Planning commission forwards revised firearms ordinance allowing discharge on 25-acre properties to city council

The Westminster City Planning Commission voted to transmit a revised ordinance on private firearms discharge to the City Council after staff said the draft aligns with state law and legal advice.

Staff told the commission the redline draft removes references to the local zoning code and permits the discharge of firearms on private properties of 25 contiguous acres or larger. "We removed references to the zoning code, and we allowed firearms to be discharged in properties of 25 contiguous acres or larger," a staff member said. The staff member also told commissioners that the city's outside legal counsel recommended a 25-acre threshold because parcels smaller than 25 acres are already governed by state law.

The draft removes an earlier distance-from-property-line restriction and drops a previous special restriction on big game, making hunting subject to state hunting rules. The draft also says private shooting ranges would require approval from Police Chief Miller before operation; the…