Some Plymouth residents are so concerned that a gun range might be planned for their neighborhood that they want a ban on any new outdoor ranges in town.
On Thursday the Plymouth Planning & Zoning Commission held a public hearing about the ban proposal and supporters said it’s needed to protect everything from their quality of life to property values.
“I do have a firearms permit. I’m not against guns. Just like to keep the neighborhood the way it is,” says Daniel Turgeon of Terryville.
Others in town say a new range is needed to handle demand and they say concerns are overblown.
“The proposed amendments seeking to ban outdoor ranges are a one-size-fits-all solution to an individual concern. Furthermore, it may even place the operations of current ranges and clubs in jeopardy,” Kurt Weisheit, of Plymouth, said.
A group of neighbors upset about a range that was proposed for Wolcott Road in the Terryville section of town pushed the idea of the ban and the company Prepare to Act withdrew its proposal.
On Thursday, a co-owner would not comment on whether they plan to try again.
That uncertainty has left some neighbors living near the former proposed site feeling nervous.
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“How many times is someone going to come back after us and the money that our neighbors have spent? We have spent a lot of money for attorneys’ fees. It’s time to stop this,” George Porter Jr., of Plymouth, said.
While some commission members questioned the fairness of an outright ban, the commission decided at the meeting to delay any action on the proposal.
They also talked about a possible moratorium on any new ranges as modifications are considered to the current regulations.
