Proposed gun club in Lakewood Ranch put on pause

Date: January 24, 2013
by: Josh Siegel | Staff writer

Manatee County Hearing Officer Lori Dorman changed course yet again on a proposed gun club in Lakewood Ranch Wednesday, reopening a public hearing out of concern about noise from gunfire.

On Jan. 8, Dorman issued a notice of intent to approve a special permit application for Schroeder-Manatee Ranch’s Ancient Oak Gun Club, a proposed 24-station sporting clay course to be built on 78 acres south of State Road 64 East, off Uihlein Road.

During a Dec. 19 public hearing, officials and parents from the Center for Montessori School and officials from Bayside Community Church, both neighboring residents to the proposed site, had expressed reservations about the gun club’s proximity to their facilities.

After Dorman issued the notice of intent — in which she declared the club compatible with the area and not a danger to public safety — those who spoke out against it in December had until Jan. 16 to respond to the county.

Dorman would have issued the Final Order by Jan. 24.

Instead, after considering feedback from the concerned parties, Dorman said noise from the proposed gun club might be too loud.

Manatee County’s noise ordinance says noise cannot exceed 60 decibels.

In an interview with the East County Observer in January, Wayne Evans, brought on by SMR to run the project last June, said the low-brass, low-ammunition ringing from the club’s shotguns would be quieter than the 60-decibel limit.

Now, Dorman might think otherwise.

She will have 45 days to schedule a new public hearing to be held at the County Administration Building in downtown Bradenton.