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Bel Air to consider ordinance to allow indoor shooting ranges in commercial core with safety conditions
Summary
A proposed ordinance would permit indoor shooting ranges in B‑3 and B‑3A zones as a special exception, add performance standards for containment and staffing, and require compliance with federal background checks. The Planning Commission will review ordinance text before a formal vote.
Bel Air commissioners reviewed draft language for an ordinance to permit indoor shooting ranges in the town’s commercial core and discuss safety and regulatory safeguards.
Commissioner Taylor, who drafted the language, said the proposal would permit indoor shooting ranges as a special exception in the B‑3 and B‑3A districts and allow the Planning Commission to impose performance standards, including structural containment to prevent escaped projectiles, prohibitions on alcohol and controlled substances, and attendant‑to‑ patron ratios and qualifications. “The core of the legislation is … this piece of legislation would permit them in the B3 and B3A districts as a special exception,” Taylor said.
Chief Moore confirmed he had reviewed the draft, and commissioners discussed how background checks and federal National Instant Criminal Background Check (NICS) requirements apply to weapon purchases and rentals. The board signaled it wants any permit condition to require compliance with federal firearms laws, and Taylor said he will check surrounding ranges and consult the chief on language about rentals and constructive possession.
Director Kevin Small explained that the targeted zones — B‑3 and B‑3A — are the town’s commercial centers around the Route 24/Route 1 intersection and down Route 24, and that the ordinance includes setbacks from sensitive uses such as schools and residences. Commissioners asked the chief to confirm operational expectations and the town attorney to confirm the drafting aligns with state and federal law.
Why this matters: The ordinance aims to allow a business the town said had sought to locate here while adding public‑safety and land‑use protections. Commissioners said they want to avoid ad hoc approvals and to provide a predictable permitting path for a use that previously was not allowed.
What’s next: The board will continue refining the draft with input from the police chief and planning staff before scheduling a public hearing and Planning Commission review.
