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Magistrate finds private firearms range in violation of county code; owner given 30 days
Summary
The magistrate found Denny Acosta's private firearms range violated county code because no special exemption was on file, ordered 30 days to comply and warned of $50-per-day fines; counsel argued the range is private and built to NRA specifications.
The magistrate found that a firearms training range at a property owned by Denny Acosta violated county regulations because there was no county special exemption on record and the site had activity consistent with commercial advertising.
Matt Greenwood, Charlotte County code compliance, testified that inspections found a range, a business tax receipt in county records, and an operational website taking reservations; he offered photographs and a letter from the owner into evidence. David Kalin, representing the family, argued that the range is private, built to NRA and other standards, that personal ranges are a way for instructors to maintain proficiency, and that advertising does not conclusively prove the business is run from that location. "Just because you advertise a business does not necessarily mean the business is run from that location," Kalin said.
The magistrate concluded the county had proven the violation and ordered 30 days to bring the property into compliance, with $50 per day fines thereafter. The magistrate also admitted the owner's supplemental documents as exhibit A. The decision notes the owner may remove signage or provide additional evidence to county staff as part of compliance efforts.
