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~~ ~`~~~~` ( ~'J `~,L~ C~.. ~' ~ ~~ .;-7 din J~/~ i:~ )'. ' ~ ~ ~ .~- ~ , ~, re ~ • • L 1/ j -~ -- ~~~' ~ sy JANE MCCLU~ • • ,, - ._ - ~~ arch 3C hood residents~ackedacommunitymeetfngatHancockRecreatronCenterM .~ More than 75neighbor p ask questions of owner Gregg Perkins. Thestore, a[ 634 North Snelling plan: `o open this month. (Photo by Ter he owner of a planned ' s Snelling Avenue fire- arms store has met a barrage of opposition frcm neighborhood residents who want ! him to relocate out of the community. St. Paul Firearms owner-opera- + to: Gregg Perkins, how ever, has told residents he plans to stay put, whether they like his business or noL And after his presentation at a com- munitymeeting, most neighbors are more angry that. ever. They have vowed to put pressure on his landlord to force the business ouL hSore thar_'S neighborhood resi- der.tspacked acommunity meeting at Hancxk Recreation Center March 30, to state concerns about the gun store and ask questions of Perkins. The store, at 634 North Snelling, plans tc open this month. "Yre want Greer Perkins to relo- cafe his business," said neighborhood resident Jcette Hamann. "The image it pro~cts in our community is not a favorable one." She questioned the store's prox- imity -two doors away -from Ham- line Playground. Hamann expressed fears for children, who are "avid users" of the playground area. And she questioned whether St. Paul Firearms will attract a "seedier ele- ment" tothe cotmunity. Opponents of the new gun store cite its proximity to other schools, churches and Hamline Branch Li- brary as reasons not to have such a business in the area. "VVe want this community to stay nice," said neighbor James Car- mouche. "Why don't you open this in your own neighborhood? Can you see people don't want you here?" Perkins has been a gun collector for some time, attending trade shows and gun collector events for the past 20 years. "This (opening a gun store) is something I've always wanted to do," said Perkins_ Perkins has obtained a federal firearms license, needed for dealing in guns. He also has been issued a city permit for the business. Because the building Perkins is in has been zoned for commercial use, there is noway the city can legal- tyblock his business, said Ward 4 Councilmember Paula Maccabee. There was also no city notice require- ment,because the business use isn't a violation of the zoning code. State law also currently pre- vents the city from taking action to keep firearms businesses out of St. Paul neighborhoods. To make sure situations like the SL Paul Firearms controversy doesn't happen again, Maccabee is develop- ing a new city zoning ordinance. The ordinance would prohibit such busi- nessesfrom locating within 1000 feet of such protected uses as schools, churches and parks. "But that will not eliminate this business (St. Paul Firearms)," she said. "I've come hereto let everybody voice their concerns to me," said Perkins March 30. "I'm not here to change everybody's mind." But he angered neighborhood residents several times, by challeng- ingthem and [heir worries about his businesses. Meeting attendees loudly disagreed when Perkins questioned whether they met the concerns of