Board of County Commissioners discusses possible firearm regulations

Complaints of successive and irresponsible shooting at odd hours led to a discussion of firearm regulations at the Orange County Board of Commissioners meeting Feb. 16.

A proposed amendment was presented at the meeting that would place restrictions on where firearms can be discharged from and the time of day at which they can be discharged.

It would have required any firearms discharged to be directed to a projectile-proof backstop.

Residents would only be allowed to discharge firearms from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The amendment would also require residents to be 300 feet from private property lines, including 1,000 feet from the homes of any neighbors.

According to Commissioner Earl McKee, the board is taking the public opinion into heavy consideration while dealing with these issues.

“We have received feedback that the time restraints are far too restrictive,” he said.

“All of the public’s opinion will be taken into consideration, but some regulations need to be placed because there are problems that need to be addressed appropriately.”

Commissioner Renee Price said the meeting centered around hearing feedback from residents.

“We all would really rather have citizen input on this and not have it be something that is drafted solely by staff,” Price said.

Price said she thought feedback would come primarily from those in the rural parts of the county who own firearms.

“Whenever we have something like this, I think we need to have citizen input.”

Members of the community are concerned that the Board of Commissioners regulations would take away from the rural characteristics of Orange County.

Price said many people misinterpreted the meeting and perceived it as their rights being taken away — something the board did not aim to do.

“There are people that are living nearby that are concerned about the noise and the safety, which I can understand,” she said.

“If we were trying to do something behind closed doors without public input, we wouldn’t have included those details in our agenda packet.”

North Carolinians Against Gun Violence President Chip Carnathan said it’s difficult to say whether the organization would agree or disagree with the proposed amendment.

“It’s a slippery slope for anyone involved,” he said.

“A pro of the restriction is that it is all daylight and you won’t have such a heavy number of people shooting at odd hours of the night. I hope if they do come down with a decision they are looking at both sides, although some restrictions are necessary.”

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