Plan Commission Recommends Guidelines for Indoor Shooting Ranges

The Effingham City Plan Commission Tuesday recommended guidelines to the Effingham City Council for where an indoor shooting range could be located.

The changes were proposed after a request was denied several months ago to locate a shooting range in the downtown area.

The proposed changes, according to the text, would require "a fully enclosed building or part of a fully enclosed building specifically designed and operated for the use of a sporting event or for practice, instruction, testing, or training in the use of firearms, including but not limited to rifles, shotguns, pistols, silhouettes, skeet, trap, black powder, as well as the use of archery or any other shooting activity, but does not include police or military indoor shooting ranges operated by any level of government."

City Engineer Jeremy Heuerman said the proposed amendment would restrict such facilities to M-1, or light industrial, districts, keeping them out of the central part of the city.

There were questions from Commission members about locating such facilities in non-urban areas, but it was noted that you could have residential development in non-urban areas. An effort will be made to keep shooting ranges away from homes, schools, churches and similar structures. The restrictions would be accomplished by requiring a special use permit to locate a shooting facility. Desired restrictions could be spelled out in a special use permit.

The matter now goes to the City Council for a final decision.

Commission members also recommended the Council approve a new plat of St. John's Subdivision, involving St. John's Lutheran Church and its buildings, and area on the southwest part of the church property where a preschool is to be constructed.

Greg Kemper was re-elected chairman and Brian Hayes was chosen vice-chairman of the Plan Commission for the next term.