Results of July 11, Sussex County Planning Commission Meeting

Not unexpectedly, the Sussex County Planning Commission approved regulations that would restrict the opening of new shooting ranges in Sussex County.  Existing ranges would be grandfathered but if those ranges decide to make expand or make changes, you can bet the grandfathering goes out the window.  There was no public input on the proposed ordinance because the commission took it up under old business.  The proposal now moves to the Board of Supervisors.  This is been the firewall for gun owners in the past and we need to let board members know that we would like to see this defeated once and for all.  While many of the restrictions that were previously proposed have been removed, here is what remains:

* 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.

VSSA will alert gun owners when the proposal makes it to the Board of Supervisors.