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HomeMy WebLinkAbout011 Misner (duplicate 014)Please read my attached letter regarding land use issues on siting of Commercial Shooting Facilities in Jefferson County. Thank you, Jan Misner ZON18-00036 mark as unread To: Jan Misner <jan@happytailsranchnw.com> Tue 11/6/2018 11:26 AM Planning Commission Desk; 1 attachment  DELETE REPLY REPLY ALL FORWARD Letter to J~.docx Page 1 of 1ZON18-00036 11/6/2018https://owa.co.jefferson.wa.us/owa/ November 6, 2018 RE: ZON18-00036 Dear Jefferson County Planning Commissioners, I am writing this letter because our way of life here in the Tarboo Valley in Jefferson County WA has come under attack with a proposed Commercial Shooting Facility. According to an application submitted to Jefferson County this 40acre gun range would be located on the shores of Tarboo Lake, a recreational lake for all citizens to use for fishing, boating, picnicking, swimming…. . This shooting facility would have 7 shooting ranges, 3 helipads, a gun store, several buildings, a dock and much more. From what I understand the plans are to train the US Military, law enforcement, and the gun range’s members. It would be open 7 days a week, with endless loud gunfire including long range repeating assault weapons, helicopters landing and taking off, and simulated bombs. It would pollute Tarboo Lake that feeds into Tarboo Creek, and Dabob Bay with lead and copper from gun residue and discharge. It would destroy the safety, peace, and tranquility of homes and farms in our area, along with Tarboo Lake for recreation, and the surrounding open space regulated by the DNR for hiking, horse riding, and recreating. Over the last decade caring hard working environmental groups and volunteers along with millions of dollars have restored Tarboo Valley. This includes restoring Tarboo Creek that is once again a Salmon run, and the wild life habitat we coexist with here. All of this would be gone with the disruption of a shooting facility moving in. We are residents living north of Quilcene in Jefferson County, WA. just a short distance from the proposed gun range. We live on a farm and I ride and train horses, we have cattle, and a garden. We spend endless hours in the outdoors working and enjoying the peace and tranquility of our farm and the surrounding open space in our area. This would all be lost if this proposed gun range is allowed in our area. Our neighbors for miles around us are feeling the same possibility of loss. We are asking for your help to capture the needed land use issues to keep our homes, farms and open space in this entire valley from being destroyed. Why should all of us living a peaceful caring existence lose it all to such a disturbing change in our lives for one selfish individual moving in for his personal profit. Note: The person proposing the new gun range has filed several law suits against the county through out this entire ordinance building and permitting process. I see this as what might be classified as ‘paper terrorism’ as he is the only one that benefits from the new ordinance as it is now written. Please also note: The person proposing this project has a web site that sells assault weapons and much more. See website: https://www.fortdiscoveryusa.com I urge the County Planning Commission to take under consideration what this beautiful area is now and how it would be destroyed for all who live, work, and recreate here. It would change the entire environment to accommodate only one kind of new commercial business that is polluting, loud, and disturbing to all that are in the vicinity. November 6, 2018 Here are some thoughts that may be of use in planning for a recreational facility that has so much negative impact on the existing area. 1. Require at a minimum of 500 yards set back from all lakes and streams for all shooting ranges. This would help protect the waters from lead and copper contamination. All shooting ranges have a clean up requirement to remove lead and copper on a regular basis. Lead contamination is a huge issue. It is not just the shells and bullets it is also the residue from the discharge of the weapon. We banned lead from gasoline in 1995. We banned lead in house paint in 1978. It is a health hazard that needs to be addressed. Please see link below to website for more information on lead contamination at shooting ranges. https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-017-0246-0 2. Prohibit “organizational training for all members of the armed forces” at all commercial shooting facilities. We have State and Federal military installations already set up for that kind of training. To also prohibit training of all private and public law enforcement at privately owned commercial ranges. There are also facilities set up for this at police training facilities. Privately owned ranges are to be used for recreational use only. 3. Prohibit commercial shooting facilities from being built near existing public and private lands, lakes, and streams designated for fishing and recreating where there would be a disruption from noise and possible stray bullets. 4. Prohibit commercial shooting facilities from being built near existing homes, farms, roads, and businesses that would be impacted by noise, lead, and possible stray bullets. 5. Limit the hours of operation to a couple days a week with shorter hours. So others can enjoy the outdoors without the impact of loud gunfire, helicopters flying in and out, and bombs going off from 7AM to 10PM 7 days a week. 6. Do not allow aircraft landing sites at shooting ranges. This being said I truly feel any and all new shooting ranges should be constructed indoors in commercial industrial areas where lead, bullets, and noise can all be contained. This would address all the issues that are important to our environment and still give folks who enjoy shooting for recreation a place to go. Thank you for reading this and I hope it helps you to make the right decision on the land use issues that are at stake here. Sincerely, Jan Misner P.O. Box 638 Quilcene, WA 98376 November 6, 2018 Jan@happytailsranchnw.com