§ 17-123. Indoor shooting range.

(a)

Permit required. No person, corporation, firm, partnership, limited liability company, limited partnership, association, club, or business shall operate or maintain an indoor shooting range within the corporate limits of the City of Effingham, without first securing a permit from the chief of police of the City of Effingham. For purposes of this section, an indoor shooting range shall be defined as a fully enclosed building or part of a fully enclosed building specifically designed and operated for the use of a sporting event or for practice, instruction, testing, or training in the use of firearms, including but not limited to rifles, shotguns, pistols, silhouettes, skeet, trap, black powder, as well as the use of archery or any other shooting activity, but does not include police or military indoor shooting ranges operated by any level of government.

(b)

Application for permit. Any person, corporation, firm, partnership, limited liability company, limited partnership, association, club, or business desiring a permit to operate an indoor shooting range shall make application therefore to the chief of police for the City of Effingham. Such application shall be in writing upon forms prepared and furnished by the city. Each application for a permit shall be signed by the applicant and verified by him by oath or affidavit, and shall be filed with the chief of police for the City of Effingham. In case the applicant is a partnership, all partners must sign and verify the application. In case the applicant is a limited partnership, all general partners and any limited partner owning more than a five (5) percent interest in such limited partnership must sign and verify the application. In case the applicant is a corporation, all officers, directors and any stockholders owning more than five (5) percent of the stock of such corporation must sign and verify the application and indicate their official position. In case the applicant is a limited liability company, all members owning more than five (5) percent of the interest of such company must sign and verify the application and indicate their official position. In case the applicant is a club or association, all officers and directors shall sign and verify the application. The information requested in the application form must be furnished as to each person signing the application. Each application shall contain the following information and statements:

(1)

Provide a written description and diagram of the property and building to be permitted;

(2)

Provide a written description of the security measures to be implemented at the proposed location of the indoor shooting range, all of which shall be subject to the review and approval of the chief of police of the City of Effingham, or his or her designee;

(3)

Provide documentation reflecting that the proposed location of the indoor shooting range complies with the City of Effingham's Zoning Regulations, as amended from time to time, and contained within Appendix B of the Municipal Code of Effingham; and,

(4)

The applicant shall provide evidence that it has complied with all applicable federal and state licenses, certifications, and other regulations regarding the possession and discharges of firearms and operation of an indoor shooting range.

(c)

Investigation and approval of application. The application shall be filed with the chief of police of the City of Effingham not less than sixty (60) days before the date of the proposed indoor shooting range is opened for business. The chief of police shall make, or cause to be made, an investigation of the site of the proposed indoor shooting Range for the purpose of determining whether the provisions of this ordinance are complied with. The chief of police shall issue a permit if the applicant(s) and the indoor shooting range comply with this ordinance and applicable federal and state licenses, certifications, and other regulation.

(d)

Age requirements. An indoor shooting range shall require any person who fires or discharges, or causes to be fired or discharged, any firearm or gun of any nature within the indoor shooting range to be at least twenty-one (21) years of age or older or be accompanied and supervised by a responsible person twenty-one (21) years of age or older.

(e)

Inspection. The chief of police of the City of Effingham, and/or his or her designee shall be authorized to inspect an indoor shooting range, which has been issued a permit pursuant to this section, at any time, with or without notice to the permittee at all times when the Indoor Shooting Range is open for use. In the event the chief of police of the City of Effingham, and/or his or her designee determines that a violation of this Section has occurred or determined that the indoor shooting range is not in compliance with any and all federal and state licenses, certifications, and other regulations regarding the possession and discharges of firearms and operation of an indoor shooting range, the chief of police of the City of Effingham shall,

(1)

Order the permittee of the permit indoor shooting range to cease the operation of the indoor shooting range; and,

(2)

Immediately revoke the permit to operate an indoor shooting range; and,

(3)

Take necessary steps to close the indoor shooting range and otherwise prevent the permittee continuing to operate the indoor shooting range within the corporate boundaries of the City of Effingham; and,

(4)

Direct the City of Effingham Police Department to issue appropriate citations to the permittee or such person, corporation, firm, partnership, limited liability company, limited partnership, association, club, or business violating this section, or take such other action as authorized by applicable law, including but not limited to the arrest of the permittee or such person, corporation, firm, partnership, limited liability company, limited partnership, association, club, or business violating this Ordinance.

(Ord. No. 76-2015, § II, 8-18-2015)