Politics & Government

Revised Ordinance Language Would Put Limits on Shooting

For months, the Ordinance Committee of Newtown's Legislative Council has been examining the language in a controversial gun ordinance on the books in the town for decades.

On Tuesday, the committee neared completion of revisions that, if approved, would create a new reality for recreational shooting in Newtown -- setting boundaries around schools and limiting times of day when shooting can take place, among other changes.

Committee chair Mary Ann Jacob said the changes aren't complete, and the process will continue working its way through government.

"We've agreed to write up the changes we've discussed and give it to legal for review," she said at the meeting. "If legal has no big changes -- anything other than language changes -- we will, at the next council meeting, put it in the agenda to present our findings. It then goes to a public hearing ... [Then] we deliberate and the full council votes."

Among changes the committee considered: restrictions on recreational shooting within half a mile, or about 2,600 feet, of a school during regular school hours; limiting shooting to the daylight hours of 8 a.m. to sunset; and limiting shooting to one person at a time. In addition, the committee discussed language that would require residents to notify police before shooting.

Established gun clubs -- for example, the Pequot Fish and Game Club or the Newtown Fish and Game Club -- are exempt from the provisions of the proposed ordinance, according to language drafted by the committee.

Newtown's existing gun ordinance limits recreational shooting to at least 500 feet from another resident's home or other structure without permission. The ordinance drew controversy in 2011, when some pushed for a new ordinance, ultimately rejected by the committee.

Eric Poupon, who submitted sample ordinance language to the committee this spring along with a community group, said a "buffer zone" around schools was essential.

"We do have to protect the children. We can't avoid the fact of what happened in December," he said. "The kids are damaged in this town, and we need to protect the schools. That noise is going to cause some more problems."

Not all in attendance were happy with the potential changes. Resident John Rondano called the revisions "totally ridiculous."

"I know areas off [Route 302] in Dodgingtown where there's a lot of land," he said. "I know people that shoot and hunt, and they're going to be disturbed at this ordinance."

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