Montville — Planning Board Chairman Peter Kassen minced no words at the start of the Nov. 14 meeting dealing with a pre-application for a shooting range. This "is not about the Second Amendment," he said, "it's about a town ordinance" and a chance to have an informal discussion to answer questions from both sides.
Approximately 25 people packed a meeting room in the Town Office, along with attorney Peter W. Drum representing Arne Smith, a landowner who cleared an 800-yard lane on his property for target shooting that has raised the ire of his neighbors.
Drum described his client, who also spoke during the meeting, as a "marine marksman" and a "professional instructor" with a high level of training. He said Smith's shooting lane — referred to interchangeably as a shooting range — is purely residential and is an activity he's done for most of his life.
He said Smith mostly uses a manually operated .308 rifle which is a standard hunting firearm. The weapon is equivalent to a deer hunting rifle, Drum said.
"If this (shooting range) does not comply (with the town ordinance), then deer hunters do not comply," he argued. "... Anyone who is hunting deer would be exceeding the ordinance."
Only one section of the Site Plan Review Ordinance applies to the pre-application — noise. The town ordinance limits noise levels.
Planning Board member Kathy Roberts suggested a site visit to Smith's property to "bring a sense of realism to the matter." Kassen agreed and said a decibel reading from the property line should also be conducted along with contacting abutters.
Board member John Twomey argued against a site visit, saying it would only elicit "our own feelings about it. It either scientifically falls below 65 decibels at the boundary
