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Knimrod
03-31-2006, 11:50 PM
Both sides air views about shooting range
Noise is the No. 1 complaint about Green Oak facility
March 31, 2006
By Tom Tolen
Ann Arbor News

Both backers and foes of the Island Lake State Recreation Area Shooting Range came away from a meeting last week with the feeling that there is room for compromise on the thorny issue of excessive noise. The town hall meeting, with a packed crowd of about 75 people showing up at the Brighton Township hall, was arranged by state Rep. Chris Ward, R-Brighton Township.

Also on the panel were state Rep. Howard Walker, R-Traverse City, and Rep. John Stakoe, R-Highland Township. Walker is chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Department of Natural Resources and Stakoe is on the Conservation, Forestry and Outdoor Recreation Committee.

Several Michigan United Conservation Clubs officials, including Executive Director Sam Washington, were at the meeting.

"It's hard to deny there's a noise problem at this range,'' said MUCC Vice President Dan Radloff, who was born just a short distance from what is now the gun range. Radloff said the noise can be mitigated, adding "it takes money, takes time,'' while recommending the legislature "find the funding to correct the problem (and) give these people a break.''

Opponents of the trap, clay and sporting clay range emphasized that many of them are shooters, and they are not trying to shut down the entire range, which initially had only a rifle and pistol range. The complaints started after the DNR added a skeet, trap and sporting clay range in 2002.

Several citizens played videotapes at the meeting to demonstrate how the noise sounds from their properties. Another videotape taken at Kensington Metropark, located just across I-96, was played to indicate the level of gun noise apparent at the golf course and nature center. Park officials have said they have received many complaints from park users about the noise.

In addition to the noise, residents said the lead accumulation from the shot used by shooters constitutes a future environmental threat.

Afterward, Ward called the meeting "extremely productive,'' especially since the two sides had previously been entrenched in their opposing viewpoints.

State Sen. Valde Garcia, whose conservative voting record has earned him an A-plus rating from the National Rifle Association, was in attendance for part of the meeting. He said the DNR has "failed to act in good faith'' on the issue.

In June 2004, Green Oak Township, where the range is located, filed suit against the DNR and Michigan Shooting Centers, which operates the range, saying it violated the township's noise ordinance. The township had approved the shooting range in 1998 as a special use, "provided noise levels would comply with Green Oak Township ordinances.''

DNR spokeswoman Mary Dettloff has said the state has installed straw bales at the shooting stations and constructed sheds for shooters to mitigate the sound, but opponents maintain the efforts have not helped.

The Michigan Shooting Centers LLC, which operates the skeet, trap and sporting clay range, appealed to the Michigan Court of Appeals after Livingston County Circuit Court Judge Stanley Latreille in January denied its motion to dismiss the township's lawsuit. Instead, Latreille ordered new independent sound tests, which have been placed on hold while the appeal is pending. The appellate court has not yet decided to consider the expedited appeal requested by the shooting concessionaire.

Link to story (http://www.mlive.com/news/aanews/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1143819802172830.xml&coll=2)

glockgirl
04-03-2006, 05:04 PM
Wah wah wah. There's only a noise ordinance until 10 pm :biggrin:

TRT
04-07-2006, 11:37 PM
So, when are they going to spend the big bucks to silence the highway?