Docket DC-15-0003: Proposed Boulder County Land Use Code Amendments regarding firing ranges

On June 9, 2015, the Board of County Commissioners authorized Land Use staff to pursue text amendments to the Boulder County Land Use Code specific to firing ranges. The initial referral draft of the proposed changes to add a use definition for firing or shooting range and related definition and process changes to regulations are now available for review on the DC-15-0003 webpage at: www.bouldercounty.org/property/build/pages/lucodeupdatedc150003.aspx

The Land Use staff and County Commissioners value comments from individuals and referral agencies. All comments will be made part of the public record. If you have questions or comments regarding this docket, please call 303-441-3930, or submit an inquiry/comment via the Ask a Planner form.

Background

The present regulations do not offer enough protections to health and safety and thus, the county has drafted the regulatory amendments.

collaborative effort to address issues around dispersed shooting in the mountains along the Front Range has been ongoing for several years. The stated purpose of the collaborative effort is:

To develop a landscape-level, multi-jurisdictional strategy to provide safe, responsible and accessible recreational sport shooting opportunities while addressing conflicts near residential areas and with other recreation users across the northern Colorado Front Range.

The county’s partners in this effort are U.S. Forest Service, Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Northeast Region, Boulder County, Clear Creek County, Gilpin County, and Larimer County.

The county recognizes the potential impacts to residents and recreational users in any area near a proposed range. However, the county is also deeply concerned with the impacts of dispersed shooting on the safety and the general ability of members of the public to enjoy the outdoors. Dedicated locations with proper safety and noise requirements would better protect values and allow the Forest Service to reduce the areas available for dispersed shooting.

In order to provide shooting opportunities as identified above, each of the involved partner counties agree to present at least one option for a shooting or firing range.

Boulder County has not yet decided on any particular site, although there are five on Forest Service Land which are under preliminary consideration. This regulatory amendment is to address the unique issues a shooting range use presents from a land use perspective. The current draft regulations would permit a shooting range by right in Transitional, Business, Commercial, Light Industrial, and General Industrial Zoning Districts. And it could be allowed through Special Review in Forestry, Agricultural and Mountain Institutional Zoning Districts.

This initial referral draft is to garner feedback and make necessary changes to the draft before the public hearing process begins.

 

Next Steps

The docket review process for the proposed amendments will include a public hearing before the Boulder County Planning Commission, tentatively scheduled for September 21, 2016, and a public hearing before the Boulder County Board of County Commissioners, to be scheduled within a month or two after Planning Commission. Public comments will be taken at both hearings. Confirmation of hearing dates and times will be published on the DC-15-0003 webpage and sent to the Land Use Code email list.

 

The Land Use staff and County Commissioners value comments from individuals and referral agencies. All comments will be made part of the public record. If you have questions or comments regarding this docket, please call 303-441-3930, or submit an inquiry/comment via the Ask a Planner form.

 

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