Council members spent about a quarter of an hour during their April 12 meeting discussing an item in the municipal bylaw office March report about a resident doing some target shooting on his property. The incident occurred in the Concession Two road area near the County Road 14 intersection.
Jessy Hoffman, municipal chief building inspector and property standards officer, investigated complaints from neighbours in the area about gun shots. He met with the resident responsible, who was target shooting on his property, and talked to him about his neighbours’ concern. The man was agreeable and indicated he understood his neighbours’ worries about safety.
Council discussed whether the municipality needed a bylaw to regulate target and skeet shooting on private property within the township. Several council members noted that federal and provincial laws already set out conditions for target shooting that deal with safety issues. They also noted that there is a gun club in the Prescott-Russell area that can offer a safe target shooting site.
Council decided to take no further action since there already exist federal and provincial laws dealing with firearms and the person involved in the original incident now understands his neighbours’ concerns.
