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HomeMy WebLinkAbout101 Mulligan11/13/2019 Gun Range Ordinance - Planning Commission Desk https://owa.co.jefferson.wa.us/owa/#viewmodel=ReadMessageItem&ItemID=AAMkAGM0ZTI0NjQ3LTE2OGItNGQzZi05MWNjLWE2NTE2NGZjMzFhN…1/2 Gun Range Ordinance CAUTION: This email originated from outside your organization. Exercise caution when opening attachments or clicking links, especially from unknown senders. Dear Jefferson County Planning Commissioners,   I appreciate your sustained hard and dedicated work in regards to the Commercial Shooting Facilities Ordinance.  After attending the public hearing meeting on November 5th, I realize this issue touches on our Constitutional Right to bear (and shoot) fire arms, in addition to our peace and integrity as a community.  Although I do not own a gun myself, the comments made by the meeting’s attendees extended my sympathy towards gun owners and their need to discharge their personal firearms in safe manner.  For this reason, I have absolutely no objection to “small scale” recreational or tourist use shooting facilities, such as the Jefferson County Sportsmen’s Association.  I do not personally enjoy the sound of gunshots from their range, but I respect their efforts to shoot within the confines of a law-abiding gun club.   It appears that the future ordinance adopted by Jefferson County in regards to gun ranges must clearly define the meaning of “small scale” to allow shooting facilities such as JCSA to operate under their status quo.  The same definition of small scale must also ABSOLUTELY exclude facilities such as the complex currently being developed by Joe D’Amico on Tarboo Lake.    I support the position put forth by the Tarboo Ridge Coalition.  They suggest the adoption of “bright line” regulations that would make this definition of “small scale” both clear and legally defensible.  Shooting facilities in Jefferson County should ONLY be for recreational and tourist use, and NEVER for paramilitary training purposes.  Standard military, National Guard, Homeland Security or non-local law enforcement trainings should also be strictly regulated or disallowed in Jefferson County.  This would make the use of machine guns, mortars and rocket launchers illegal at local shooting facilities.    I also believe that gun fire should be restricted to reasonable hours of operation to respect neighbors and reduce noise pollution.  This does not include gun noise during people’s regular hours of sleep.  I believe that outdoor gun ranges should observe 500-yard setbacks from shorelines, water sources, and wetlands/wetland buffers to prevent copper and lead pollution and to protect wildlife and public recreation.  Gun fire from aircraft should be COMPLETELY outlawed in Jefferson County, regardless if the intended target is on personal property.  The negative implications of aircraft gun fire, such as civilian trauma to the risk of citizen terror, are completely unreasonable to our nature of communities.    On a personal note, I have been motivated to speak up because the I LOVE living in Jefferson County.  I absolutely DO NOT WANT this place to become marked by paramilitary types who profiteer on the discharge of powerful weapons designed for killing people in warfare.  We live in a beautiful place to grow (and hunt) food, care for friends and families, welcome people of diverse backgrounds, tend to animals, and simply enjoy the wilderness.  It is my absolute interest, and as I believe that of my neighbors, to uphold this lifestyle and set of values.    Thank you once again for your sustained work on this issue. Anna Mulligan <annamulligan@gmail.com> Sun 11/10/2019 5:09 PM To:Planning Commission Desk <PCommissionDesk@co.jefferson.wa.us>; 11/13/2019 Gun Range Ordinance - Planning Commission Desk https://owa.co.jefferson.wa.us/owa/#viewmodel=ReadMessageItem&ItemID=AAMkAGM0ZTI0NjQ3LTE2OGItNGQzZi05MWNjLWE2NTE2NGZjMzFhN…2/2   Anna Mulligan                                                                         7th Avenue, Port Hadlock, WA 9833