KINGSTON – The Kingston Common Council voted Tuesday night to “allow” indoor gun ranges, by passing a new law based upon the City of Rochester. The regulations are so strict, that it is now unlikely that a gun range will ever be able to open in Kingston.
In particular, a distance restriction to nearby residences precludes a gun range from opening at 90 Prince Street, the proposed location of Safe Shoot, the site where local orthopedic surgeon Dr. Adam Sawyer intended to invest up to half a million dollars. The venture drew hundreds of comments both for and against, with opponents objecting to its proximity to the high school.
“While the Rochester law offers some good points, it also offers to deter any indoor shooting range to ever be present in the City of Kingston,” said 7th Ward Alderwoman MaryAnn Mills. “We may not always agree, but I think we need to work together in resolving this issue.”
“To use the City of Rochester as a template guarantees that the city [of Kingston] will never have an indoor range,” said 9th Ward Alderwoman Debbie Brown. “I’m wondering if this was the intention all along,” she added. She noted that Rochester has no gun ranges either under the same wording of the law.
Rennie Scott-Childress, the 3rd Ward alderwoman, pointed out “there are 11 indoor shooting ranges within 50 miles of Kingston. If there are people who want to go shooting, there is that possibility.” he said in defense of his vote for the Rochester bill. He also said his goal was to protect the taxpayers while balancing the rights of all involved.
“Shooting ranges are a special sort of business that must be carefully regulated, creating the last possible impact on our community,” Childress noted.
“I really have to stand for people in the community,” said 4th Ward Alderwoman Nina Dawson, who explained that the testimony of mothers from nearby Prince Street households clinched her vote in favor of the Rochester regulations. “I, as a mother have to respect that, it was my deciding vote against this,” she said.
“The law before you is not a ban; it takes into account the Second Amendment and individual rights, and tries to balance it out with public safety,” said 1st Ward Alderwoman Lynn Eckhert.
Aldermen Brown and Mills attempted to table the matter but were outvoted by the other aldermen, except 5th Ward Alderman Tony Davis, who recused himself due to outside employment at the school district. The KCSD Board of Education took on the role of lobbyist in this issue, coming out specifically against the gun range.
Dr. Sawyer left the meeting early, before the vote, without comment.
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