Sussex County Supervisors to Vote on Range Proposal Tonight

The Sussex County Board of Supervisors will meet tonight and on the agenda is a vote on the Planning Commission's proposed shooting range ordinance that would put a number of onerous restrictions on proposals to open new shooting ranges.  There will not be public comment on the proposal before the vote.  While it will be helpful to show your opposition by attending the meeting, the most important thing you can do is to call and/or email the supervisors and voice your opposition to the planning commission's recommendation.

Under consideration is a proposal that would require the following for all new ranges:

• A CPR specialist must be present when the range is in use.
• An industrial grade first aid kit mustl be maintained on site.
• A minimum liability insurance policy of $100,000 per individual and $500,000 for each occurrence.
• A zoning permit will be required before operating a range and a mountain of bureaucratic red tape to apply.
• A "licensed civil engineer" must design and construct the range in addition to numerous plans and documentation to be filed with the Planning Department.
• Signs must be placed at 100 feet intervals along the range's boundary with the words "Firing Range" and "Do Not Enter" on each sign.
• The range must be at least 500 feet from the highway and any property line.
• Any buildings on the range must be at least 300 feet from any highway right-of-way and any property line.

Please tell the supervisors that these requirements are unnecessary and will have the effect of discoraging new shooting ranges.  In additions, eventhough existing ranges are grandfathered, they will most likely have to comply with the new requirements if they make improvements to existing ranges.

If you live in Sussex, or shoot at a range in Sussex county, please contact the Board of Supervisors and urge the to oppose the ordinance.  Board contact information can be found below.

Blackwater District  Wayne M. Harrell 406 Jasper Lane Post Office Box 1 Waverly, Virginia 23890 Home: (804) 834-2603	Courthouse District T. Wayne Birdsong 116 Nicholson Drive Wakefield, Virginia 23888 Home: (757) 899-3806
Henry District Rufus E. Tyler Sr. 25359 Blue Star Highway Jarratt, Virginia 23867 Home: (434) 246-4246 Office: (434) 634-2490 or (804) 834-3522	Stony Creek District Charlie E. Caple, Jr. 12038 Palestine Road Stony Creek, Virginia 23882 Home: (434) 246-2602
Wakefield District  C. Eric Fly Sr.,   Vice Chairman 38411 Rocky Hock Road Wakefield, Virginia 23888 Cell: (757) 647-8190 mailto:cefly@seamcorp.net	Waverly District Harris L. Parker, Chairman   300 Barkley Place P.O. Box 616 Waverly, Virginia 23890 Home: (804) 834-3136

The Board of Supervisors meeting will be held at 7:30 PM at the General District Courtroom of the Sussex Judicial Center:

15088 Courthouse Road
Sussex, VA 23884