GRNC.ORG

Details: Created: 15 April 2019

ORDINANCE WOULD SHUT DOWN GUN RANGES

COUNTY POISED TO VIOLATE STATE LAW

Alamance County Commissioners have before them a revision to their current Nuisance Noise Ordinance that, on the surface, appears to be the first step on the path to a total firearms discharge ban in Alamance County. There are numerous defects to this proposed ordinance including:

Alamance County’s Proposed Ordinance violates range protection statute

Ordinarily, “Sport Shooting Ranges” would be protected under state law GS 14-409.46 which, in part, protects ranges and clubs established before September of 1994 from these kinds of laws. But the proposed Alamance County ordinance makes no exception for “Sport Shooting Ranges” protected by GS 14-409.46, potentially regulating them in a clear violation of state law.

Alamance County’s Proposed Ordinance defines firearms noise as unreasonably loud, disturbing and unnecessary based in part on time of day and day of week it occurs.

Notice the word “Unnecessary”. By declaring your training with your firearm on your personal property to be “Unnecessary” are Commissioners opening the door to a subsequent total ban of such practice?

Note that the proposed ordinance includes arbitrary and capricious times of curfew when such training will be prohibited. How many County residents work a 2nd or 3rd Shift schedule who can reasonably argue a complete and total 24 hour ban is necessary to accommodate their schedules and the need for “quiet time” to their own schedule if this measure passes?

Alamance County’s Proposed Ordinance defines a violation as the repeated continuous firing of weapons…

Is teaching your child the fundamentals of firearms safety with a single shot, 22 caliber bolt action rifle be a violation if he or she fires 2, 3, or 5 groups one shot at a time over several minutes?

Is firing your five or six shot revolver and practicing speed loading a potential violation?

If you have a standard capacity 9mm handgun with a 10, 12, 13, 15, or 17 round magazine will it be a violation of the ordinance if you fully exercise the capacity of the magazine inserted?

Will the discharge of the 15, 20, or 30 round magazine of your commonly used modern sporting rifle constitute an automatic violation of this proposed ordinance?

Alamance County’s Proposed Ordinance defines a violation as occurring in proximity to residential structures.

What exactly does “proximity to residential structures” mean? Does this mean you cannot shoot a firearm from your own deck or backyard? A suitable handgun shooting range can be constructed in as little as 25 yards, or 75 feet. Does this ordinance propose that such proximity to one’s own home (a residential structure) will be a violation?

Other local government jurisdictions in the past have attempted to define minimum distances, but found this, in turn, creates other problems. For example, will the Sheriff’s Department be issuing its Patrol Officers measuring wheels to accurately compute the distances defined by “proximity”? Where will the starting point for such measurements be taken? Where does the measurement end?

Alamance County’s Proposed Ordinance will pit neighbor against neighbor and put Law Enforcement in the middle to not only investigate, but judge and convict by issuing citations as well.

Sheriff’s Deputies will be conducting witch hunts that will be expensive to conduct while simultaneously limiting their involvement in more important duties and responsibilities they bear.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

ATTEND THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING: The meeting is at 7:00 pm tomorrow (Monday) night, 4/15 at the Commissioners’ Meeting Room, 124 West Elm Street, Graham, NC 27253. (That's Monday, April 15th). A GRNC Representative will be present to speak to the Commissioners on this matter before a vote is taken. Local citizens are encouraged to sign up to speak as well.

You can sign up here: (You must do so by 5:00 PM Monday 4/15/19) http://alamancecountync.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=1607#

Also, send an email to the members of the Alamance County Board of Commissioners and let them know that creating so-called nuisance ordinances directed against firearms is not only an infringement of the peoples’ right to keep and bear arms, but an assault on private property ownership within the county as well. GRNC will continue to monitor their actions and inform their members across the state. Use the copy/paste email list below and the copy/paste message also provided.

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CONTACT INFO

amy.galey@alamance-nc.com; eddie.boswell@alamance-nc.com; steve.carter@alamance-nc.com; bill.lashley@alamance-nc.com; tim.sutton@alamance-nc.com

Deliver This Message

Suggested Subject: “Table Your Proposed Additional Firearms Discharge Restrictions to Your County Noise Ordinance”

Dear Alamance County Commissioners:

Over the weekend, I learned through Grass Roots North Carolina that the Board of Commissioners in Alamance County intends to hold a meeting Monday night to make changes to your existing noise ordinances (Action Item 7-2) specifically to limit firearms discharges throughout the County.

This is unacceptable. A portion of it is also non-compliant with State Statute (NCGS § 14-409.46).

It appears the changes you intend to make to your county ordinance will ultimately lead to an outright ban on individuals exercising their 2nd Amendment right and deny them the unfettered free use of their own private property.

The conditions imposed by this proposed ordinance appear arbitrary and capricious.

This measure will merely pit neighbor against neighbor, using Law Enforcement as heavy-handed middlemen. It will certainly take them away from more important responsibilities and cost the taxpayers of Alamance County dearly in time consumed and expenses incurred tracking down and investigating complaints.

I strongly encourage you to table this proposal Monday night and I will continue to monitor your actions through Grass Roots updates.

Respectfully,

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