Deliberations begin on gun facilities

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The Jefferson County Planning Commission will begin deliberations on a draft ordinance that will amend unified development code regarding commercial shooting facilities at a special meeting Nov. 19.

The deliberations, which will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the Jefferson County Superior Courtroom, come after the commission listened to nearly two hours of public comment Nov. 7 from residents who are concerned about the impact a proposed shooting facility might have on the Tarboo Lake area near Quilcene. 

“My family lives 1 mile away from this proposed ‘military zone,’ ” said Aaron Door of Quilcene. “We have an old-growth forest that is magical. The sounds are music. And I’m outraged that there are sound ordinances for your automobile because it can’t be too loud going down the street. There are sound ordinances that say you can’t play offensive music. But there is no sound ordinance for guns and ammunition?”

The plan that has sparked concern is the Cedar Hills Recreational Facility, a proposed shooting range on 40 acres of forest property near Tarboo Lake owned by Joe D’Amico, president of Fort Discovery and Security Services Northwest.

Currently, there is a moratorium on any development on commercial shooting facilities. That moratorium will expire Dec. 17. 

On Nov. 2, county commissioners passed a commercial shooting facilities ordinance that will make changes to Title 8 code regarding health and safety. The Title 8 ordinance requires a permit application that will include plans for facility design, safety, operations, environment, noise abatement and a professional evaluation and certification, among other requirements.

During the public hearing Nov. 7, Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor Philip Hunsucker said the changes to Title 18 that are now up for deliberations will be a “harmonizing” ordinance to go along with the commercial shooting facilities ordinance. 

Hunsucker said the current Title 18 code for commercial shooting facilities has many undefined terms which could create loopholes.

“This is the kind of loophole that’s breakfast for lawyers,” Hunsucker said. “So we’re trying to close those up.”

At the hearing, Hunsucker presented proposed changes to Title 18 made by county staff. The changes include defining terms, such as “firearms” and “safe shooting practices.” He also highlighted the importance of making changes to the code before the moratorium expires.

“There’s a potential, if we don’t get this unified development code harmonizing ordinance done, that someone will submit a completed application, and they will argue that they’ve got vested rights under the old code,” Hunsucker said. “So, what’s the hurry? The moratorium freeze melts on Dec. 17.”

Any changes to Title 18 must go through the planning commission, which will make a recommendation to the county commissioners, who make the final decision.

Members of the Tarboo Ridge Coalition expressed concern that the proposed changes to Title 18 go “far beyond mere harmonization.”

“You are being asked to harmonize Title 18 with a new commercial shooting ordinance in Title 8,” said Peter Newland, board president of the Tarboo Ridge Coalition. “The new ordinance was crafted in fear and under threat. … There are two ways to fix these missteps: an appeal to growth management hearings board, or thorough diligent and detailed work by this planning commission.” 

The Tarboo Ridge Coalition submitted 10 changes to Title 18, which they hope the planning commission will take into consideration during its deliberations. 

“The Title 18 ordinance … creates an entirely new land use category in Jefferson County: gun ranges of unlimited size and intensity,” the Tarboo Ridge Coalition wrote in submitted comments. “The existing land use code restricts the size of gun ranges. There is no reason to allow unlimited-size gun ranges.”

The 10 changes the coalition hopes the planning commission will consider include prohibiting outdoor night shooting, creating a limit on the number of firing points at a range, prohibiting aircraft landings, prohibiting overnight accommodations, defining and prohibiting nuisance noises, requiring military and law enforcement certification, requiring a 500-yard buffer around lakes, requiring a 1,000-foot setback from property lines, adding a clear definition that gun ranges are not essential public facilities, and adding a clear definition that gun ranges are small-scale recreation and tourist uses.