Stronger regulations approved for future shooting range projects in Meade County

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - A plan to help regulate what is needed to start a shooting range was approved on Tuesday as the Meade County Commission held a public talk with county residents.

The public hearing helped finalize Ordinance 56 which would regulate the requirements needed to open a sports shooting range in Meade County. During the meeting, the Chief Deputy State’s Attorney for Meade County said, previously opening up a shooting range in the county was fairly easy. He added the ordinance would only boost regulations in order to keep the public and their property safe in case someone would be interested in opening up a shooting range in the county.

”Without this ordinance in place, anybody could put in a sports shooting range open to the public with no regulations on it whatsoever. It wouldn’t be controlled as to whether you can use it at night, whether you can shoot across roads, how close you can be to houses, things like that,” said Meade County’s Chief Deputy State’s Attorney Ken Chleborad.

The ordinance, while not directly connected to the proposal of Game Fish and Parks who want to build a shooting range complex off Elk Vale Road, did bring to light the few regulations Meade County had when it came to being able to establish a shooting range.

Copyright 2022 KEVN. All rights reserved.