After taking hours of public comment, the vast majority in opposition to the proposal, the Board of Commissioners unanimously rejected a proposal that would have made it illegal to shoot a gun for recreational purposes after 6 p.m.

Commissioner Earl McKee said he did not like the proposal because he thought it would effectively eliminate recreational shooting in Orange County.

“I have no sympathy for someone who recklessly or in the middle of the night exercises their right to fire off 100 or 1,000 rounds,” he said. “There needs to be something there to control that type of action, but this thing in front of us tonight does not do that.”

The proposal would have made 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. the only legally allowed time for recreational firearm use.

The ordinance would also prevent people from engaging in “target shooting activities” more than twice a month.

“The ordinance appears to be written for a commercial shooting range,” one resident said. “Not for a resident who wants to do a little recreational target shooting in their backyard.”

The ordinance also would have regulated where on a person’s property they can shoot.

Residents would be required to build a backstop 15 feet in height and 30 feet in depth and place warning signs around their property at 100 foot intervals.

“This may not be your way of life,” another resident said. “But it is for many of us. This is normal for us. We do it safely and reasonably.”

In an email sent to McKee, sheriff Charles Blackwood said the backstop regulations were excessive, asked to extend the permitted time to 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and said the signage would be a significant financial burden to residents.

Blackwood urged the board and the citizens to find a middle ground.

“All too often we have folks way over  here and then we have folks way over here,” he said. “I don’t know any time in history that anything has gotten solved from either of those places. We’ve got to come together.”

The board will continue to examine the issue and see if there is an ordinance that would make sense to implement.

As part of that process they unanimously approved the creation of the Orange County Firearm Safety Committee, which will be comprised of commissioners, residents and other prominent members of the community.

McKee said those interested in serving on the committee can find more information on the county website, when more details are available.

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