Thursday, January 17, 2013

Castle Rock Neighbors Challenge Gun Club Assertions

"We are not the gun club's enemy, we're their neighbors"

Jason Hoppin has a report in SC Sentinel describing the on-going dispute between the owners of the Los Altos Rod and Gun Club, and neighbors and visitors to the adjacent Castle Rock State Park over noise and groundwater pollution from lead ammunition.  

The County Board of Supervisors once again delayed a decision on an application for expansion by the gun club which is located on the Santa Cruz County side of Summit Rd just south of Hwy 9. 

According to a report reviewed by County staff but commissioned by the gun club: "On a busy weekend day more than 20,000 total rounds may be fired from these shooting ranges,"


County staff recommended that both sides be given more time to try and reach a negotiated solution to mitigate the noise concerns. Some suggestions have been to reverse the direction of fire and/or providing a shelter to muffle the sound. The gun club owner doubts that noise can be reduced sufficiently to satisfy his neighbors.


With regards to potential health risks associated with groundwater pollution, the County hired a consultant to review the assessment provided by the gun club and concluded that "there is no immediate health or ecological risk related to the Gun Club's activities to the area downstream and the surrounding environment."


Neighbors have challenged both reports and have undertaken to produce their own studies. The Board set an April 23 date for reconsideration.

You can read the full reports as well as the neighbors objections here:

CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATION NO. 111108, A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT A CLUBHOUSE AT THE LOS ALTOS ROD AND GUN CLUB

Los Altos Rod and Gun Club Environmental Status Report

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