Sussex County Shooting Range Restrictions Finally Defeated

Thanks to phones calls and emails from gun owners, the Sussex County Board of Supervisors finally defeated the county planning commission's efforts to restrict gun ranges out of existence.  The motion to pass the proposal died on a vote of 3-3. The motion needed four votes to pass. The supervisors voting with the rights of gun owners were:

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

Wakefield District 

C. Eric Fly Sr.,  

Vice Chairman 

38411 Rocky Hock Road

Wakefield, Virginia 23888

Cell: (757) 647-8190

cefly@seamcorp.net

This two-year battle now finally appears to be over. However, this is an election year and local boards, commonwealth attorneys, and other local officials are up for reelection in addition to the House of Delegates and State Senate.  That is why it is important to know where all candidates stand on your rights. One vote the other way would have doomed shooting ranges in Sussex County.

Thank you for taking action on such short notice.  Please be sure to contact the three members of the board that voted pro-freedom and thank them for their vote.

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

Public Hearing and Vote on Sussex Range Restrictions Set for March 17th

The Sussex County Planning Commission and the Sussex County Board of Supervisors (BOS) will hold a joint public hearing to consider passage of a new ordinance regulating gun ranges in Sussex County. It should be noted that the planning commission is the originator of this proposal, not the BOS.

While couched in language to make it appear that the planning commission is only concerned with the safe operation of shooting ranges, the real intent becomes clear when you read the requirements to open a new range - that purpose is to make the task so onerous and expensive that no one would seek to open a range in Sussex County. It would also make expansion of existing ranges all but impossible. Eventhough the proposal grandfather's existing ranges, any existing range seeking to expand would likely lose their grandfather status. They would then have to abide by the onerous and costly process set forth in the proposal.

In addition, while the propsoal states that the county may submit any range proposal to the NRA for comment, the county would reserve the right to dismiss comments in favor of new ranges.

In short, this proposal is an all out attack on new and existing shooting ranges in Sussex County. You can view the full proposal here.

Your attendance at the March 17th Board of Supervisor's meeting is needed to defeat this proposal.

This is becoming an all too familiar story in Virginia. Recreational shooters, firearm enthusiasts and land-owners are being driven away from their shooting sports heritage by bureaucratic hurdles and red-tape.

If you are a gun owner living in Sussex County or you shoot competitively or for fun at a club or range currently located in the county, it is important that you attend this public hearing and voice your opposition to this proposed ordinance.

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

What: Joint Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors Public Hearing on Shooting Ranges in Sussex County, Virginia.

Where: Sussex Central High School Auditorium, 21394 Sussex Drive, Sussex, VA 23884.

When: March 17, 2011 at 6:00 PM.

If you are unable to attend, please contact the Board of Supervisors and respectfully urge them to oppose this ordinance.

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
cefly@seamcorp.net

Waverly District
Harris L. Parker,
Chairman
300 Barkley Place
P.O. Box 616
Waverly, Virginia 23890
Home: (804) 834-3136

Sussex County Planning Commission Rams Through Ordinance Proposal

The Sussex County Planning Commission met last night and rammed through their proposal to make it very difficult to open and operate a shooting range in the county.  Among the proposals that will go before the Board of Supervisors are restrictions on the caliber of rifle that can be fired (nothing larger than .45 - except blackpowder), ranges will not be allowed to be open on Sunday, ranges must have a person at the range anytime it is in use who has been trained in CPR and basic first aid, and a number of burdensome requirements that would basically make anyone planning to open a new range decide not to do so because of the preconditions.  While there is a grandfather clause, if an existing range decided to expand, they would likely lose their grandfathered status.

These rules stand to have an adverse impact on the Airfield Shooting Club located in Sussex as well as Sussex Shooting Sports which is a sporting clay range in the county.

The proposal now goes before the Board of Supervisors.  In 2009, the Board denied a proposal related to shooting ranges brought forward by the planning commission.  VSSA will be working to insure these proposals meet a similar fate.  Look for an alert in the near future when the restrictions are placed on the Board agenda.

Sussex County Planning Commission to Consider Shooting Range Regulations

The Sussex County Planning Commission plans to hold a hearing at its meeting February 7th, to discuss regulation of shooting ranges in Sussex County.  This could result in the commission proposing zoning regulations and/or conditional use permits.  It is crucial that gun owners attend the meeting and voice your opposition to any restricitions being placed on ranges in the county.  If the Planning Commission votes to create new gun range regulations, their recommendations will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors.  It would be best to stop new regulations before they make it to the Board.  Please plan to attend the meeting whether you live in Sussex or not.  New gun regulations, no matter where they occur, set a precedence for us all.  This issue surfaced once before and gun owners successfully defeated the proposal.  Now the planning commission is at it again.

What: Planning Commission Public Hearing on 1) Shooting Ranges, generally, and 2) Pistol & Shotgun Ranges in Sussex County, Virginia. 

Where: Sussex County General District Courtroom, 15098 Courthouse Road, Sussex, VA 23884. 

When: February 7, 2011 at 6:00 PM.

Sussex Board of Supervisors Will Not Hear Shooting Ordinance Tonight

The Sussex Board of Supervisors will not hear the shooting ordinance issue that was scheduled to be heard tonight. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Sussex County Shooting Range Conditional Use Permit

The Sussex County shooting range/conditional use permit issue will be back on the agenda for the Sussex County Board of Supervisors meeting on Thursday, January 21, 2010. The meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the General District Courtroom of the Sussex Judicial Center, 15080 Courthouse Road, Sussex, VA 23884.

It it important that gun owners who live in, or shoot in Sussex County, continue fighting any changes in the current ordinance in Sussex County concerning shooting ranges. Don't let the talk of current ranges being grandfathered distract you, they would only be grandfathered as long as no changes are made to existing ranges. It is not uncommon for a range to expand or make changes during the course of operation.

A large turnout at this meeting is the best way to get the message across to the Supervisors and the Planning Commission that no changes are needed to the existing ordinance. If you cannot attend the meeting, contact the Board at the following:

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., Vice-Chairman
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, Chairman
38411 Rocky Hock Road
Wakefield, Virginia 23888
Cell: (757) 647-8190
Email: cefly@seamcorp.net

Waverly District
Harris L. Parker
300 Barkley Place
P.O. Box 616
Waverly, Virginia 23890
Home: (804) 834-3136

Sussex Range Restrictions Fails - For Now

Last night the Sussex County Board of Supervisors heard from about two dozen gun owners who were opposed to requiring special use permits for the establishment of shooting ranges in the county. In the end the Board was not happy with the definition that the planning commission came up with to describe "pistol range" and sent the proposal back to the commission. The fight will not be over until the proposal is dead for good. For now, it is on life support. There does not seem to be any appetite for it on the Board, especially from the one member with which I spoke on Wednesday.

Please contact the Board of Supervisors and thank them for their action last night and urge them to defeat this proposal for good when it comes before them again.

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., Vice-Chairman
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, Chairman
38411 Rocky Hock Road
Wakefield, Virginia 23888
Cell: (757) 647-8190
Email: cefly@seamcorp.net

Waverly District
Harris L. Parker
300 Barkley Place
P.O. Box 616
Waverly, Virginia 23890
Home: (804) 834-3136



Hat tip to VA-Alert.

Sussex County Range Ordinance Update Part II

VSSA has received the definition of "Pistol Range" as it relates to Sussex County's proposed ordinance to require special use permits for new shooting ranges.

Pistol Range means any facility or grounds, where a monetary fee is charged and/or membership dues are collected, utilized for the purpose of shooting at regulation targets with firearms capable of being held, aimed and fired with one hand. Shotguns and rifles (long guns) are not included in this definition.

Sussex also plans to "grandfather" in existing ranges, meaning they will not have to apply to continue operation but there is no mention of how expansion or changes to the range would affect the grandfather status. VSSA is still opposed to the proposed change eventhough existing ranges are grandfathered and urges all gun owners that live or shoot in Sussex County to attend the public hearing tonight at 7:00 PM. The hearing will be held in the Sussex County General District Courtroom located at 15080 Courthouse Road in Sussex.

You can read the complete proposal and explaination as it will be presented to the Board by clicking here.

Update on Sussex County

Yesterday VSSA received notice of an ordinance restricting the creation of "pistol and sporting clay" ranges in Sussex County. Since posting an alert to gun owners about the ordinance being considered at this Thursday's Board of Supervisors meeting I have learned that this ordinance was originally considered at the Board's August 20 meeting and the Board unanimously returned the proposal back to the Planning Commission (the entity that came up with the scheme in the first place) with the following charge:

clearly define the terms 'sporting clays fields and pistol ranges in Sussex County

There will be a special public hearing at 7:00 PM before the regularly scheduled Board meeting. VSSA is working to get a copy of the current proposal and will post it as soon as it is in hand. The hearing will be held in the Sussex County General District Courtroom located at 15080 Courthouse Road in Sussex.

If you are unable to attend, please contact the Board of Supervisors and respectfully urge them to oppose this ordinance.

Blackwater District
Wayne M. Harrell
406 Jasper Lane
Post Office Box 1Waverly, 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., Vice-Chairman
25359 Blue Star Highway
Jarratt, Virginia 23867
Home: (434) 246-4246Office: (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, Chairman
38411 Rocky Hock Road
Wakefield, Virginia 23888
Cell: (757) 647-8190
Email: cefly@seamcorp.net

Waverly District
Harris L. Parker
300 Barkley Place
P.O. Box 616
Waverly, Virginia 23890
Home: (804) 834-3136