Post by MasterMind on Oct 8, 2004 13:11:56 GMT -8
Dear Mayor Madrid, City Council Members Dianne Chagnon, Dick Stanford, David Hardison and Joe Rocha,
I am writing to you to discuss a very important issue, the proposed zone change for the
San Gabriel Valley Gun Club. My neighbors and I live in the Mountain Cove
Development and are constantly subjected to the noise pollution and other hazards this
club creates.
It has come to our attention that the city staff proposed to make a change in the code that would make the gun club a non-conforming use and phase it out in 5 years. My neighbors and I were shocked and disappointed to hear the planning commission voted to leave the code as it stands and allow the operation to continue permanently.
We believe the City of Azusa has been making some great strides in moving the city towards a better future but allowing the gun club to go on indefinitely would be a step in the wrong direction.
In the last ten years or so, the area around the gun club has changed dramatically and will continue to do so as the new homes for the Monrovia Nursery Project get underway. A noisy, environmentally unfriendly and potentially dangerous gun club has no place in this city.
Last year the city of Pasadena had a similar situation with a city owned outdoor shooting range (I’m including a copy of the article). After ten years of complaints from residents and a couple of close calls, one in 1996 when a bullet hit a nearby house and another in 2000 when a stray bullet fell into some dry grass and sparked a forest fire, the city found themselves in a difficult position. The Pasadena City Council approved l.9 million dollars to convert the outdoors range to an indoor range to protect the public from harm and themselves from liability.
I ask you, are the owners of the San Gabriel Valley Gun Club or the City of Azusa willing to make this kind of investment to prevent this public nuisance and danger in this city?
For most of us in the surrounding neighborhoods, the biggest problem is the loud constant stream of gunfire we are forced to listen to. The problem is particularly severe on the weekends, when like you; we would like to enjoy being outdoors. Simple pleasures like having a barbecue with friends or opening up a window for some fresh air subject us to listening to a war-zone echoing in the canyon.
The City has made so many efforts to improve our community, the river and the air. . . should we ignore the noise pollution and environmental hazards this use creates for
all of us? I can only imagine what would happen if, like in the city of Pasadena, we had a stray bullet that resulted in a forest fire or harm to someone. Is the City of Azusa willing to take this liability and potential lawsuits indefinitely because it failed to change the zoning code when it had the opportunity and moral obligation to do so?
As you know however, the noise is only part of the problem. It has also come to our attention the gun club has been under investigation for illegal arm sales by The Board of Equalization, The Agency of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Dept. of Justice. There have also been various resignations by management and executive officers of the club. Are they leaving a sinking ship? Also, has the city ever checked to see if they have a lead-recycling program in place? Word has it that they do not. Lead saturation and possible contamination of the San Gabriel River exposing the lower communities to health risks through lead contamination should be of great concern to the city.
I realize that those of us that bought in Mountain Cove knew of the existence of the gun club. However, none of waived our rights to the pursuit of happiness, peace and quiet and the safety of our families and neighborhoods.
When the opportunity presents itself as it is doing so at this moment, those we elect and trust to protect our rights and city, must do so. If they do not, we must use our right to vote to find those who will. Please help us remove this dangerous nuisance from our city. Thank you.
I am writing to you to discuss a very important issue, the proposed zone change for the
San Gabriel Valley Gun Club. My neighbors and I live in the Mountain Cove
Development and are constantly subjected to the noise pollution and other hazards this
club creates.
It has come to our attention that the city staff proposed to make a change in the code that would make the gun club a non-conforming use and phase it out in 5 years. My neighbors and I were shocked and disappointed to hear the planning commission voted to leave the code as it stands and allow the operation to continue permanently.
We believe the City of Azusa has been making some great strides in moving the city towards a better future but allowing the gun club to go on indefinitely would be a step in the wrong direction.
In the last ten years or so, the area around the gun club has changed dramatically and will continue to do so as the new homes for the Monrovia Nursery Project get underway. A noisy, environmentally unfriendly and potentially dangerous gun club has no place in this city.
Last year the city of Pasadena had a similar situation with a city owned outdoor shooting range (I’m including a copy of the article). After ten years of complaints from residents and a couple of close calls, one in 1996 when a bullet hit a nearby house and another in 2000 when a stray bullet fell into some dry grass and sparked a forest fire, the city found themselves in a difficult position. The Pasadena City Council approved l.9 million dollars to convert the outdoors range to an indoor range to protect the public from harm and themselves from liability.
I ask you, are the owners of the San Gabriel Valley Gun Club or the City of Azusa willing to make this kind of investment to prevent this public nuisance and danger in this city?
For most of us in the surrounding neighborhoods, the biggest problem is the loud constant stream of gunfire we are forced to listen to. The problem is particularly severe on the weekends, when like you; we would like to enjoy being outdoors. Simple pleasures like having a barbecue with friends or opening up a window for some fresh air subject us to listening to a war-zone echoing in the canyon.
The City has made so many efforts to improve our community, the river and the air. . . should we ignore the noise pollution and environmental hazards this use creates for
all of us? I can only imagine what would happen if, like in the city of Pasadena, we had a stray bullet that resulted in a forest fire or harm to someone. Is the City of Azusa willing to take this liability and potential lawsuits indefinitely because it failed to change the zoning code when it had the opportunity and moral obligation to do so?
As you know however, the noise is only part of the problem. It has also come to our attention the gun club has been under investigation for illegal arm sales by The Board of Equalization, The Agency of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Dept. of Justice. There have also been various resignations by management and executive officers of the club. Are they leaving a sinking ship? Also, has the city ever checked to see if they have a lead-recycling program in place? Word has it that they do not. Lead saturation and possible contamination of the San Gabriel River exposing the lower communities to health risks through lead contamination should be of great concern to the city.
I realize that those of us that bought in Mountain Cove knew of the existence of the gun club. However, none of waived our rights to the pursuit of happiness, peace and quiet and the safety of our families and neighborhoods.
When the opportunity presents itself as it is doing so at this moment, those we elect and trust to protect our rights and city, must do so. If they do not, we must use our right to vote to find those who will. Please help us remove this dangerous nuisance from our city. Thank you.