am glad to see that because it will stop ranges from being shut down by frivolous lawsuits and neighbor complaints. I have seen too many ranges shut down over those very things.

I am rural and have my own private range, at this time I do not have neighbors close enough to have any issues but to preclude that I registered my range with the County Clerks office so that if there are ever complaints I will have evidence of an existing range.

drover

I was thinking more on the lines of putting your mind to rest that they are not shooting in unsafe directions OR that they don't have shooting bays with big berms in the impact area(s).

I hear you on shooting on BLM ground, I do so myself. I don't have access to the canyon, but can find places to shoot up to a mile if not more.

Here's their website with photos. SHAW SHOOTING I'll admit that I have VERY little commercial range time since I've always had free BLM land for my shooting, but it looks to me like some of the berms are marginal in height. There are other ranges and houses downrange on some of them.

If nothing else, the controversy is getting them a lot of free publicity.

Cavalier Rifle and Pistol range here in Hanover County keeps buying up land as it comes available. We're now around 450 acres and looking to buy more.

Jim