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Archery club seeks use of Jonesville property; council asks city engineer to inspect
Summary
Chris Mann asked the Alexander City council for permission to use city land in Jonesville for an archery practice range, describing membership, hours and safety plans; council raised insurance and floodplain concerns and asked City Engineer Drew to review the site before approval.
Chris Mann asked the Alexander City Council for permission to use city property in Jonesville as a practice range for a local archery club, saying members would meet mostly on weekend mornings and pay a modest annual fee.
Mann, who gave his address as 1873 Tank Road, Jackson City, Alabama, told the council the group previously shot at a Sports Place site they no longer have access to and now lacks a place to practice and teach. He said membership would be small, with each member given a combination for a lock on the gate and families charged “$30 or 40” per year, with an individual fee of “five dollars per person.” He described plans for 3D targets, replacement fundraisers and, where needed, berms or backstops to prevent arrows from leaving the site.
Council members asked about safety, hours and the area to be used. Mann said three to four acres would likely be sufficient though the city property totals about 10 acres and that the club could use lanes or a trail format depending on space. The council emphasized insurance and safety precautions: one member asked that the city retain gate control while providing combinations to members and that the club secure insurance for the club and its members.
City Engineer Drew (identified in the meeting as the city engineer) and other council members raised floodplain concerns for any permanent structures and urged Mann to coordinate a site visit. Drew suggested alternatives to heavy framed backdrops that could displace floodwater and said he wanted to review the proposed layout to identify higher ground and avoid wet areas.
The council did not take a final vote. Instead, members asked Mann to work with Drew on a site plan and for the engineer to make a recommendation to the council before any formal approval.
Ending: The council left the item open for further review; city staff will inspect the Jonesville parcel and return with recommendations before the council considers a use permit.
