Lakewood Ranch gun club gets second letter of intent to approve

Manatee County Hearing Officer Lori Dorman issued her second letter of intent to approve a special permit for the Ancient Oak Gun Club March 11.

Parties now have five days to respond to Dorman’s report.

She then has 10 days to issue her final order.

Dorman had reopened a public hearing, held Feb. 25, after previously issuing an intent to approve on the proposed 24-station sporting clay course on 78 acres south of State Road 64 East, off Uihlein Road.

In her March 11 letter, Dorman pointed to findings by an engineer hired by Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, the club’s developer, who ran sound tests around the proposed property.

Decibel readings ranged from 43.2 to 47.7 — below the 60-decibel county limit.

“The noise anticipated to be generated by the proposed complex does not exceed the county's noise ordinance,” Dorman said. “In making the foregoing findings of fact and law, the hearing officer has carefully considered the testimony offered by members of the public and, in particular, those of the students and teachers of the Center Montessori School.

“The hearing officer acknowledges and understand their concerns regarding the impact that gunshot noise may have on the public's use of the adjacent properties,” Dorman wrote. “Nonetheless, under applicable law, this is a permitted use of this property.”