4570Rick
Member
URL: http://www.mvtelegraph.com/177678mtnview05-20-04.htm
Thursday, May 20, 2004
End of Trail Worries Locals
By Ruben Gonzales and Kathy Louise Schuit
Mountain View Telegraph
The Single Action Shooting Society and the megabucks associated with its annual Old West-style events plan to bless Torrance County in 2005.
Some residents living near the site of the extravaganza wonder what happened to the county's notification and hearing process.
On March 2, the Torrance County Planning and Zoning Commission approved a permanent conditional-use permit for SASS to hold its annual End of Trail event on 480 acres in the far northwest corner of the county.
The property, purchased by SASS earlier this year, lies at the corner of Juan Tomas Road and Barton Road— a part of Torrance County bordered by Bernalillo County to the west and Santa Fe County to the north.
Residents living along N.M. 217, the most-improved vehicle entrance to the property, met Monday to discuss their fears and concerns about the arrival of SASS into their neighborhood.
The SASS annual End of Trail event has a history of attracting up to 25,000 people to the group's previous home in Norco, Calif. It includes re-enactments of historical moments from the Old West and famous scenes from Western movies.
The shooting of live rounds and blanks from single-action pistols and rifles is also part of the program. N.M. 217 residents want to know who will regulate that activity.
They also have questions about water and waste disposal on the property— where 800 sites for recreational vehicles and several permanent "bunkhouse"-type structures are planned— and wonder if campfires will be allowed in the high-fire-danger month of May, when the End of Trail event is scheduled to occur annually.
Additionally, the residents say they are curious about why there were no public hearings for the conditional use or even a presentation to the Torrance County Commission.
"Public hearings aren't required," said Doug Johnston, Torrance County planning officer.
Under current Torrance County zoning regulations, Johnston said, the planning and zoning board may approve conditional uses if certain specifications are met. In this case, he said, the group meets those specifics through its educational mission and a plan that answers the residents' concerns:
All weapons are of the single-action variety— requiring that the hammer be cocked prior to each shot. "These are not modern, high-powered weapons," Johnston said;
The water source at the property was established by the previous owner— a 250,000-gallon water tank filled by a single well has for years supplied water to the ranch that in the past served as home to large herds of cattle, buffalo and other range animals;
Sewage will mostly be handled with portable facilities;
The group will have its own volunteers as well as the help of both Torrance County and Bernalillo County sheriff's departments for traffic control and other crowd-monitoring efforts.
In addition to the End of Trail event, the property will also regularly play host to the filming of historical and educational documentaries, photographers and writers from Outdoor Life magazine and gun safety schools, said Torrance County Manager Bob Ayre.
Most of the gross receipts taxes generated by participants— whose median age falls in the 50-65 range— and spectators will come to Edgewood and Albuquerque, Ayre said.
Ken Amorosana, marketing director for SASS, said the event could bring from $5 million to $7 million to the area in purchases of gas, accommodations, food and supplies.
Benefits to Torrance County will come in the form of taxes from on-site sales and property taxes, said Ayre.
"The economic development and the gross receipts it generates will benefit all area residents," he said. "We're trying to do clean, wholesome economic development."
In the first year of operation, the event will bring mainly shooting competitors from outside New Mexico, Amorosana said. He said the SASS expects no more than about 1,500 competitors for 2005.
Amorosana said he chose to move his operation from California to New Mexico because he wanted to keep the Southwest culture alive.
It's the potential loss of their own Southwest culture that N.M. 217 residents say has them concerned.
They plan to meet again Monday to further discuss SASS and other developments in the N.M. 217 area.
Thursday, May 20, 2004
End of Trail Worries Locals
By Ruben Gonzales and Kathy Louise Schuit
Mountain View Telegraph
The Single Action Shooting Society and the megabucks associated with its annual Old West-style events plan to bless Torrance County in 2005.
Some residents living near the site of the extravaganza wonder what happened to the county's notification and hearing process.
On March 2, the Torrance County Planning and Zoning Commission approved a permanent conditional-use permit for SASS to hold its annual End of Trail event on 480 acres in the far northwest corner of the county.
The property, purchased by SASS earlier this year, lies at the corner of Juan Tomas Road and Barton Road— a part of Torrance County bordered by Bernalillo County to the west and Santa Fe County to the north.
Residents living along N.M. 217, the most-improved vehicle entrance to the property, met Monday to discuss their fears and concerns about the arrival of SASS into their neighborhood.
The SASS annual End of Trail event has a history of attracting up to 25,000 people to the group's previous home in Norco, Calif. It includes re-enactments of historical moments from the Old West and famous scenes from Western movies.
The shooting of live rounds and blanks from single-action pistols and rifles is also part of the program. N.M. 217 residents want to know who will regulate that activity.
They also have questions about water and waste disposal on the property— where 800 sites for recreational vehicles and several permanent "bunkhouse"-type structures are planned— and wonder if campfires will be allowed in the high-fire-danger month of May, when the End of Trail event is scheduled to occur annually.
Additionally, the residents say they are curious about why there were no public hearings for the conditional use or even a presentation to the Torrance County Commission.
"Public hearings aren't required," said Doug Johnston, Torrance County planning officer.
Under current Torrance County zoning regulations, Johnston said, the planning and zoning board may approve conditional uses if certain specifications are met. In this case, he said, the group meets those specifics through its educational mission and a plan that answers the residents' concerns:
All weapons are of the single-action variety— requiring that the hammer be cocked prior to each shot. "These are not modern, high-powered weapons," Johnston said;
The water source at the property was established by the previous owner— a 250,000-gallon water tank filled by a single well has for years supplied water to the ranch that in the past served as home to large herds of cattle, buffalo and other range animals;
Sewage will mostly be handled with portable facilities;
The group will have its own volunteers as well as the help of both Torrance County and Bernalillo County sheriff's departments for traffic control and other crowd-monitoring efforts.
In addition to the End of Trail event, the property will also regularly play host to the filming of historical and educational documentaries, photographers and writers from Outdoor Life magazine and gun safety schools, said Torrance County Manager Bob Ayre.
Most of the gross receipts taxes generated by participants— whose median age falls in the 50-65 range— and spectators will come to Edgewood and Albuquerque, Ayre said.
Ken Amorosana, marketing director for SASS, said the event could bring from $5 million to $7 million to the area in purchases of gas, accommodations, food and supplies.
Benefits to Torrance County will come in the form of taxes from on-site sales and property taxes, said Ayre.
"The economic development and the gross receipts it generates will benefit all area residents," he said. "We're trying to do clean, wholesome economic development."
In the first year of operation, the event will bring mainly shooting competitors from outside New Mexico, Amorosana said. He said the SASS expects no more than about 1,500 competitors for 2005.
Amorosana said he chose to move his operation from California to New Mexico because he wanted to keep the Southwest culture alive.
It's the potential loss of their own Southwest culture that N.M. 217 residents say has them concerned.
They plan to meet again Monday to further discuss SASS and other developments in the N.M. 217 area.
I've been a member for 14 years on and off. I have never hit Pennsic but have gone to Gulf Wars a couple of times, went to Fools War when it still existed up in Meridies as well.
