Local airman hoping to open gun range in Wood County
David Alexander Mace says the business would be located on Briscoe Run
PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - Thursday at Wood County Commission, a local airman presented his ideas for the outdoor gun range he wants to open just outside the Vienna city limits.
David Alexander Mace says the business would be located on Briscoe Run, near Scots Landscaping, on a property that is roughly 4.25 acres.
While the Commission says Mace does not need their approval to open his business, they spoke with him to hear more about his plans and advise him based on past experience.
In the spring of 2012, complaints regarding the Sundowner Gun Club led to a civil action lawsuit.
That suit was later settled by the gun range owner and the insurance companies for both the county and the Wildwood Homeowners Association.
MACE: “The way that I’m actually designing the bays is to where – whenever I actually enclose the sides – the way that I’m having them enclosed is to where I can eventually cover them and then they’re gonna meet the requirements of an indoor range, and then I can add ventilation, and then they’ll meet the requirements of an indoor range.”
COMMISSIONER COUCH: “I think that that’s just a tough piece of property. Honestly, it’s so small.”
While Mace’s plan is to work toward an indoor range over the next five years, the Commissioners advised that he do an analysis of how much it would cost to build an indoor range now.
They say an indoor range could be widely supported as it would reduce the potential for noise and safety complaints.
They say many community members currently drive to other parts of the state to visit indoor gun ranges and that there may be a market for one here.
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