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s xocMe.ana L1 rgl7t <br />questions al out thisi <br />org and oliavv the lTn, <br />submit oftr <br />The authors will <br />cumulativelyon t <br />feature Will be.avai ble fol si <br />announced tirlles,RfteYeaeh. <br />will°besaved'in at onlim arc <br />Practice wet <br />uestions a <br />eAPA, yyedstte at wwwpla <br />e. iutf opsec-tion. FromthE <br />1ctr'"tfcle! fheeInalh <br />act ice 'tot l post the ansWe <br />Leriefit of all subscribers:. i <br />issues Zahirig Practice: <br />iscussion: s clLLosed <br />Arizona offers a "Bullets and Burgers Experi- <br />ence," which includes a scenic drive through <br />the desert, shooting a .5o caliber sniper rifle, <br />blasting away with a M249 SAW machine gun, <br />and eating a "world famous cheeseburger." Las <br />Vegas, home to the nation's loosest gun laws, <br />now hosts six machine-gun shooting ranges <br />and offers a variety of shooting packages, such <br />as' the kid's package, the mob package, and a <br />zombie apocalypse package (Hernandez 2o12). <br />Despite their popularity, shooting rages <br />across the nation face sharp opposition due <br />to safety, noise, and environmental concerns. <br />Many shooting ranges are no longer isolated <br />in rural environments. As human populations <br />move and expand into the countryside, shoot- <br />ing ranges have acquired new neighbors — <br />many of whom find living near shooting ranges <br />to be noisy and dangerous. Legal, regulatory, <br />niters en <br />�cha?=asecond:y <br />ear Iawpstudent°atQuinnipleCUniversitySchool ;. <br />amden, Connecticut She isthe zo13 Moot Court Honor Society <br />Competittio -Final Bench Winner and Best Oral Advocate,. <br />errtam FAIcP, founded Robinson & Cole's Land Use Group <br />pasteresidentoftheArrierican Institute of Certified <br />received is masters.of RegionalPlanningfrom:tire- <br />orthCarolina and. his jans Doctor from=Yale. <br />and public perception concerns are forcing <br />range operators to take a proactive approach <br />to minimize the potential for adverse impacts. <br />The following sections provide an overview of <br />the most common types of shooting ranges, <br />the main issues and concerns associated with <br />shooting ranges, and planning and regulatory <br />considerations for local governments. <br />THE SHOOTING SCENE TODAY <br />Shooting ranges may be public or private, in- <br />door or outdoor. The range operators or owners <br />appoint range masters to oversee the opera- <br />tions and ensure that gun safety rules are fol- <br />lowed. Range masters must complete a training <br />process and become certified by the National <br />Rifle Association (NRA). <br />Currently, there are about 9,00o non- <br />military outdoor ranges in the United States <br />(Kardous and Afunah 2012). Outdoor ranges <br />are built in large, open areas and require less <br />cleaning and maintenance than indoor ranges. <br />However, outdoor ranges also allow for lead <br />and noise to disperse more widely. Outdoor <br />ranges are specially designed to prevent bul- <br />lets from escaping the range or ricocheting <br />back at shooters. Many ranges are backed <br />by sandbagged barriers, berms, and baffles, <br />which help protect against injury of people and <br />damage to property. These barriers also allow <br />for systematic recovery of lead projectiles (Luke <br />1996). Indoor shooting ranges typically include <br />rifle and handgun ranges. <br />Indoor ranges are popular because they of- <br />fer protection from inclement weather and can be <br />operated under controlled environmental condi- <br />tions. Environmental and occupational controls <br />are necessary to protect the health of shooters <br />and range personnel from effects of airborne lead <br />and noise (Kardous and Afunah 2012). <br />PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS AND <br />BEST PRACTICES <br />As a result of urban expansion into rural areas, <br />some long-established gun clubs and shooting <br />ranges are finding themselves increasingly clos- <br />er to, if not abutting, residential neighborhoods. <br />Careful planning and government regulation <br />can take certain steps to ensure that shooting <br />ranges are good neighbors. Local governments <br />that are interested in regulating shooting rages <br />should take a realistic approach to addressing <br />noise, safety, and environmental issues. <br />Shooting Range Protection Statutes <br />The most common complaint about shooting <br />ranges is noise, and local governments often <br />ZONING PRACTICE 12.13 <br />AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION I page 3 <br />