ALERT - Island County - Proposed No Shooting Zone Ordinance

[huntrights]

ALERT - Island County - Proposed No Shooting Zone Ordinance

A post was started in the Virtual Campfire regarding this urgent topic; it has been moved the Hunter's Rights topic area so we can keep it on our radar.  There will be a Commissioner's work session on 11-21-12 regarding this proposed ordinance.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,110534.15.html

[huntrights]

The Island County Board of County Commissioners will convene a regular meeting on Monday, December 17, 2012

http://www.islandcounty.net/commissioners/Agenda/2012/

http://www.islandcounty.net/commissioners/Agenda/2012/documents/dec172012_000.pdf

This is an opportunity to briefly voice your opposition to their proposed ordinance:

http://www.islandcounty.net/commissioners/Agenda/2012/121712-Firearms.pdf


“10:00 a.m. Public Input or Comments
This is time set aside for members of the public to speak to the Board about subjects of concern or interest, or items on the agenda. Comments on matters scheduled for Public Hearing will be taken at the time shown on the agenda. The Board will take all information under advisement, but generally will not take any action unless it is emergent in nature. To ensure your comments are recorded properly, please state your name and address clearly into the microphone. Please limit your comments to 2 minutes.”

DECEMBER 17, 2012
10:00 a.m. Regular Meeting
Employee Presentations/Public Comments/Consent Agenda

They will meet again on Thursday, December 20th, 2012 with continued discussion regarding the proposed No Shooting Ordinance.  Public comment does not appear to be currently shown in their agenda, but your presence has a significant affect.  Sign-in stating opposition to the ordinance.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2012
9:00 a.m. Regular Agenda
[Items listed under this portion of the Agenda are typically considered separately.]
Public Works
20) Resolution C-148-12 Establishing a Minimum Property Value Exemption from the Island County Clean Water Utility System of Charges 
21) Grant Deed of Conservation Easement – Whidbey Camano Land Trust; Permanent Easement to protect Conservation Values of 654 Acres of Community Forest through Trillium Community Forest Public Use Plan (RM-PW-2012-416) (PW-1220-141)

Commissioners
22) Continued Discussion regarding draft ordinance to establish procedures for designation of additional “no shooting areas” through a petition method


Location (Unless otherwise noted): Board of County Commissioners Hearing Room (Room 102B Basement), Island County Annex Bldg., 1 NE 6th Street, Coupeville, WA


Please try to attend these meetings and voice your opposition to the proposed ordinance if given the opportunity.  Also, please contact the Commissioners with your thoughts via email:

Kelly Emerson (R): district3@co.island.wa.us

Angie Homola (D): district2@co.island.wa.us

Helen Price Johnson, Chair (D): district1@co.island.wa.us

[All-Day]

Which one of the Commissioners is the lame duck? Thanks for posting this. I was hoping to get through the hunting season without having to deal with this ordinance business!

Kurt

[huntrights]

Here is some additional input received on the subject:

"Outgoing Island County Commissioner Angie Homola (Whidbey Island District 2) is trying to rush through a new ordinance before she leaves office in a few weeks.  This ordinance would establish a process for a neighborhood to petition the Board of Island County Commissioners for a no shooting zone.  Sounds reasonable except that if only 60% of landowners in the neighborhood sign the petition, then the commissioners would consider establishing a no shooting zone on the entire neighborhood.  Essentially one set of neighbors legislating what the other neighbors can do on their property.  However, there is no definition of "Neighborhood" in the ordinance.  So the petitioning neighbors and the commissioners would be able to draw the neighborhood boundaries any way they want.

The instance that appears to have pushed Commissioner Homola over the edge is a safely established, sherrif approved, private shooting range on 8 acres, adjacent to some homes on much smaller lots.  under the new ordinance, the neighborhood of smaller (suburban) lots is looking to shut down shooting on adjacent "rural" lots by creating a new "neighborhood" boundary that includes both sets of properties, and where they can get 60% of the landowners signing the petition. 

Attend the next two Commissioner meetings if you can:

Commissioners Public Meeting: Monday December 17th, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Commissioners Meeting Room (Annex Building; 1 NE 6th St.) (Video conferencing should also be provided at the Camano Island County Offices).  This meeting is SUPPOSED to have only minimal information regarding the No Shooting Petition Ordinance, but public comment should be allowed and our presence is important.
Commissioners Working Meeting: Thursday December 20th. 9 a.m. at the Commissioners Meeting Room (Annex Building; 1 NE 6th St.) Video conferencing should also be provided at the Camano Island County Offices).  This meeting is SUPPOSED to have detailed commissioners discussions on the No Shooting Petition Ordinance, but public comment will be limited.  Still, our presence is very important.

Please contact the commissioners with your thoughts:

Hellen Price-Johnson district1@co.island.wa.us

Angie Homola district2@co.island.wa.us

Kelly Emerson district3@co.island.wa.us

Thanks for your support."

[csaaphill]

wahts ben done on this haven't seen much since it posted?

[huntrights]

Hopefully people that have gone to these meetings will provide some update on what is happening.

[huntrights]

Is there any new news on this one?

[csaaphill]

ya would be nice to knoweven though I dont live over there. figure my town will try that too if that one passes.