New Charleston shooting range shot down in cold blood.

PCShogun

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From the Post and Courier.
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011 ... ng-ranges/

Charleston businessman Ben Chase figured he had found a perfect new use for the mostly vacant warehouse he built on Huger Street, just south of the Meeting Street on-ramp to the Ravenel bridge.

He planned to convert the 6,000-square-foot steel-sided building into an indoor shooting range.

Now, his plans are in jeopardy after City Council recently gave initial approval to two ordinances that would further restrict where indoor or outdoor shooting ranges can open within the city.

Council members agreed to rush the ordinances onto their agenda earlier this month so they would be pending and legally binding as Chase sought a permit.

Ben Chase owns this empty warehouse and was planning to remodel it as an indoor shooting range. At least that was his plan until he told city officials about it, and they changed the city's ordinances to restrict where shooting ranges can open.

The zoning change would restrict such ranges to light or heavy industrial areas that are at least 1,000 feet from the nearest church, city park or home.

The Huger Street warehouse is on a block with the Eastside Missionary Baptist Church and a few other vacant buildings. The Meeting Street Manor housing project is a few blocks away, as are other churches.

Chase said he had been meeting with city officials to discuss the project but had no idea the ordinances were coming. "They really met with me just as a ruse," he said. "I feel it's disturbing the city would not follow the rules it has."

Chase said he supports the mayor, but added, "I don't have the authority of picking and choosing the laws I follow, so why should they?"

But City Councilman Robert Mitchell, who represents that area, said the shooting range is a bad idea.

"You have a church across the street," he said. "I just don't think it's suitable for an area like that. Nothing like that has been placed in a residential area before that I know of."

Mitchell said he's more concerned about security issues than noise, traffic or parking.

"I have so much shooting anyway with individuals in the community."

Chase said he thinks the shooting range would increase the neighborhood's security.

"I think we have a safer environment if criminals know more citizens are armed," he said. "If I was a criminal, I would think twice about going into someone's house or business if I knew more people were armed."

Police Chief Greg Mullen said the only authorized range on the peninsula has been an annual turkey shoot at the Charleston Rifle Club.

The city prohibits discharging a firearm "except in cases of urgent necessity" or for hunting as permitted under state law.

The city has provided exceptions for shooting galleries, theatrical performances and military displays, but City Council also gave initial approval to an ordinance that would take away all those exceptions.

Zoning Administrator Lee Batchelder said theatrical performances and military displays would still be allowed because the blanks fired are not considered discharging a firearm.

Batchelder said the "shooting gallery" exception never was meant as a "true shooting range" but rather something set up at a fair or carnival.

The city's Planning Commission is expected to review the shooting range zoning next month, and City Council will consider it later.

Chase said he hopes the end result will let him convert his warehouse into an indoor shooting range, but added, "My attorneys and I are exploring all options. The minute I get a denial letter, that will probably get the ball rolling."
 

HHB Guns

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Go figure...The town of Summerville is no different....They fought me tooth and nail to open HHB. I had to go to the town Council meeting and explain to the board what I was going to be doing. When I mentioned guns on the application they freaked out and tried their hardest to stop me.
 

Enjay

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Okay, I can understand noise objections, but otherwise I don't understand why they don't want gun ranges.
Also, they seem to have gone about this in a very underhanded manner.
 

PCShogun

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Considering the amount of "Outdoor" shooting that goes on around Huger Street, I don't see the problem with a little shooting going on indoors.
 

Dave29461

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They don't want them to practice and improve their accuracy. That is wrong headed because if they did, fewer bystanders and more thugs would be getting shot. ;) :D
 

Glockrunner

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HHB Guns said:
Go figure...The town of Summerville is no different....They fought me tooth and nail to open HHB. I had to go to the town Council meeting and explain to the board what I was going to be doing. When I mentioned guns on the application they freaked out and tried their hardest to stop me.
But you are in the county of Berkeley, why is there a problem with Summerville?
 

HHB Guns

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Glockrunner said:
HHB Guns said:
Go figure...The town of Summerville is no different....They fought me tooth and nail to open HHB. I had to go to the town Council meeting and explain to the board what I was going to be doing. When I mentioned guns on the application they freaked out and tried their hardest to stop me.
But you are in the county of Berkeley, why is there a problem with Summerville?

I am in Dorchester County but within the Town limits so I had to get my business license through them....When I went to town hall and put on my application HHB Guns...I thought they were going to have a heart attack. They all gathered behind the counter and mumbled together and stared at me like I was a zombie.
 

biganimal

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Chili said:
What is happeing to our area? Have liberals really invaded us this much?


no.
it has nothing to do with liberals or conservatives. it has all to do with politicians in general.

be it republican or democrat no difference they are all against firearms or any thing to do with them

I found this out many years ago when I opened my gun shop in upstate NY. when I made my application there was grief and opposition from ALL local politicians. seems they want to keep their constituents gun free and thus submissive to the whims of the ruling class.
this kind of stuff must be remembered on election day
 

Enjay

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Be a lot nicer if they'd top focusing on relatively benign stuff like shooting ranges and start scratching their heads over the traffic.
I had to run up to the mill Friday morning. That's 2+ hours of sitting in traffic that I'll never get back.
 

Chili

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biganimal said:
Chili said:
What is happeing to our area? Have liberals really invaded us this much?


no.
it has nothing to do with liberals or conservatives. it has all to do with politicians in general.

be it republican or democrat no difference they are all against firearms or any thing to do with them

I found this out many years ago when I opened my gun shop in upstate NY. when I made my application there was grief and opposition from ALL local politicians. seems they want to keep their constituents gun free and thus submissive to the whims of the ruling class.
this kind of stuff must be remembered on election day

Your preaching to the chior on that one!
 

Nagao

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Please get this built, I live downtown. Let me know how I can help!
 

Torontogosh

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There are few organizations in the world I resent as much as Downtowns zoning committees and the Board of Architectural review. The entire idea that some committee gets veto power on if you want to paint your house a certain color is disdainful...but I digress.

Considering the draw this range would have pulled from Downtown, West Ashley, and James Island, it would have been intensely popular...regardless of any detractors (like my Mom).

Frankly, he should argue that this is ruling implies that african-american communities can't be trusted near guns, and watch the anti-gunners heads pop when they are called racist.
 

PCShogun

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Torontogosh said:
Frankly, he should argue that this is ruling implies that african-american communities can't be trusted near guns, and watch the anti-gunners heads pop when they are called racist.

I about shot coke out my nose when I read this. You may be onto something here though. If its all political, then lets make it political.
 

Nagao

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There is a public hearing the 19th. I wonder if going would be of any help. I'm really curious about this project.
 
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