Firing ranges may have a shot at getting into Emporia after all.
City Manager Matt Zimmerman said Wednesday he was now convinced that a shooting range could be safely built within the city limits if city commissioners wanted one.
The range was proposed in July by Connie and Larry Lewis, who want to build it on Sixth Avenue at a site between Graphic Arts and Overlander roads.
Zimmerman said he was impressed by the safety measures used at shooting ranges in Garnett and near Manhattan, including a series of ground and ceiling baffles to keep shots from going astray.
“Nothing is foolproof,” said Zimmerman, who visited the Garnett range. “But it’s designed so that it’s virtually impossible, so long as you follow the rules, for a bullet to leave the shooting range.”
City laws currently prevent the operation of a private shooting range. If the commission decided to change that, one option would be to allow it as a special use in an industrial zone, Zimmerman said. As a special use, the range would require a public hearing and regular review.
“I would speak in favor of the staff developing a plan to move it forward,” Commissioner Jim Kessler said.
“I agree,” Commissioner Jeff Longbine said. “I think it can be done safely. I just want to make sure the rules are in place and adhered to.”
The conditions recommended by Zimmerman included:
- Only letting the range be open when the owner or a designated employee is present.
- Building a six-foot fence around the range.
- Using ceiling, sidewall and ground baffles to contain shots.
- Posting range rules that have been approved by the chief of police, then strictly enforcing those rules.
- Cleaning the shooting area and grounds every day.
- Requiring the site to meet all city building and zoning codes.
- Not permitting a shooting range within a quarter-mile of any residential or government property.
Commissioner Bobbie Agler said he wanted to see what the final rules would be.
“I’m in favor of moving forward, but there’s got to be some pretty hard and fast rules,” he said.
The area is in a flood plain, making it unlikely that anyone else would build nearby. Nothing heavier than a .45 caliber bullet would be fired at the range.
Pups in trucks
Commissioners asked City Attorney Blaise Plummer to see whether the city’s existing leash laws would forbid unrestrained dogs from riding in the back of a pickup truck.
The issue first came up last April when Richard Hinson asked the city to ban dogs from the bed of a moving truck. At Wednesday’s meeting, Imogene McCosh of the Flint Hills Humane Society described several instances when a dog had fallen from a quickly-braking truck, including one case when the fallen dog was hit by a car.
Agler said he wasn’t sure of the need for a new law.
“I can see the reason for having it in a metro area,” he said. “It’s more highly populated and there’s much faster speeds. ... If we have an existing ordinance on the books that just needs to be enforced, that’s one thing. But I’m not sure if adding to the regulation is necessary.”
In other action:
- Most of the commission said it would probably not accept a bid from CTR for sidewalk work on South Avenue, since there was missing or incorrect information in the bid. The exception was Mayor Julie Johnson, who called the situation a “perfect storm” where a number of small problems added up to a big one. She noted that there had been miscommunications between CTR and the city and that the company was still completing a merger at the time of the bid.
- The commission discussed whether it should invest the money from the sale of Lake Kahola or turn it over to the Emporia Community Foundation for a higher rate of return. Ken Calhoun of the foundation said the city could always withdraw its funds if it became displeased with the foundation’s performance. “Our job is to follow your advice,” he said. “If we don’t follow your advice, we’re out of business.”
blulitespecial (anonymous) says...
I'm in favor of the local range.I'd also like to see an air rifle and smallbore range for youth groups,Scouts,and college teams,too.The interest is there,I think.
It's too bad the closest sanctioned high-power range is 70 miles away.But that range draws a lot of shooters for matches-up to a 100 miles away.Even private ranges set up for competition practice that I know of are 60-70 miles away.We have competitive high-power shooters here.And 2 military installations.Not to mention law enforcement.There should be 2 ranges near every county seat in the state.
October 16, 2007 at 2:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
Law enforcement have their own ranges already. They most likely won't be patronizing a privately ran range. Wonder why this range is being approved yet they turned down Roger Proehl's(Lyon Co Sheriff's Dept. Investigator who trains for CC Permits)request to have one on the East side of E-town?
October 16, 2007 at 1:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Weltha (anonymous) says...
I for one hope they build it. I agree with treb. It would get people off the side of the raod and river banks. Maybe not all but enough to make a dif. I would go to it. I live semirural and the only place really for me to shoot is below a weed infested pond dam. Spring time is ok until the rain makes it so you can't mow. By the time you can mow again its to late.
Roger got turned down mostly because busy body neighbors that didn't look at the whole picture complained w/o knowing the facts. W/o going into detail thats the jist of it.
October 16, 2007 at 2:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
blulitespecial (anonymous) says...
I got an invite to go to the police range-from what I read here,think I'll pass.I'd rather go to a friend's private range and have 100,200,300,and 600yards.Shooting benches.Mowed grass.No weeds.Golf cart.Coffee.Running water.
October 16, 2007 at 4:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
I have shot at the law enforcement range that was behind the airport, the one along the turnpike, one in Morris County, one in Saline Co, and two in reno County, none were weed infested then.
October 16, 2007 at 11:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
theNewKid (anonymous) says...
It's been more than a month since this article was published. Has a decision been made? I hope this is approved. I really look forward to using it.
October 17, 2007 at 8:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
Former LEO kstre. The public is not usually invited to use them. My point was, they(law enforcement agencies)will most likely continue to use their own and not budget to use a privately run range. Officers may choose to use the range on their own time.
October 17, 2007 at 4:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Paccifier (anonymous) says...
I think the Proehl range was rejected by the County (not the City) because of strong neighborhood opposition- Sounded like a reasonable proposal at the time though. The present City discussion is to allow city regulations to be changed to allow a range in the city limits. Once the regulations and ordinances are changed, then a specific site application can be filed for approval of the range.
October 17, 2007 at 4:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
You've never ticked me off, this is only the internet. Not Highway Patrol and I'll let it at that.
October 17, 2007 at 10:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
They may have quit using it now, it's been 12-13 yrs since I shot there. It was right West of the airport in the same section of ground.
The Highway Patrol is a very professional, spit and polished(Military like) agency. There are alot of top quality people in the patrol, and I admit there are several that are head strong and arrogant. For the most part, you couldn't ask for better people to know and be around. Like any other organization and their employees, they have and have had a few that were over the edge, after all, they are human too.
Most people would have a much better respect and admiration for the law enforcement officers and agencies if they walked in their shoes for awhile. Most people in Lyon Co have no idea what all goes on in our quiet little neck of the woods, I was shocked when I first started in law enforcement. BTW, I left the field of work by my choice, to take work with enough pay to raise a family without having to work a second job to make ends meet.
October 18, 2007 at 10:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )