Steve N
Member
The range is in southwest Lorain county, OH. (Next county west of Cleveland). It is a rural area. I have no idea who was there first, the range or the residents.
http://www.chroniclet.com/2008/08/1...ver-shooting-range-in-henrietta-township_122/
Residents, Scouts at odds over shooting range in Henrietta Township
Cindy Leise | The Chronicle-Telegram
HENRIETTA TWP. — Emotions ran high Wednesday night as residents near the Firelands Boy Scout Reservation complained to township trustees about noise from two shooting ranges.
But scouting officials said they already eliminated black powder musket shooting and moved a shotgun range to the center of the property without satisfying residents.
“We feel we have an adversarial role with them — we’re not comfortable with them,” said Rick Cloud, program director for the Scouts’ Heart of Ohio Council, which serves Lorain and eight other counties.
But residents said the council has only made half-hearted efforts to soundproof the shooting range near Gore Orphanage Road, and more could be done.
Deborah Banyas, who runs River Dog Studio several hundred yards away from the shooting range, said the noise seems worse after a metal roof was installed years ago.
Her husband, Terry Speer, also an artist, told trustees that residents offered to pay for soundproofing, but there was no response from the council. He said people have tape recordings of automatic gunfire coming from the site.
“I don’t think the Boy Scouts have acted in good faith,” Speer said.
Cloud, Banyas and Speer were among about 25 people who attended the meeting.
Cloud said no one is permitted to shoot automatic or semiautomatic weapons. He said the Scouts tried to soundproof the range near Banyas that is used for .22-caliber rifles and that neighbors put loudspeakers on the edge of the property and cursed in the presence of children.
Banyas said the loudspeakers were used only once, on July 4 weekend.
Speer acknowledged using a “rather nasty” word to camp Ranger Dan Thomas while calling him a liar, but Speer said no children heard him.
Lorain County Sheriff’s Deputy J.D. Rico, who attended the meeting, said no one called the Sheriff’s Office about the loudspeakers on July 4. He distributed copies of various laws at the meeting and said he would have taken anyone to jail for persisting in disorderly conduct if they refused to remove the loudspeakers. The township does not have a noise ordinance, but excessive noise after 9 p.m. could be considered disturbing the peace, Rico said.
As the meeting progressed, Assistant County Prosecutor Gerald Innes advised trustees about whether the shooting range is a protected grandfathered use, which means it is exempt from township zoning laws because it predates them.
Innes said modifications to the range might put its protected grandfathered use in doubt, but he couldn’t say at this time. He said residents could file a complaint and the prosecutor’s office would investigate, but that might mean pulling investigators off more pressing cases.
The issue could end up in court, where a judge would likely order mediation, Innes said.
Among those speaking on behalf of the Scouts was Tom Quinn of Camden Township, who said, “The children who use this enjoy it immensely.”
Resident Paula Aghajanian said, “Nobody’s suggesting you take it away.”
Trustee Ronald Baumann asked for information on when shooting takes place.
According to Cloud, shooting happens 9 a.m. to noon and 2 to 5 p.m. on weekdays during the five weeks camp is open. Children also shoot 7:30 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday nights during camp.
He said there also is shooting six to 10 Saturdays a year and one day of shooting when the Young Marines come to camp. He said some church groups also shoot there and that the camp has a nuisance permit to cull the geese population.
Trustees got a promise from both sides that they would continue talking after Speer complained that scouting officials no longer took his calls.
As the meeting drew to a close, trustee Joe Knoble expressed some hope that the dispute could be resolved.
“I hope something good will come out of this,” he said.
Contact Cindy Leise at 329-7245 or [email protected].
http://www.chroniclet.com/2008/08/1...ver-shooting-range-in-henrietta-township_122/
Residents, Scouts at odds over shooting range in Henrietta Township
Cindy Leise | The Chronicle-Telegram
HENRIETTA TWP. — Emotions ran high Wednesday night as residents near the Firelands Boy Scout Reservation complained to township trustees about noise from two shooting ranges.
But scouting officials said they already eliminated black powder musket shooting and moved a shotgun range to the center of the property without satisfying residents.
“We feel we have an adversarial role with them — we’re not comfortable with them,” said Rick Cloud, program director for the Scouts’ Heart of Ohio Council, which serves Lorain and eight other counties.
But residents said the council has only made half-hearted efforts to soundproof the shooting range near Gore Orphanage Road, and more could be done.
Deborah Banyas, who runs River Dog Studio several hundred yards away from the shooting range, said the noise seems worse after a metal roof was installed years ago.
Her husband, Terry Speer, also an artist, told trustees that residents offered to pay for soundproofing, but there was no response from the council. He said people have tape recordings of automatic gunfire coming from the site.
“I don’t think the Boy Scouts have acted in good faith,” Speer said.
Cloud, Banyas and Speer were among about 25 people who attended the meeting.
Cloud said no one is permitted to shoot automatic or semiautomatic weapons. He said the Scouts tried to soundproof the range near Banyas that is used for .22-caliber rifles and that neighbors put loudspeakers on the edge of the property and cursed in the presence of children.
Banyas said the loudspeakers were used only once, on July 4 weekend.
Speer acknowledged using a “rather nasty” word to camp Ranger Dan Thomas while calling him a liar, but Speer said no children heard him.
Lorain County Sheriff’s Deputy J.D. Rico, who attended the meeting, said no one called the Sheriff’s Office about the loudspeakers on July 4. He distributed copies of various laws at the meeting and said he would have taken anyone to jail for persisting in disorderly conduct if they refused to remove the loudspeakers. The township does not have a noise ordinance, but excessive noise after 9 p.m. could be considered disturbing the peace, Rico said.
As the meeting progressed, Assistant County Prosecutor Gerald Innes advised trustees about whether the shooting range is a protected grandfathered use, which means it is exempt from township zoning laws because it predates them.
Innes said modifications to the range might put its protected grandfathered use in doubt, but he couldn’t say at this time. He said residents could file a complaint and the prosecutor’s office would investigate, but that might mean pulling investigators off more pressing cases.
The issue could end up in court, where a judge would likely order mediation, Innes said.
Among those speaking on behalf of the Scouts was Tom Quinn of Camden Township, who said, “The children who use this enjoy it immensely.”
Resident Paula Aghajanian said, “Nobody’s suggesting you take it away.”
Trustee Ronald Baumann asked for information on when shooting takes place.
According to Cloud, shooting happens 9 a.m. to noon and 2 to 5 p.m. on weekdays during the five weeks camp is open. Children also shoot 7:30 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday nights during camp.
He said there also is shooting six to 10 Saturdays a year and one day of shooting when the Young Marines come to camp. He said some church groups also shoot there and that the camp has a nuisance permit to cull the geese population.
Trustees got a promise from both sides that they would continue talking after Speer complained that scouting officials no longer took his calls.
As the meeting drew to a close, trustee Joe Knoble expressed some hope that the dispute could be resolved.
“I hope something good will come out of this,” he said.
Contact Cindy Leise at 329-7245 or [email protected].
