Jefferson County officials say they are adding to the ongoing investigation into Fort Discovery’s compliance with county code after the weapons training company posted a public invitation on its Facebook page for a “Full-Auto Extravaganza” to take place in July.
The post invited members of the public to come to the company’s Cedar Hills property in Quilcene and “shoot full-Auto and belt fed weapons” every weekend from from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 4 to 26.
“This is limited (to) 30 shooters per day,” read the post. “Bring your own weapons and ammunition too, let’s get this party started.”
The post came just weeks after the board of county commissioners passed new legislation banning outdoor shooting ranges in Jefferson County. Joe D’Amico, owner of Fort Discovery, had planned to build an outdoor range on his property in Quilcene.
Fort Discovery is a weapons training company in Clallam and Jefferson counties. The company offers firearms courses and sells firearms and ammunition.
While the company’s events are typically for-profit, the post made sure to clarify the event was free to the general public.
“This is recreational only,” it read. “You will be required to bring 0.308 and 5.56 ammo to shoot full-auto. No rounds will be sold on site! Come early, bring a picnic and fresh meat, and enjoy a day in Jefferson County.”
The county’s new regulations limit “commercial” shooting ranges only.
According to Jefferson County Sheriff Joe Nole, the information contained in the post does not “present any immediate security or safety concerns for the Sheriff’s Office.”
“Regarding our involvement in the safety aspect of the event we would not be monitoring safety, but would respond to an incident if circumstances warranted,” he wrote in an email response to the Leader.
If someone is shooting unsafely and it is reported to the Sheriff’s Office, a deputy will respond appropriately to the situation, he said.
Jefferson County’s civil deputy prosecuting attorney Philip Hunsucker said the county is investigating Fort Discovery after the company was determined to be in violation of state law related to stormwater permit requirements and in violation of the Jefferson County code related to wetlands and wetlands buffers, stormwater permits, unpermitted buildings and land use/health and safety permit requirements.
But the county will add the planned events into the investigation, he said.
“Jefferson County added to its ongoing compliance efforts an investigation into Fort Discovery, Inc.’s planned events, which start on July 4, 2020, according to the Facebook post,” wrote Hunsucker in an email to the Leader. “The additional investigation will consider whether any Jefferson County permits are required for the planned events, including an operating permit under Article III, of Chapter 8.50 of the Jefferson County Code (JCC), which regulates commercial shooting facilities.”
Fort Discovery owner Joe D’Amico did not respond to questions from the Leader.
