TARBORO —
The Edgecombe County Board of Adjusters approved a shooting range business during a meeting on June 5 that has several residents in the Crisp Community stirred up.
Dead On Tactical Arms applied for a permit to build a firing range at 671 Stallings Road in February. After two meetings with the Board of Adjusters and at least 70 residents opposing it, the governing body granted the business a permit.
Dead On Tactical Arms owner, Joe Scott Jordan, said the firing range will open sometime around September or October. One mile radius surrounding the shooting range has approximately 88 houses. One of the houses belongs to John Woodson.
Citing noise nuisances and environmental issues, Woodson, one of the leaders against the shooting range, said he doesn't want it in his neighborhood.
"Lead (from the bullets) can contaminate my well water," Woodson said. "It can get in a stream and be passed along in the Tar River and float to Greenville. The people in Greenville should be concerned also.
"And the noise. They said they can fire up to 30 rounds per minute and have up to 20 people in a class. I guess I could wear ear plugs but others may not want too. If they build an indoor shooting range we wouldn't have to worry about the noise or the pollution. It will be contained in a closed area."
After Scott realized that several of the surrounding neighbors were not in agreement with his plans, he said he revised his plans to reduce noise and increase environmental protection surrounding the range.
"We're doing everything that we can to alleviate our neighbors concerns," Jordan said. "We've added a limestone runoff ditch to neutralize the lead and we will use lime on the berm backstop to neutralize projectile particle runoffs."
Edgecombe County Planning Director Ola Pittman is apparently satisfied with Dead On Tactical Arms business plan. She said the proposed business is in compliance with state and county mandates. Pittman pointed out that the sheriff's department gave its approval for the range. The soil and water conservation also weighed in on the issue and gave its approval.
"They are not concerned with lead from the shooting range contaminating ground water," a report created by the Edgecombe County Planning Department stated. “The threat to migratory water fowl is extremely minimal."
According to information submitted to the Board of Adjusters, Dead On Tactical Arms will offer a qualified and safe controlled firearms training and a qualification shooting area as required by the National Rifle Association. It will also offer firearm training classes, sale pistols, hunting riffles, tactical rifles and shotguns.
A petition with about 70 signatures against the shooting range business was given to the Board of Adjusters. Robert Key, who said he lives within 700 yards from the shooting range name was one of them. Although it has been approved, Key along with several others are adamant about preventing the shooting range to open. He said his group could file several lawsuits against the county. Key said he wrote a letter to each county commissioner about his group concerns.
"I want the county commissioners to look at what was done and how it was done," he said. "The final liability is on them (because they appointed the board of adjusters).
"I have emphysema and I have overcame two bouts with cancer. All I want to do is sit on my front porch without listening to the sound of gunfire the rest of my life."
Local News
Shooting range in Crisp triggers controversy
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