Town expands no-shooting zone

Town of Grafton residents spoke on both sides of the issue last week before the Town Board decided to amend a no-discharge firearms zone ordinance, which hadn’t been changed since 1983.

The board agreed to add two densely populated areas that include the Hillcrest neighborhood off River Bend Road, as well as the intersection of Lakefield Road and northeast quadrant of River Bend Road, which is the Grafton Little League complex.

The Little League complex is in the village but surrounded by the town. Town Chairman Lester Bartel said he wanted to include the area in the ordinance to clarify that shooting is not allowed in the vicinity.

Several residents spoke during a public hearing before the board made its decision.

“I’m concerned about limiting shooting for a couple bad offenders,” resident Dan Vogel said. “It punishes the people who aren’t being bad.”

Other residents said Grafton is a growing community and needs to address the safety of its residents.

“It’s time to protect the people moving into the town,” Supr. Karron Stockwell said.

Bartel said the decision to expand the zone isn’t because of problems with hunters but rather issues with firing ranges. He said he expects there to be further discussion limiting the use of firing ranges in the town.

Residents asked the board to define what a firing range is.

“Do you consider a sighting your rifle a firing range? What about a bow range?” a resident asked. 

Over the past few years, the town has had several issues with firing ranges. Bartel said most of the properties where the shooting occurred didn’t involve town residents but visitors or renters using the land. He said each incident was addressed and there hasn’t been any further issues at the properties.

Bartel said that as the town becomes more densely populated, more restrictions could be imposed on firing guns in certain areas. 

“As the town becomes more populated in denser areas, the days when people would shoot 200 to 300 rounds in an afternoon next to residential areas are behind us now,” he said.

“It just makes people nervous these days. People are different about firearms than they were 30 years ago.”

The board approved the ordinance amendment by a 4-0 vote. Supr. Tom Sykora was not in attendance. 

The board also agreed to have further discussion about including more areas in the no-discharge zone in the future.