HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Gun Club CUP Amendment 12-15 15MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
DATE: 12/15/2015
REGULAR
ITEM #: 9
MOTION
AGENDA ITEM: Oakdale Gun Club Conditional Use Permit Amendment
SUBMITTED BY: Stephen Wensman
THROUGH: Clark Schroeder
REVIEWED BY: Joan Ziertman
SUGGESTED ORDER OF BUSINESS:
- Introduction of Item .................................................................................................... Staff - Report/Presentation .................................................................................................... Staff - Questions from Council to Staff ............................................................ Mayor Facilitates - Public Input, if Appropriate ................................................................... Mayor Facilitates - Call for Motion .............................................................................. Mayor & City Council - Discussion ..................................................................................... Mayor & City Council - Action on Motion .................................................................................. Mayor Facilitates
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED:
The Oakdale Gun Club is requesting a Conditional Use Permit Amendment to allow two trap shooting
shelters for use on the site. Staff and the Planning Commission are recommending the City Council
approve the request with no conditions with the following motion:
“Move to recommend approval of the CUP Amendment to allow the use of two additional trap shooting
ranges on the Oakdale Gun Club site.”
BACKGROUND AND STAFF REPORT:
The Oakdale Gun Club has an existing conditional use permit for the gun club operations, defined as
restricted recreation by city ordinance which is a conditional use in the Agriculture Zoning District. The
Oakdale Gun Club has been operating under conditional use permit approved in 1988 by resolution
(Resolution No. 88-5) which has served as the basis for compliance. The Conditional Use Permit has been
amended several times in the past. This amendment is to allow an additional two trap shooting shelters
for use on the site.
Trap shooting has become a popular high school sport. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
(MnDNR) has encouraged gun clubs to facilitate this growing sport. Presently the Tartan High School
team uses the Oakdale Gun Club’s existing trap range, but other school teams such as Stillwater, North
St. Paul and Oakdale are also interested. This expansion is proposed to accommodate the growing sport of
trap shooting for high school teams.
When reviewing the proposal, Staff suggested conditions limiting the use of the additional trap ranges to
the time periods and dates the gun club suggested were in demand and for high school use only to
minimize potential noise. The Planning Commission discussed traffic and noise. The Commission was
sympathetic to noise and traffic concerns, but did not feel the use changes would significantly increase
noise or traffic, and felt the conditions suggested by Staff would be difficult to enforce. At the public
hearing, the Planning Commission discussed restricting gun club weekend hours for all operations to 10
AM to ½ hour before sunset, however a subsequent motion did not move forward. The Planning
Commission determined that they did not want to restrict the club operations such that they would have to
come back for another Conditional Use Permit Amendment if the demand for the trap shooting ranges
grew beyond the high school use. Therefore, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the
Conditional Use Permit Amendment without condition.
LOCAL CONTROL LIMITATIONS:
On May 28, 2005, the MN State Legislature passed the Shooting Range Protection Act which effectively puts limits on local control over shooting ranges. Staff has attached MN State Statute Chapter 87A for reference.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff and the Planning Commission are recommending the City Council approve the request with no
conditions with the following motion:
“Move to recommend approval of the CUP Amendment to allow the use of two additional trap shooting
ranges on the Oakdale Gun Club site.”
ATTACHMENT(S):
• Resolution 2015-__ to approve the Oakdale Gun Club Conditional Use Permit Amendment
• Planning Commission packet of 11/23/15
• Planning Commission minutes of 11/23/15
• Gun Club Site Plan
• MN State Statute Chapter 87A