Town to revisit planned shooting law changes amid protests

It was standing room only at the Grafton Town Board meeting Oct. 9 as more than 60 residents showed up to voice their concern to a proposed shooting ordinance. 

“With this ordinance, we could be fined just because our neighbor doesn’t like us. The current ordinance is fabulous, and it’s not like we’re dumping lead in other people’s yards,” resident Dan Ashbrock said during the public comment portion of the meeting, which lasted an hour as more than a dozen people spoke before the board.

Resident Nancy Vogel agreed.

“A change in the ordinance would be a terrible loss for the town’s culture,” she said.

Officials said the current ordinance hasn’t been updated in 35 years.

According to the proposed ordinance,  “any individual including property owners firing more than 20 rounds of center fire cartridges in a 24-hour period at intervals of less than 20 seconds between rounds shall be considered to be operating a firing range. The period of sundown on Friday evening to sunup on Monday morning shall be treated as a 24-hour period.”

The proposed ordinance also states the use of shotguns for trap shooting shall be limited to a maximum of 100 rounds per event and 25 rounds per shooter in a 24-hour period. 

Property owners would be responsible for any firearms activity on their property. Firearms discharge permits would be required for anyone other than the property owner.

In addition, shooting ranges would require a conditional-use permit issued by the town.

Town Chairman Lester Bartel said the ordinance is not intended to regulate or interfere with legal hunting activity as permitted under the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources rules, seasons and ordinances.

First-time offenders of the proposed ordinance would be fined $100 and $500 for subsequent offenses.

During the meeting, Citizens Committee members Jeff Duell and Robert Nelson spoke before the board to report their findings from residents.

The eight-person committee was formed in May to address the concerns of residents and has had several meetings. 

“We went way overboard. We need to walk before we can run,” Duell said. “If we have more rules and regulations, more bogus things will happen.”

Duell said the committee listened to residents for about 10 hours and the general consensus was a need to make target shooting safe.

Nelson said enforcing the proposed ordinance is the main concern.

Bartel said the town is considering hiring a constable, which would cost at least $50,000. The position is not included in the proposed 2020 budget.

Supr. Paul Melotik, who is also a member of the committee, said he doesn’t feel comfortable with the recommended restrictions in the proposed ordinance, adding there’s a lack of enforcement with the current ordinance.

“Is the current ordinance inadequate or is it a lack of enforcement?” Melotik asked.

Bartel said the town has enforced its ordinance in the past and been successful in limiting repeat offenders.

“It’s a painstaking process,” he said. 

Bartel said he is cautious about defining approved firing ranges in the ordinance because it could encourage more people to build them. 

“We have to concentrate on holding landowners responsible for what happens on their property,” Bartel said, adding he doesn’t like the idea of legislating firing ranges.

“This is really delicate. What we do has to be carefully handled,” he said.

Supervisors Tom Grabow and Tom Sykora said the fines are too high.

“This has been blown out of proportion,” Grabow said.

Ultimately, the board voted 4-1 to table action until its January meeting. Supr. Karron Stockwell cast the dissenting vote.

Stockwell, who supports the proposed ordinance, said she voted against tabling the decision because the board has spent months researching the issue and has enough information to take action.

Stockwell also said the town has changed significantly in the 35 years since the ordinance was last updated and more people are moving into the town, including about 85 families who moved in this year.