Wild, wild West Lake? Controversial gun range asks county for fewer restrictions
LEESBURG — Owners of the Treasure Island Gun Range are approaching Lake County for changes in its conditional use permit — changes that would give the range more flexibility in operating hours, what can and can't be used there, special events and more.
The 100-acre gun range, which operates as Ares Training Facility, won approval of a permit for the range in 2019, a process owners agreed to after it was discovered Ares was operating commercially without a permit.
But the process was contentious. Many neighbors of the range off of Treasure Island Road opposed the permit, complaining of excessive noise at all hours of the day and increased traffic. Some said their windows shook after explosions, and during big events, the two-lane road that ends at the range could stay backed up for days. Stray gunfire also closed down part of the neighboring Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area.
Eventually, the Lake County Commission approved the permit. It set hours of operation and prohibited the use of flamethrowers, explosive devices and gunfire from paramilitary vehicles, including tanks and helicopters. Among other tenets, the permit restricted special events to four a year and prohibited alcohol on the range during operating hours.
But now Ares owners are asking the county to remove "the majority of the conditions and restrictions" in the CUP, county documents say, arguing that the permit was an "undue hindrance" for the range, compared to the Eustis Gun Range.
The Lake County Planning and Zoning Board will consider the request at its Wednesday meeting, which starts at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the commission chambers at the county admin building, 315 W. Main St.
"We have been held to different rules since operating under the (permit,) creating an advantage for our competitor," Colin Johnson, manager of Ares, wrote in a justification statement to the county. "We would like to operate our business with the freedom of all businesses in Lake County."
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The backstory
Johnson is listed as a registered agent with Johnson Range, LLC, which is the owner of the property, county documents show.
Before obtaining its CUP in 2019, Ares had been operating commercially without one, and was found in violation of the county's land development regulations.
The owners argued the county can't legally regulate the use of the property as a gun range. But, to resolve the complaint, they agreed to seek a condition-use permit to run a commercial gun range on the 99-acre property.
That process began in early 2018 and went through the planning and zoning board, which recommended by a 7-0 vote that the county commission approve it. Then-Commissioner Wendy Breeden was the only commissioner who voted against it when it passed by a 4-1 vote.
Neighbors showed up at each turn and were maligned as anti-Second Amendment, but in reality were longtime gun owners.
Armed with videos from Ares with people shooting from helicopters and tanks and using flamethrowers, they voiced concerns about the safety at big events.
Traffic was a sticking point, too. Neighbors said the rundown two-lane road would become especially congested as range patrons parked on the sides of the road, making it hard to navigate.
They took issue with explosions as well. The range had used Tannerite before, a brand of exploding target, which was disallowed with the permit. While some neighbors reported their windows shaking, a woman who lived about a mile and a half from Ares said her window broke after an explosion at the range.
Outside of weekend events, neighbors said, some days the shooting were nonstop — starting early in the morning and going into the evening.
But they were most concerned with the rounds that have made it off the property.
The St. Johns River Water Management District closed part of the Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area because gunfire from Ares destroyed 56 trees. It caused more than $100,000 in damage, a lawyer for the district wrote in a January 2019 letter to the county. That portion is still closed.
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Ares had supporters, too.
Its Facebook page encouraged fans to write commissioners to support the permit. Many did, describing the range as family-friendly, safe, secure and professional.
One neighbor, Jim Tyrpin, called the noise "the price of freedom."
As for the closure of part of Emerald Marsh:
"It's worth it," he told the Commercial in 2019. “We have other preserves that people can go to. You don’t have a lot of 100-acre parcels that people can train and exercise their right.”
A look at the proposed CUP
Under the current permit, Ares is open from Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., or sunset, whichever comes first. Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. but the range is closed the first Sunday of every month.
The range can't use explosive devices or fire from paramilitary vehicles, including tanks and helicopters. Helicopters won’t be able to land or take off from the property either, except during special events, which, under the CUP, can only happen four times a year.
Ares is required to hire off-duty law enforcement officers to direct traffic for such events, and camping is only permitted on the property during special events.
The range may operate nighttime training for law enforcement two nights a month, with the use of subsonic ammunition and suppressors.
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Other restrictions include the prohibition of flamethrowers and alcohol sales during range operating hours.
The proposed CUP nixes almost all of Ares' current restrictions: The "Land Use" section of the current permit is nearly two pages long; that section in the proposed permit is about a half-page long.
It does not outline or restrict hours of operation. It doesn't mention helicopters, or shooting from them, flamethrowers or explosive devices.
It makes no mention of special events or camping either. Nor does it say how often Ares could run nighttime training. It doesn't say anything about the use of subsonic ammunition, either.
Wednesday's planning and zoning meeting is just one first step in the process to get it changed. But the board's recommendation is not binding, only advisory.
The commission will have the final say. The issue will be heard at the May 3 meeting of the Board of County Commissioners. It will then have to go through the commission again for a final vote.
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Florida gun range wants restrictions on flamethrowers, alcohol, lifted
