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Paintball Courses and Gun Ranges Issue Paper 06-07-2011MEMORANDUM TO: Planning Commission FROM: Robert Generous, Senior Planner DATE: June 7, 2011 SUBJ: Paintball Course and Gun Ranges BACKGROUND The City has received a request to investigate allowing paintball courses in the community. On April 5, 2011, staff presented background information on paintball facilities and was directed to continue researching the topic. Additionally, staff has been directed to expand the review to include gun ranges. Currently, the city does not permit such uses. Section 11-2 (f) of the Chanhassen City Code prohibits the discharge of a _fi_rea—n within the city except as specifically allowed by code. None of the zoning districts permit a paintball course or gun range. At one time, the city did have an outdoor gun range at the Moon Valley mining operation site on Flying Cloud Drive. It continued there as a legal non- conforming use and was protected from closure by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 57A. Since 2004, the use has been discontinued and can no longer be in operation. Staff does not recommend that gun ranges be allowed as an outdoor use in the city. DISCUSSION USE Staff originally initiated the review of paintball courses. Since then, gun ranges have been added to the scope of research. However, as part of our review, the question arose whether we should limit these outdoor activities to paintball and similar -type facilities (air -soft and laser tag) or include other outdoor activities, such as zip line/ropes courses and orienteering. Planning Commission June 7, 2011 Page 2 Zip line/ropes course Orienteering Paintball Range Laser Tag Staff researched other communities and found the following: some communities include commercial or non-commercial recreational uses that may be permanent or temporary in nature, which include but are not limited to traveling carnivals, circuses, amusement parks, driving ranges, batting cages, mini -golf, paintball courses, bowling centers, roller skating facilities, and similar indoor or outdoor recreational activities. One community allows commercial recreation premises consisting of woodlands, water courses, and fields used for active recreational activities that do not require modification of the existing natural features or characteristics of a property. Chanhassen City Code regulates driving ranges, mini -golf, bowling centers and indoor and outdoor health and recreation clubs as separate uses. Parking standards would be those for recreation facilities which require 20 spaces plus one space for each 500 square feet of gross floor area. Unless directed otherwise, staff shall limit the revision to paintball courses and gun ranges. LOCATION Staff has researched regulations regarding where these types of facilities are located. Generally, outdoor paintball courses and gun ranges are located in more rural areas. Indoor paintball and gun range facilities have been located in both commercial and industrial zoning districts. Paintball One of the most important factors in a game of paintball is the location and the field layout. There are many numerous types of fields, and almost an infinite amount of possibilities for a paintball field. Paintball fields can normally be divided into two base styles - woods fields and speedball fields. Woods Fields: Woods fields are probably the more commonly known areas for a paintball game. Woods fields can vary greatly, and no two are the same. New players are usually more attracted to these fields, and may get tangled in dreams of military tactics, guerilla warfare, and being snipers when playing on these fields. Woods fields can also be broken down into a few categories. Forest Field: This field generally is an all -natural playing area. There are no added bunkers, and the trees and tall grass are the most common bunkers. Players often choose to manipulate these fields by stacking piles of leaves and logs to create their own cover. Planning Commission June 7, 2011 Page 3 Hybrid Field: Hybrid fields are a mix of a speedball field (see below) and a straight forest field. These too, may have completely different layouts than the previous. A hybrid field may be a forest field with bunkers such as car hoods, spools, tires, or other forms of speedball bunkers set up throughout the woods. A less common hybrid field, but one that is just as enjoyable as the prior, is a speedball field directly connected into a forest. One team generally begins on the speedball field, while the other team(s) begin on various positions throughout the forest. Hay Field: Less common, but just as enjoyable as the other two, is the hay field. Hay fields are usually made up of tall stacks of hay tied up and stacked into piles, forming bunkers. Hay fields are more commonly found as a hybrid with forest fields. Speedball Fields Speedball fields are commonly used for high -paced games that tend to be much more close -quarters than most woods games. There are many W'61 s different types of speedball fields, and layouts can be mirrors (bunkers on both sides of the field are exactly alike) or randomly spread out. Sup Air Field: Sup Air fields consist of inflatable bunkers and are :'. commonly used for competition paintball. Many Sup Air fields have interestingly shaped bunkers, such as snaked, Ms, Coke Cans, '' Cones, and Pills. Hyperball Field: Hyperball fields are generally built out of various objects usually including, but not limited to boards, car hoods, tires, and tubing; or a combination of all four. Hyperball, like all speedball fields, usually hosts very fast paced games and has all sorts of bunkers imaginable. Spool Fields: These fields are made up of large spools, the type that usually hold large quantities of wire. Spool fields are commonly mirrored. Bunkers on spool fields tend to be more limited than of other speedball fields. Generally, bunkers are one spool, or a few spools stacked or standing next to each other. Staff recommends that outdoor paintball or air soft type facilities be limited to Agricultural Estate, A-2, zoned property. This would accommodate the larger minimum site requirement that is proposed for such a use, which is based in part on the separation requirement from the course to the property line as well as adjacent residential homes. These larger sites would also permit the various field configurations discussed above. Planning Commission June 7, 2011 Page 4 At the typical field -regulated speed of 280 feet per second and a 45 -degree angle, a paintball will travel about 280 feet. This is strongly affected by various conditions such as wind, trajectory to the target, obstructions, velocity variation, etc. This is also not a practical distance for hitting a specific target. The effective range of a paintball gun is roughly 150 feet. A first strike paintball can actually reach 500 feet when arched correctly. Staff further recommends that we permit paintball facilities in our Industrial Office Park, IOP districts as an indoor use. Paintball facilities could utilize warehouse -type buildings with minimum alterations and could complement other recreational uses currently permitted in the IOP district, such as recreation clubs, play facilities, etc. Additionally, this use may be appropriate in a Community Commercial District in conjunction with a sporting goods -type store. Gun Range Staff recommends that gun ranges be limited to indoor uses and that they be located in Industrial Office Park (IOP) Districts and Community Commercial (CC) Districts. An estimated 16,000 to 18,000 indoor firing ranges are in operation in the United States. Indoor ranges usually have a projectile trap consisting of curved or angled steel plates, shredded rubber, or specially packed and groomed sand, with reinforced baffles attached to the ceiling and walls. The most modern ranges include anechoic chamber technology (foam wedges), or place other sound absorbing materials on walls, floors and ceilings for additional noise reduction. Such ranges also usually have an air -locked corridor for soundproofing, with doors at opposite ends of the corridor. Noise from the range is effectively contained as long as only one door is opened at a Time; it is considered a breach of etiquette to open both doors simultaneously. Ventilation is designed to be sufficient in quantity and directional control to reduce concentrations of lead in the air to safe levels in the shooting area. The maximum caliber size is sometimes posted on the door of the airlock on each particular range, or in the lobby or ready area if the facility only contains one range. Most indoor ranges restrict the use of certain magnum calibers, or the use of automatic weapons, primarily to prevent damage to the facilities. Other ranges do not have a caliber restriction, but instead limit projectiles to a certain muzzle velocity, often 2000 feet per second, or bullet construction. Common safety practices Nearly all public ranges require that all guns be unloaded prior to entering or leaving the range facility, irrespective of whether one holds a concealed carry license. The same is true for rental guns leaving or returning to the rental counter, going to and from the shooting range. Whether gun ranges are indoors or outdoors, all shooters are required to wear safety glasses or goggles, although some ranges will allow impact -resistant corrective glasses as the only eye protection. Ear protection is also required, either ear muffs or ear plugs, as long as one is within the defined boundaries of the range and the range is hot. For indoor ranges, these must be donned Planning Commission June 7, 2011 Page 5 before going through the air lock door and kept on as long as individuals are within the high noise area. Indoor ranges also introduce the risk of lead poisoning if they are not properly ventilated or cleaned. Lead dust in these facilities can be inhaled or can contaminate skin and clothing. The instructions of the appointed range master are to be followed at all times. The National Rifle Association Range Source Book provides guidelines for planning, designing, constructing, and maintaining shooting range facilities. According to the source book, each range should have a clear and concise safety plan. The plan must be signed, published, and reviewed at specific intervals and distributed to all range users to study and use. The source book recommends that shooting ranges establish rules and regulations that are tailored to its needs. They should include: 1. Gun handling rules; 2. General range rules; 3. Regulations on the type of firearm, shooting activity, caliber, shot size, or type of target to ensure range safety; and 4. Administrative regulations regarding target supplies, target fume materials, security and equipment usage, along with buildings and grounds maintenance as necessary for safe and efficient range operations. The source book states gun handling rules should always appear first in the safety plan and be prominently displayed at the shooting range. At a minimum, the plan should include the following safety rules: 1. Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. 2. Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. 3. Always keep the action open and firearm unloaded until ready to use. 4. Know your target and what is beyond. 5. Be sure the gun is safe to operate. 6. Know how to use the gun safely. 7. Use only the correct ammunition for the gun. 8. Never use alcohol or drugs before shooting. 9. Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons. 10. Be aware that certain types of guns and many shooting activities require additional safety precautions. A shooting range, regardless of size, location or design, should incorporate, at a minimum, the following general range rules. 1. Know and obey all range commands. 2. Know where others are at all times. Planning Commission June 7, 2011 Page 6 3. Shoot only at authorized targets. 4. Ground level targets are not authorized without a proper backstop. 5. Designate a range officer when none is present or assigned. 6. Unload, open the action, remove the magazine and ground and/or bench all firearms during a cease-fire. 7. Do not handle any firearm or stand at the firing line where firearms are present while others are down range. 8. Always keep the muzzle pointed at the backstop or bullet trap. TYPE OF USE The City of Chanhassen allows uses as either permitted, accessory, conditional or interim uses. Permitted and accessory uses are allowed by right and will be approved administratively except as part of a new development, which requires site plan review. Conditional and interim uses require a public hearing before the Planning Commission and ultimate approval from the City Council. Since the city will eventually be a fully developed, suburban community, the continuation of an outdoor paintball facility would come in conflict with surrounding development. Therefore, staff recommends that the outdoor paintball facility be an interim use in the A-2 district and that it be an indoor conditional use in the Industrial Office Park (IOP) District and Community Commercial (CC) District. An indoor gun range could be regulated as a conditional use in the Industrial Office Park (IOP) District and Community Commercial (CC) District. Staff envisions the commercial operation in conjunction with a sporting goods store, which is a permitted use in the CC district. However, it could also be a stand-alone facility. Additionally, individual office/industrial Planned Unit Developments could potentially amend their design standards to incorporate the use in their districts. CRITERIA Paintball • Require protective gear (International Paintball Players Association or American Society for Testing and Materials Standards). • Require the use of barrel plugs off the playing field. • Limit the velocity of paintball gun projectiles (between 250 and 285 fps). • Require a chronograph on site to measure projectile velocity. • Require minimum operating standards including staffing requirements, safety briefings and equipment inspection. • Require liability insurance. • Require that paintballs be non-toxic, non -caustic, water-soluble and biodegradable. • Require that the site be a minimum of 20 acres (for outdoor facilities). Planning Commission June 7, 2011 Page 7 • Require separation from off-site structures and/or residences (for outdoor facilities). The outdoor paintball course shall be setback a minimum of three hundred (300) feet from all property lines and a minimum of five hundred (500) feet from any residential dwelling. • Require screening of the facility from neighboring homes. • Prohibit alcohol use or consumption. • Limit the hours of operation to daylight hours (for outdoor facilities). • Limit retail sales and rental to paintball- related material and equipment with limited display area, e.g. 20 percent of the floor area. Indoor Gun Range • The firing range shall not be located on any lot adjacent to an existing residential district. • The firing range shall not be located within one thousand (1,000) lineal feet, measured from building to building, of an establishment licensed to dispense intoxicating or non - intoxicating liquor. Indoor firing ranges shall not sell or dispense intoxicating liquors, nor shall they be in a building which contains a business that sells or dispenses non - intoxicating or intoxicating liquors. • The use, occupancy and construction of the building shall conform to the Minnesota State Building Code. • The building and method of operation shall comply with Minnesota State Statute 87A. • The building and method of operation shall conform to the applicable Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, and OSHA standards for indoor ventilation, emission into the atmosphere, indoor sound levels, lead containment and outside noise standards. • The design and construction of the firing range shall completely confine all ammunition rounds within the building and in a controlled manner. The design and construction of the firing range shall be certified by a registered engineer in the State of Minnesota. The certified plans shall include the specifications and construction of the bullet trap(s), ceilings, exterior and interior walls and floors. The certified plans shall state what type and caliber of ammunition the range is designed to totally confine. • No ammunition shall be used in the range that exceeds the certified design and construction specifications of the firing range. • A written log of range users shall be maintained by the range operator and available for inspection by the City. The name and address of the user shall be verified by photo identification. The log shall include, but not be limited to the following: o Name, address and phone number of the range user. o Time and date the user was in the range. o If aged twenty-one (21) or more, a photocopy of the individual's permit to carry a dangerous weapon. • Firearms shall not be stored on the premises when the range is closed for business, unless they are stored in an acceptable gun safe or other secure locking device. • On-site supervision shall be supplied at all times by an adult with credentials as a range operator. The range operator shall be responsible for the conduct of their place of Planning Commission June 7, 2011 Page 8 business and the conditions of safety and order in the place of business and on the premises. • Each range shall have a clear and concise safety plan. The plan must be signed, published, and reviewed at specific intervals and distributed to all range users to study and use. • The applicant shall provide and maintain proof of liability insurance which shall require the insurer notify the city manager in writing within ten (10) business days of cancellation of the policy, a change in the limit of the policy, and/or a change in policy ownership. Said policy shall be available for inspection by the city manager and/or his/her assigns at all times. • On site instruction shall be given only by Certified Firearms Instructors. Current certificates for firearms instructors shall be on display in a conspicuous location in the premises and available for public inspection. • An outside security plan for the general grounds shall be submitted to the city for review and approval. • The transport of firearms on the premises, to the premises, and from the premises shall conform to State Law. • Minors shall not be allowed in the range unless accompanied by an adult at all times. This provision shall not be interpreted to prohibit minors from participating in a firearm safety class which is supervised by an adult instructor. • In the Industrial Office Park District, retail sales and rental shall be limited to gun- related material and equipment with a maximum display area of 20 percent of the floor area. CODE AMENDMENTS In order to allow paintball courses or gun ranges, the following sections of the Chanhassen City Code will need to be amended: Section 11-2 (f) Firearms: Provide exception for use of firearms at city approved paintball courses and gun ranges. Section 20-263.5 Conditional Use Permit Standards for Agricultural and Residential Districts: Add Paintball Courses. Section 20-298.5, Conditional Use Permit Standards for Business Office, Institutional and Industrial Districts: Add Gun Range, Indoor. Section 20-306.5, Conditional Use Permit Standards for Business Office, Institutional and Industrial Districts: Add Paintball Course Section 20-576 (Agricultural Estate District): Add Outdoor Paintball Courses as an interim use. Section 20-744 (Community Commercial): Add indoor gun range and indoor paintball course as conditional uses. Planning Commission June 7, 2011 Page 9 Section 20-812 (Industrial Park District): Add indoor paintball facility as conditional use. Section 20-814 (Industrial Office Park District): Add indoor gun range as a conditional use. DIRECTION Staff is requesting direction from the Planning Commission on bringing these amendments forward for public hearing and potential adoption. g:\plan\city code\issue paper\paintball and gun range.doc