BRIGHTON — A proposal to open a shotgun range to rifle and pistol enthusiasts in rural Adams County is prompting fear and protest among nearby homeowners.
Many of the roughly 50 residents who live a mile or so from the Colorado Clays Shooting Range — southwest of East 144th Avenue and Lanewood Street — say they want Adams County officials to quash the shooting range’s expansion plans.
“Adams County has been very busy approving residences around this thing, and a lot of people have spent a lot of money to build there,” said attorney Van Elmore, who is leading the opposition to the shooting range.
Elmore said the homeowners aren’t asking for the clay-target shooting to end, although some residents complain about the noise.
They are mostly stressed that the noise levels will rise and a stray bullet from the range could hurt someone or their property, Elmore said.
“There are worries,” he said, “because of the increased noise and the chance of scaping bullets from high- powered rifles.”
The Adams County commissioners will consider the range’s expansion proposal today.
Colorado Clays owner Douglas Kraft said that in the 15 years his range has been operating, there has never been a safety problem.
“Since we’ve been in business and served tens of thousands of sportsmen and -women, we have not had a single incident in or outside of the range,” Kraft said. “We are committed to being good neighbors to the community.”
He said he is ready to sink more than $300,000 into the range to ensure safety and to quell noise.
The range would include a full, integrated baffle system consistent with current National Rifle Association designs, built to limit noise and prohibit bullets from escaping, Kraft said.
He also proposes new shooting ranges of 50, 100 and 200 yards. At the end of each range would be an impact berm, and shooting would occur away from most of the homes.
“We have tried to get as much information as we can about our plans out to the neighbors and to let them know they don’t have any reason not to feel safe,” Kraft said.
So far, his plans have been approved by the county’s Board of Adjustment and the planning commission.
But Van Elmore argues that since county regulations were changed in 2002 to require a 1-mile separation between shooting ranges and homes, Kraft’s facility became a “non-conforming” use — preventing county approval of the expansion.
“It would create significantly more noise,” Van Elmore said. “It would create the greatly increased risk of bullet flyover and escape, threatening personal injury and death.”
