Attn. N. Texans: Collin County Gun Range In Trouble!

B

Bulldog

New member
-- Texas State Rifle Association Email ---


May 27, 2000

Last Chance to Rally and Save the Collin County Gun Range!

The City of McKinney has drafted an ordinance that will put the Collin County Gun Range out of business. The ordinance would require "total enclosure" of all shooting ranges within 2 years, meaning a building. If the range does not comply, there will be no use permit and the range will have to close. The range was annexed about six months ago. It has been in operation for five years without a problem.

The last opportunity to speak out is Tuesday, June 6 at 6:30 PM at the McKinney City Hall, 222 N. Tennessee Street. McKinney TX 75069. All supporters need to meet in the Wysong Municipal Building parking lot, directly
across the street from City Hall, between 5:30 and 6:30 PM. Any one can speak whether you live in the city or not. Just your presence will be support for the range.

To get to City Hall from Hwy 75, take Louisiana/Virginia Parkway Exit and get on Louisiana east to downtown. Turn left on Tennessee St. and go 2 1/2 blocks to City Hall. From Hwy 5 (McDonald St.) turn west on Hunt for two blocks to Tennessee. Wysong will be on your right, City Hall on the left.

All parties concerned should meet in the Wysong Municipal Building Parking Lot located on Hunt & Tennessee St. across from City Hall between 5:30PM & 6:30PM. Any one can speak during citizen comment even if you don't live in the city. If you don't care to speak, your presence is still needed. The range owners will be handing out something for all gun range supporters to wear into the
meeting so you will be recognized. Don't worry if you are late, they will have
a representative at the east entrance to city hall at all times. The more that come, the better, don't think someone else will be there for you!

For Info Call the Collin County Gun Range at 972-562-4911, http://www.ccgunrange.com


Copyright 2000, Texas State Rifle Association. http://www.tsra.com/ To
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¡Viva la RKBA!
Bulldawg: NRA, GOA, TSRA, Shiner Bock Connoisseur.
Bulldawg's Firearms Page

[This message has been edited by Bulldog (edited May 30, 2000).]
 
J

Jedi Oomodo

New member
Bulldog, you can count on Darth Maum and I to be there!!! I'm sure that the range could get an injunction or otherwise fight this in court, but I don't want it to have to go to that. :( Any idea what in tarnation McKinney was thinkin' of when they passed that knucklehead ordinance?

[This message has been edited by Jedi Oomodo (edited May 27, 2000).]
 
B

Bulldog

New member
I'm off that day, so I'll be there, too.

Moderators: I just realized that Joe posted this over in Legal & Political. If it's possible, I'd like to request that you let it remain here as well in order to get wider distribution.

Pretty-please? :)
 
T

TMoney

New member
Ouch! I pass by there almost every week, and have enjoyed their hospitality a couple of times. I actually plan to be there tomorrow and do some plinking!

I can't figure McKinney. This range is very well built, I belive, with high backstops and all.

I'll be out of town, but if there is any kind of petition, I'd sign it. I do live in Collin County.
 
F

fubsy

New member
Something to consider as an option.....if it looks like your going to be unable to stop these people, could you pressure them into replacing the facility in an area that would provide the same level or better facilities that would be protected by the city?....i only mention this as an alternative, I dont know the area and was wondering if it is located in an area they want to develop and this is their way of beginning the confiscation/condemming of the property....just a thought..fubsy.
 
G

Gopher

New member
fubsy: They are going to have to clean up several car,truck, and tractor junk yards and a cement plant in the same area. They have made no move to harrass these folks yet. This appears to be a move to regulate the range out of existance. There are several anti gun range groups in the capital in Austin and the city is following their game plan to a T. This is not in what one would consider a "prime" location. Harrassment plain and simple.
 
B

Bulldog

New member
Gopher's right. It's not like the range is in a residential or corporate area - Junk yards, cement plants, etc.

I'm willing to bet that someone else wants the land that the CCGR is on and might be willing to get that land by whatever means possible - including political persuasion.

From what I understand, the City of Garland keeps trying to find ways to shut down the Garland Public Shooting Range out on Pleasant Valley Road, but that range has been there for years and is pretty much "grandfathered" from anything. It used to be a regular country drive to get to it from in town, but now, it is in town. Houses have been build up to as close as 1/4 of a mile away. Whose fault is that? Not the range's. :D

[This message has been edited by Bulldog (edited May 28, 2000).]
 
G

Gopher .45

New member
Contact the CCGR. Current plans are for supporters to rally in the parkinglot before the meeting. Phil Ryan will be giving out t-shirts for supporters to wear for the meeting. Phil would like to pack the place. The meeting starts at 6:30, so be there by 6:00 or so. Also, if you have something to say in support of the range, you can sign up to do so. Phil would appreciate it. It is very important, says Phil, that all the supporters be very orderly. He would like the demonstration of support to be highly visible, but calm. If the crowd gets loud or rowdy, then they will be removed and that would hurt the fight.

See you all there!!
 
D

Darthmaum

New member
Bulldog,

The City of Garland may not be able to put Garland Public Shooting Range out of business (great little place, BTW :)), but they have denied a permit to DFW Gun Club to build a new indoor range over off Bobtown. I talked with Mike, one of the DFWGC guys, and they need our help with Garland City Council when the issue next comes up. I live in Garland and would love to see them open that range, so I'm gonna help however I can!

Jedi and I will definitely be there Tuesday in support of CCGR, along with Christina Whittington, and our two kiddos. I can't wait!
 
D

Darthmaum

New member
For those of us going, are we going to try to meet up or anything?

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"At last we shall reveal ourselves to the Gun-Grabbers, at last we shall have revenge at The TFL End of Summer Meet on August 12 & 13, 2000..."

[This message has been edited by Darthmaum (edited June 06, 2000).]
 
B

Bulldog

New member
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>We will meet in the parking lot of the Wysong Municipal Building located on Hunt & Tennessee St. across from City Hall between 5:30 PM & 6:30 PM. Anyone can speak during the citizen comment period, even if you don't live in the city. Even if you don't care to speak, your presence is still needed. We will be handing out something for all of our supporters to wear into the meeting so that you will be recognized. Don't worry if you are late, we will have a representative at the east entrance to City Hall at all times.[/quote]
 
B

Bulldog

New member
Oops. Sorry 'bout that, Darthmaum.

Steven Camp, Gopher, and Racegun were the TFLers that I knew of that were there. All of the supporters of the range packed the council chamber. We all wore red buttons which read "Save the Collin County Gun Range," so there was no mistaking who was a supporter and who was not.

Proponents of the ordinance, which would effectively put the range out of business, numbered approximately 15 (rough guess). 6 or 7 of them voiced their opinions in front of the council, while 20 or so of us voiced ours (again, a rough guess).

Those speaking out against the range were not really Anti-Self-Defense Extremists (ASDE). The biggest complaint about the range was the noise - especially the noise that law enforcement agencies make when training at night. Of course, they kept referring to the machine guns - guess it made it sound better, or something.

The first speaker was against the range, but she was the president of the Southeast McKinney Homeowners Association. Sorry, I don't wanna hear it - The range isn't anywhere near that area.

A few of them brought up the point that most of us weren't even McKinney residents, but I got to thinkin' - neither are they! Most of them live in the area North of the range in a small community called New Hope. Yeah, they have McKinney mailing addresses, but McKinney never annexed their area, so I don't wanna here the "Yer not a resident" argument if they want to get technical.

I honestly believe that most of us not being from the immediate area may have been a hinderance, but several speakers brought up excellent points in regards to city revenue generated by patrons of the range. In addition, several area residents testified that county-road and hay-field plinking declined after the range opened up, thus contributing to safer living environments in their areas.

Whenever one of them would ask if we'd like a gun range in our back yard, I couldn't help to think "Well, yeah." Maybe it's the gun nut in me. :D

Some of them mentioned that they came to McKinney for the "country living." Well, I hate to tell you this, but the days of country living in the McKinney area are long gone. Development - That's all the cities care about in this area. Home builders are building neighborhoods in the middle of the country and use the "country living" catch-phrase when they sell the homes, and the next thing you know, there's a 7-11 and a McDonalds down on the corner. They're building houses near feed-lots and meat rendoring plants and sell 'em in the Winter. When summertime rolls around, the winds shift, and things start stinking up in the neigborhood, they start crying for them to shut down these businesses.

Sorry. To me, the outskirts of McKinney is not country living anymore.

We really showed a force at the council meeting, but I honestly don't know if it'll do any good. The range's attorney, the son of an area district judge, brought up the possibility of long, drawn-out lawsuits if the ordinance is enacted - That might get their attention, but I really don't know at this point.

I can sympathize with those complaining of the noise, that is if the noise is as bad as they say. However, they should've thought of that and voiced their protest when the range was originally built.

Complaints of bullets zinging over houses are unfounded, as the complaints are originating from the North while the bullets are flying South. I know bullets ricochette, but not that daggum far.

I spoke with Mr. Camp about grandfathering the range, but he states that the range would have to have been built prior to 1979 to fall under that clause - This might explain why there is no grandfather clause.

The vote is scheduled for 18 July, so I suppose there's still time to influence some folks.

------------------
¡Viva la RKBA!
Bulldawg: NRA, GOA, TSRA, Shiner Bock Connoisseur.
Bulldawg's Firearms Page
 
B

Bulldog

New member
Forgot to mention: There was a media presence - The Dallas Morning News, The McKinney Courier (or whatever their newpaper is called), and the Channel 11 News (CBS affiliate).

I just finished up the repeat of the late news, and there was no mention of this event - I guess we weren't militant enough for 'em. We weren't yelling and screaming at the tops of our lungs and clad in our camo militia outfits, so I guess it wouldn't make for good demonization material.

And, as the official TFL Shiner Bock Connoisseur, I would like to commend Gopher on his official Shiner Bock T-Shirt. Amazingly enough, that's how I found him! :D
 
J

Jedi Oomodo

New member
I saw the guy with the Shiner shirt... That was Gopher, eh? I was the short brown-haired guy with the beard and in the shorts with a blue shirt that had palms all over it. I was with a tall, Amazonish woman in Capris pants and a white cotton shirt (Darthmaum, also with brown hair) and a blond woman in a hot pink shirt (Christina Whittington). Darth and I were the ones at the back holding up the "Tell Big Brother NO to more gun laws" sign. Click here --> The whiners of McKinney :mad: for my take on what happened tonight.

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"Anakin! Tell them to go to the TFL End of Summer Meet !"

If it isna Scottish, it's CRAP! RKBA!

[This message has been edited by Jedi Oomodo (edited June 07, 2000).]
 
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