Dead-Nuts-Zero
New member
This is a long Read, but thought it should be of interest to most of us.
I found this on the NYSRPA website (New York State Rifle & Pistol Assoc.) news alerts.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NYSRPA-alert/
I hope their next problem is too many cars (belonging to shooters and sportsmen) parked along the streets/roads because the parking lots at the Skeet & Trap range are FULL UP on opening day!
I would be there if it were not several hundred miles away.
However, I can kinda understand the issues on both sides. But my instinct is to side with the shooters!
What are your thoughts?
======================
(Bill number IR 1738-2006.
http://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/legis/resos2006/i1738-06.htm.)
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16857218&BRD=1776&PAG=461&dept_id=6365&rfi=6
A bill that calls for the county to cease its actions in reopening
the Suffolk County Trap and Skeet facility in Yaphank was introduced
last week by Legislator Kate Browning (WF-Shirley). While the
legislation was tabled, the conflict behind it has continued to grow
as the opening date of the facility nears.
"This is not the right location anymore to have a trap and skeet,"
Browning said after the Legislature's Parks and Cultural Affairs
Committee meeting last Wednesday. "Since I took office, I've met with
local residents, and [found that] a lot of new homes have been built
around that location."
While the facility has been shut down since 2001, due to the poor
maintenance and bad business practices of the prior owner, the county
has moved to restore the site, with the opening currently slated for
July 15. Suffolk officials say this push came about after a number of
trap and skeet enthusiasts, over the past five years, petitioned the
county to reopen the site. However, neighbors of the Trap and Skeet,
including those who bought their homes after 2001, are now voicing
their concerns.
"It's going to be like the Fourth of July every day," said Joe
Cavaliere, who lives in one of the 79 homes within the Pinewood Manor
development, which was built around the time the Trap and Skeet range
was closed. "It belongs in an industrial area, not in the middle of a
multi-million-dollar housing development."
The new owner of the Trap and Skeet, Mark Wroobel, said that while he
is "going to do whatever is necessary to be a good neighbor to the
community," he believes the situation is being blown out of
proportion. "It's gone through all the necessary testing, and they
[the county] have answered every question fully," he said. "I think
everyone's voice should be heard, but you have to be fair. It should
be everything from the last five years, not just the last five weeks.
We're here because the overwhelming majority of the masses want us here."
Community activist Doug Steigerwald, who moved into his home, which
is approximately 300 feet from the Trap and Skeet, in 2005, said
local neighbors and the Long Island Pine Barrens Society had led him
to believe that the shooting range would remain closed. "I did my
homework," he said, noting that he also contacted a Brookhaven Town
official he declined to name, who said there was a "slim chance" that
the site would reopen. "The Long Island Pine Barrens Society is
chartered to protect the Pine Barrens, so why would we, trusting in
our laws, think it would reopen?"
Richard Amper, executive director of the LI Pine Barrens Society,
stands by the claim that the Trap and Skeet facility, which is in a
"core preservation area" of the Pine Barrens, cannot reopen under the
1993 New York State Pine Barrens Protection Act. "New development is
not permitted in this core area," Amper said, adding that the law
states it is not permissible to "resume activity that has been
discontinued for more than one year."
However, county officials disagree with Amper's interpretation. "Our
position is that the [New York State] Pine Barrens Commission has no
jurisdiction over the reopening of the facility," said Ron Foley,
commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation
and Conservation. "Our intention was always to reopen it, and that's
what we're doing."
At its last meeting, the NYS Pine Barrens Commission asked its legal
council to review the law, with their next meeting slated for July
19. While the shooting range is scheduled to open four days prior to
that meeting, Amper maintains that if the Trap and Skeet does reopen,
the LI Pine Barrens Society will sue the county, pursuant to the 1993 law.
While the county has done several noise and environmental studies on
the site, those issues are still of concern to Amper and some of the
residents who leave near the facility. "I'm a hunter and I know how
loud gunshots are," said Bruce Karas, who bought a home approximately
a half-mile from the shooting range in 2003. He also cited lead
pollution concerns, in both the groundwater and the air. "When you
shoot a gun, there's a certain amount of lead that goes into the air
... You're concentrating large amounts of lead in one location."
Foley, who said the site is not in violation of any environmental
standards, commented on concerns that lead could contaminate both the
groundwater and the air. "If in 80 years it [lead] hasn't polluted
the water, I don't expect that it will," he said. As for worries
about "lead dust," he added, "That's an issue for indoor ranges,
which are contained in a closed area. No one has shown it's an issue
at outdoor ranges."
The facility has also been exempt from the county's noise ordinance.
While some residents claim the town of Brookhaven may have
jurisdiction over sound that carries into the community, Foley does
not believe it will be an issue. "We're not certain the town's
ordinance applies to this place because [the Trap and Skeet]
pre-exists the town law," he said.
Browning, who said she is "not prepared to let [her] bill die,"
criticized the amount of money the county is spending on the
reopening. "Why are we spending tax dollars on a private venue when
it's going to take about 20 years to recoup the money we put in?" she
said, noting that the county has passed resolutions to spend up to
$800,000 on refurbishing the site.
Foley, who said the county has spent $250,000 on the project thus
far, and may spend up to $50,000 more before renovations are
complete, explained that the "majority" of the $800,000 was being set
aside for a noise wall. The plan for the noise wall fell through, as
it was "too expensive," according to Foley, who said the county is
"not going to dip into the majority of those funds."
Some residents, including Cavaliere, are looking into moving from the
area, and are afraid the reopening of the site will negatively impact
property values, as well. "I don't want my tax dollars going to
this," he said. "I'd rather they go to Smithtown to help their
flooding situation."
County Legislator Tom Barraga (R-West Islip) said that if Browning's
bill comes before the Legislature, he would vote against it. "I will
not be supporting her legislation for a number of reasons," he said.
"The people who bought their homes in that vicinity knew it [the Trap
and Skeet range] was there. They knew what they were getting ... They
should've dropped a quarter to find out from the local town or
county. They're the ones that didn't do their due diligence."
Wroobel, who said he will be able to operate the site "safely,"
contends that taxpayers will reap the benefits in terms of local
revenue. "This is going to be an amazing draw to the area," he said.
Claiming that the more than 300 new homes in the area make the site
too residential for a shooting range, Browning said part of her
resolution addresses placing the facility elsewhere. "I am not an
anti-gun person," she said, noting that she still has environmental
concerns. "If this site continues to be open, the question is, how
much longer until it gets to the point where it [lead contamination]
is going to be a concern?"
I found this on the NYSRPA website (New York State Rifle & Pistol Assoc.) news alerts.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NYSRPA-alert/
I hope their next problem is too many cars (belonging to shooters and sportsmen) parked along the streets/roads because the parking lots at the Skeet & Trap range are FULL UP on opening day!
I would be there if it were not several hundred miles away.
However, I can kinda understand the issues on both sides. But my instinct is to side with the shooters!
What are your thoughts?
======================
(Bill number IR 1738-2006.
http://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/legis/resos2006/i1738-06.htm.)
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16857218&BRD=1776&PAG=461&dept_id=6365&rfi=6
A bill that calls for the county to cease its actions in reopening
the Suffolk County Trap and Skeet facility in Yaphank was introduced
last week by Legislator Kate Browning (WF-Shirley). While the
legislation was tabled, the conflict behind it has continued to grow
as the opening date of the facility nears.
"This is not the right location anymore to have a trap and skeet,"
Browning said after the Legislature's Parks and Cultural Affairs
Committee meeting last Wednesday. "Since I took office, I've met with
local residents, and [found that] a lot of new homes have been built
around that location."
While the facility has been shut down since 2001, due to the poor
maintenance and bad business practices of the prior owner, the county
has moved to restore the site, with the opening currently slated for
July 15. Suffolk officials say this push came about after a number of
trap and skeet enthusiasts, over the past five years, petitioned the
county to reopen the site. However, neighbors of the Trap and Skeet,
including those who bought their homes after 2001, are now voicing
their concerns.
"It's going to be like the Fourth of July every day," said Joe
Cavaliere, who lives in one of the 79 homes within the Pinewood Manor
development, which was built around the time the Trap and Skeet range
was closed. "It belongs in an industrial area, not in the middle of a
multi-million-dollar housing development."
The new owner of the Trap and Skeet, Mark Wroobel, said that while he
is "going to do whatever is necessary to be a good neighbor to the
community," he believes the situation is being blown out of
proportion. "It's gone through all the necessary testing, and they
[the county] have answered every question fully," he said. "I think
everyone's voice should be heard, but you have to be fair. It should
be everything from the last five years, not just the last five weeks.
We're here because the overwhelming majority of the masses want us here."
Community activist Doug Steigerwald, who moved into his home, which
is approximately 300 feet from the Trap and Skeet, in 2005, said
local neighbors and the Long Island Pine Barrens Society had led him
to believe that the shooting range would remain closed. "I did my
homework," he said, noting that he also contacted a Brookhaven Town
official he declined to name, who said there was a "slim chance" that
the site would reopen. "The Long Island Pine Barrens Society is
chartered to protect the Pine Barrens, so why would we, trusting in
our laws, think it would reopen?"
Richard Amper, executive director of the LI Pine Barrens Society,
stands by the claim that the Trap and Skeet facility, which is in a
"core preservation area" of the Pine Barrens, cannot reopen under the
1993 New York State Pine Barrens Protection Act. "New development is
not permitted in this core area," Amper said, adding that the law
states it is not permissible to "resume activity that has been
discontinued for more than one year."
However, county officials disagree with Amper's interpretation. "Our
position is that the [New York State] Pine Barrens Commission has no
jurisdiction over the reopening of the facility," said Ron Foley,
commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation
and Conservation. "Our intention was always to reopen it, and that's
what we're doing."
At its last meeting, the NYS Pine Barrens Commission asked its legal
council to review the law, with their next meeting slated for July
19. While the shooting range is scheduled to open four days prior to
that meeting, Amper maintains that if the Trap and Skeet does reopen,
the LI Pine Barrens Society will sue the county, pursuant to the 1993 law.
While the county has done several noise and environmental studies on
the site, those issues are still of concern to Amper and some of the
residents who leave near the facility. "I'm a hunter and I know how
loud gunshots are," said Bruce Karas, who bought a home approximately
a half-mile from the shooting range in 2003. He also cited lead
pollution concerns, in both the groundwater and the air. "When you
shoot a gun, there's a certain amount of lead that goes into the air
... You're concentrating large amounts of lead in one location."
Foley, who said the site is not in violation of any environmental
standards, commented on concerns that lead could contaminate both the
groundwater and the air. "If in 80 years it [lead] hasn't polluted
the water, I don't expect that it will," he said. As for worries
about "lead dust," he added, "That's an issue for indoor ranges,
which are contained in a closed area. No one has shown it's an issue
at outdoor ranges."
The facility has also been exempt from the county's noise ordinance.
While some residents claim the town of Brookhaven may have
jurisdiction over sound that carries into the community, Foley does
not believe it will be an issue. "We're not certain the town's
ordinance applies to this place because [the Trap and Skeet]
pre-exists the town law," he said.
Browning, who said she is "not prepared to let [her] bill die,"
criticized the amount of money the county is spending on the
reopening. "Why are we spending tax dollars on a private venue when
it's going to take about 20 years to recoup the money we put in?" she
said, noting that the county has passed resolutions to spend up to
$800,000 on refurbishing the site.
Foley, who said the county has spent $250,000 on the project thus
far, and may spend up to $50,000 more before renovations are
complete, explained that the "majority" of the $800,000 was being set
aside for a noise wall. The plan for the noise wall fell through, as
it was "too expensive," according to Foley, who said the county is
"not going to dip into the majority of those funds."
Some residents, including Cavaliere, are looking into moving from the
area, and are afraid the reopening of the site will negatively impact
property values, as well. "I don't want my tax dollars going to
this," he said. "I'd rather they go to Smithtown to help their
flooding situation."
County Legislator Tom Barraga (R-West Islip) said that if Browning's
bill comes before the Legislature, he would vote against it. "I will
not be supporting her legislation for a number of reasons," he said.
"The people who bought their homes in that vicinity knew it [the Trap
and Skeet range] was there. They knew what they were getting ... They
should've dropped a quarter to find out from the local town or
county. They're the ones that didn't do their due diligence."
Wroobel, who said he will be able to operate the site "safely,"
contends that taxpayers will reap the benefits in terms of local
revenue. "This is going to be an amazing draw to the area," he said.
Claiming that the more than 300 new homes in the area make the site
too residential for a shooting range, Browning said part of her
resolution addresses placing the facility elsewhere. "I am not an
anti-gun person," she said, noting that she still has environmental
concerns. "If this site continues to be open, the question is, how
much longer until it gets to the point where it [lead contamination]
is going to be a concern?"