York Holds Hearing but Tables Firearms Vote
Dennis Marston
Posted: Wednesday, May 20th, 2009
Pro-gun residents in York County got a temporary victory over possible gunfire ordinance changes during Tuesday's board of supervisors meeting.
The board held a public hearing on restricting gunfire within 300 feet of homes or businesses and within 1,000 feet of school property. The board, short members George Hrichak and Thomas Shepperd, deferred a vote to change the ordinance. A date for another hearing has not been set.
A gun, according to the ordinance, is any handgun, shotgun or rifle, which includes a .22 caliber. Also included in the restrictions are CO2-powered BB and paintball guns.
Amid intermittent cheers, several residents spoke out against the changes because of their belief in gun and property owners' rights.
David Lloyd, of Owl Creek Circle, read the second amendment to the Constitution verbatim, and then told the board why it was important to him.
"I have the right to bear arms," he said. "My ability to exercise that right is as important as the right itself. Our young people need to learn about firearms as part of exercising this right."
Other residents shared Lloyd's sentiments.
Resident Wesley Thomas has lived in Tabb since before the high school was built in 1972.
"The Revolutionary War was a war against gun control," Thomas said. "You can't criminalize my girlfriend's son for using a paintball gun in my backyard."
Henry Long of Darby Road said he can't defend himself against people or vicious animals if he can't practice shooting.
Realtor Greg Garrett, who lives in the area near Dare and lists many of the Peninsula's houses, told the board he's more concerned with not being able to shoot even a .22 rifle.
"I'm not against neighborhoods that don't want guns," Garrett said.
"I'm against not being able to shoot a .22. At my house I can shoot 270 degrees safely. Don't take this countywide. Don't use a sledgehammer where you can use a fly swatter."
Supervisor Sheila Noll said she was fine with deferring the vote. "I don't want to take too much away from people," she said. "We need to have a later discussion."
Supervisors Donald Wiggins and Walt Zaremba agreed.
Discussion on changing the ordinance began about two years ago, but the talks gained momentum after complaints about gunfire near Mt. Vernon Elementary School last fall.
Assistant County Administrator J. Mark Carter said the gunfire was due to hunters on a 120-acre parcel adjacent to the school. Carter said he didn't think the hunters were near the school.
"They were doing what they could do, legally," said Carter.
In June 2007, the board held its first public hearing on the issue because some Lakes at Dare residents wanted to be added to the gun-restrictions list after hearing gunfire near their homes. The issue was tabled after some subdivision residents and neighbors expressed concern about including AirSoft-style guns as well as the intent of the ordinance.
Last fall, after more meetings and the incident near the school, the board sent out letters to residents of newer neighborhoods to see if they, too, wanted to be on the list. Responses were due by January 30.
Residents from Winterfield, Lakes at Dare, Wythe Creek, Sherwood Farms, Carriage Homes at Williamsburg Commons and Overlook Point sent responses wishing to be added.
"Did you notice not one person from the new neighborhoods were here," Garrett said to other attendees after the meeting.
