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Council approves RangeWorks driving range with conditions after questions on sidewalks, lighting and parking
Summary
The Woodstock Mayor and Council approved a conditional use permit for a 15,000‑square‑foot RangeWorks driving range near the outlet shops, setting conditions on sidewalks, hours (8 a.m.–10 p.m.), lighting, maintenance and a one‑year removal requirement if the facility ceases operations. The vote was unanimous, 6–0.
The Mayor and Council of the City of Woodstock unanimously approved a conditional use permit for RangeWorks USA on Jan. 26, 2026, clearing the way for a multi‑story driving‑range facility at an underused gravel lot near the outlet shops.
Planning staff described the proposal as a roughly 15,000‑square‑foot, three‑story open‑air building with 32 bays and a protective netting system that could rise as high as 120 feet. The applicant requested variances to allow continued gravel overflow parking, reduced tree plantings beneath the netting and a modified sidewalk requirement along a tapered portion of Woodstock Parkway. Staff recommended approval with conditions tied to site plan, signage, landscaping, pavement for fire access and sound and hours limitations.
George Mattingly, chief executive of RangeWorks, told council the venue is intended as an affordable driving range — “not entertainment” focused on food or beverage — with a typical hourly price expected between $20 and $30. Mattingly said the company will provide a lighting study and engineers have designed down‑lighting to limit spill and glare. “The lighting doesn’t diffuse more than 2 feet. It is all down lighting onto the targets,” Mattingly said.
A resident, Martha Jane Schindler, said she supports the business but pressed the council for clarity on traffic effects, developer impact fees, the sidewalk variance and nighttime lighting. “Large recreational facilities can increase traffic … residents deserve some clarity on who would be paying for that longer‑term impact,” she said.
Council discussion focused on pedestrian connectivity and tree protection. One council member proposed modifying a recommended condition to require a 10‑foot trail segment along the portion of the frontage closest to the roundabout (the “yellow” area shown in the staff plan) while granting a variance to the narrower segment where trees and utilities limit work. Council members left specific implementation to the Development Process Committee and staff to adjudicate on site. Council also accepted an amended condition requiring the property owner to remove the structure and netting within one year of cessation of operations if the tenant doesn't remove them.
The council modified the hours to allow an 8 a.m. start, with operations to end at 10 p.m., and recorded that dark‑sky and lighting compliance will be reviewed under the city code. With those conditions and several staff‑recommended measures on signage, landscaping and maintenance, the council approved the CUP and associated variances by voice vote, 6–0.
The decision authorizes the project to move forward subject to the conditions added by staff, the planning commission and the council; final engineering, sign packages and any required permits remain to be completed before construction begins.
