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County To Give Property To Shooting Range, Allow Longer Hours
February 10, 2012
The Escambia County Commission has voted to give the Escambia River Muzzle Loaders the 30 acres where they operate and allow the group to extend their shooting hours.
The county decided Thursday morning at a Committee of the Whole meeting to give the land to the non-profit ERML group to release the county of any liability associated with the shooting range and avoid an environmental cleanup.
Neighbors of the range on Rocky Branch Road have spoken out in opposition to the range and its practices for years. They claim ERML committed to spend $250,000 to improve the range’s safety and reduce noise. But neighbors said the upgrades have never happened. Neighbors have also claimed that the Muzzle Loaders want to purchase additional property to expand the range — and shoot in the direction of neighboring homes.
Changes approved in spirit by the commission Thursday include:
- The range will be open extended hours from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. during the April 1 to September 30 period. Previous hours were 8 a.m. until 6:30 p.m.
- A safety officer must be present whenever the shooting range is being used.
- The range will remain closed on Mondays, unless it is a national holiday.
Commissioner Kevin White voted against any changes to the agreement with the Muzzle Loaders, saying that he wanted to keep the agreement the county made in 2009.
The Escambia County Commission must give final approval to the changes at a regular meeting.
The Escambia River Muzzle Loaders is located on Rocky Branch Road, north of Quinette Road near the Escambia River.
Comments
20 Responses to “County To Give Property To Shooting Range, Allow Longer Hours”
Jack, As far as ERML spending $250K, it was written into the Lease Agreement, which ERML signed in May 2008, that the County would reimburse ERML for the money they actually spent, amortized over the 20-year term of the Lease. There was no risk, if the County pushed ERML off the property, then ERML would get its money back. It was a sweetheart deal, but it wasn’t good enough, ERML had to have ownership of the property. They claim it’s to help them get grants, but the reality is with ERML owning the property there is very little in the way of enforcement options if ERML doesn’t follow the rules or continues to operate unsafely.
As an ERML member for many years, I agree that the county probably should not have “given” the land to the club. That said, I have been present at numerous county commission meetings where it was pointed out that cleanup of the land would cost many times more than it could ever be sold for. The logical choice was to release the county’s liability, although again I’m not sure why there wasn’t some money involved.
That said, people are making some patently false claims about the range and its members. I remember the “bad old days” before ERML erected a fence and hired full time range safety officers. I remember the shot up power lines, port-a-potties, shooting benches, etc. Those days are GONE FOR GOOD, however, and there is no sense bringing them up.
As to the $250,000 in safety improvements, those are still in the works. People need to understand that there was no way that ERML was going to spend a quarter-million dollars improving a piece of land that the county could yank out from under them at any time with minimal notice.
I am confident that ERML will continue to provide a safe place for area residents to practice the shooting sports and over time will even generate revenue for the area.
To “ANOTHER”
Great points! Can’t wait to read the book!
Congratulations ERML, you finally got your bail-out from the County. Too broke to pay for safety improvements, but now potentially rich with grants to expand the range. But the County Commissioners are the real winners in all this. They have categorically shed themselves from the liability, or so they think. You don’t steal land from a mentally incapacitated black man in the 1950’s for a $4.50 property tax, create a pit after selling all of its dirt and then allow it to fester into a multi-member gun range for over 30 years, and then just walk away. Sounds like a good book, a jewel in Escambia County’s history.
And it’s not over yet. The County has one more chance to get it right with any development orders necessary to convey or develop the property. They have all the information from the NRA Range Source Book on how to make it SAFER. I just hope the County’s final chapter will be a good one.
Do you really think the county would spend all that money on the road and bridge for a few house down there? They know exactly whats going in down there in a few years.The training that will happen there will be huge benefit to the county.
question: why move into a neighborhood when you know there is a gun range nearby? ..answer: because when the county tells the residents that the range has gotton to big for the neighborhood and they’re on the way out you want to believe them. This “muzzle loader” club started out just what its name implies. Once a month or so there would be competition shoots, camp outs for the familys. The problem started when the gun range started to expand, more(and less courtious) members, more traffic on an already over used dirt road, more noise, stray bullets from ricochets on the north side of the range putting hunters or neighbors riding horses in danger.An agreement was made between the range, the neighbors and the county a few years back that the range would make upgrades. Higher berms with vegetation planted on them to muffle some of the noise. The shooting lanes were to be built on a downward incline to ensure no bullets could leave the range as well as other improvements designed to turn it into a state of the art, class A shooting facility. NOTHING has been done. My guess is NOTHING will be done. Why should it ? There is nothing saying they have to. There are around 7or 8 hundred members paying around $70 or $80 bucks a year. I’m pretty sure thats a conservative guess. Thats about $64,000 annually, and the county just gives this property away with no restictions, no responsibilties. I fell to see where this benefits the tax payers Escambia County. So go ahead say I hate guns(i own 6 of them) Say i shouldn’t have moved here( i’ve lived and enjoyed the outdoors in this neighborhood my whole life .44years) I will not respond any further. I am done….Thank you KevinWhite for standing by us. Now i’m done.
just looked at google maps ,where are all these houses around the range lol ?,not any.
Some people just don’t get it.Your right ! Everyone else is wrong!! Excuse me .I’m going to take my guns and go anywhere there is 5 acres or more ,out of the city limits and shoot them all day long.But I,m NOT going to shoot in a dangerous direction or early in the morn next to a house where people are sleeping.Or late in the eve when children are going to bed for school .These are not “rights ” the’re considerate .People stepping on others rights because they have rights is the problem,not your gun rights DUDE!
M gun rights have evrything to do with it, On June 28, 2010 The Supreme Court of the United States held that the Second Amendment was incorporated under the Fourteenth Amendment, protecting those rights from all states,county and local governments.the Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit’s decision in McDonald v. Chicago resolveing conflicts between certain Chicago gun restrictions ( chicago trying to limiting gun ranges ) and the Second Amendment.So “M” the county knows there is absolutely nothing they can do or anyone else can now to close the range.The range will now be there long after we are all under the dirt that is a fact.its over so you need to get over it M.
Thank you “M” It has NOTHING to do with guns but you can’t make them understand that.
We own guns, we have NOTHING against guns, and will own them as long as we live!
It has to do with the County GIVING away 30 acres of land!
It has to do with rules NOT being followed!
It has to do with SAFETY issues!
Why can’t they follow rules and practice safety guidelines like the shooting range on Quintette Hwy?
and what a laugh, if you take a look at the member list, most of the members LIVE IN ALABAMA lol, so the only thing these members bring with them is a heavy foot on the gas pedal, and skid marks on thier way out and leaving a few empty cans on side of our new paved road.
And it has NOTHING to do with gun rights.
There were people living there before this was a gun range.It used to be an old pit.We used it way before it was a gun range to ride dirt bikes,shoot our guns,and just play in the dirt ,so get over yourself.This land at least should have been sold or leased ,not given away.This (PRIVATE) gun club brings nothing to the county.
Yes, I do believe the government has finally figured it out. Do not mess with our guns and give us a place to shoot them. As for those who do not like it, go cast your vote for Obama.
Well it seems that since the range was there first, it would seem that some folks made a BAD decision to move in to a sub division close to a gun range. May be you could blame the builder?
Great move, I am glad that common sense has won out.I am sure the gun club will manage it well. Yes Tina the needs of the many and what we wish do out weight the wants and needs of the few in this case.Never have used it much, but I will start.
To Patriot:
8:00 AM No need to bring anything, because it will not be as enjoyable as you think, but come drink coffee with me, then again around 5PM, and also I’ll send you hunting with my husband, maybe you’ll make it without a hole in your head
I can “provide” evidence as YOU wish…I can provide human beings that will testify to the fact that they were in MY yard for a cookout, sitting inside MY yard in chairs with bullets wizzing above our heads and had to call the police.
I will also request a report from Gulf Power on how many times they have had to “repair” lines from being “SLICED” or “SHOT”! from stray bullets!
Challenge ME? Go ahead!
I will not go on and try to explain any further, BUT, I will allow my legal rep. do all the talking for me from this point, however, I do believe that the people of Escambia County should be given free property.
Escambians, it’s up to you. Speak up for yourself. This is YOUR TAX DOLLARS SPENT!! THIS IS YOUR PROPERTY BEING GIVEN AWAY.
Don’t you think we should all get free property?
In response to Tina:
I use the ERML range regularly, I have NEVER seen anyone shoot in any direction, other than into the berm. I challenge you to provide evidence of your claim that members or their guests are shooting in an unsafe direction.
If you know that someone is “clearly being blackmailed”, please call the ECSO and report it, otherwise please refrain from making accusations.
Finally, I appreciate your breakfast invitation and I will gladly accept it. I’ll even bring a coffee cake. Would you like to join me at the range afterward? We’ll shoot to your heart’s content, my treat.
ERML member who loves breakfast
The needs of the 100’s and 100’s of members ,their familys , friends and votes out weight the needs of the very few (less than 10) complainers that moved in after the range and knew it was there.Whats that saying about moving in next to a pig farm then complaining about the smell? and yes to the know it alls one guy was out there before the range.
The range generates revenue for the county and provides a service for many hundreds of our residents. This is a good move!
****COUNTY Gives AWAY 39 ACRES****
I need free property too. Who do I see to request my property.
Might as well give them the gun and say “SHOOT” any direction, because that is what is has been and NOW it will be even worse.
Soooo, we have all the econmy problems BUT the county just GIVES all the land to to ERML…………………makes me wonder just what the hell is going on , and just how many on the board DOES belong to ERML.
And for Mothers to have to pay $25.00 to pay rent for a piece of county property to have a birthday party…what do you all think about this?
Someone is clearly being blackmailed, that’s why the property was so “easily” signed over to ERML.
ANYONE is invited to MY house on Sat or Sun Monrning with intentions on having nice quite coffee and breakfast (no small talk) then dicuss how wonderful ERML is.
TO ERML: You people have it looking like a Pre-K class with all the kiddie colors. Why not get serious and have a little pride in your deco for the range. When I pass by, I cna’t decicde if Im at a “gun” range or romper room training camp for 4 year olds.