PUSLINCH – While residents, a local gun club and council agree the proposed shooting range bylaw is a good start, questions remain about the proposed noise limits and the feasibility of enforcement.
Accompanied by a full gallery, Puslinch council recently discussed the proposed first draft of its new shooting range bylaw at a meeting Wednesday morning after delegations from both residents and the Galt Sportsmens Club that shared opposing viewpoints on the proposed bylaw.
It would restrict existing shooting ranges to a maximum sound level of 70 dBAI Logarithmic Mean Impulse Sound Level (LLM) and any new shooting ranges formed post-bylaw to a maximum of 45 dBAI.
This follows the township's decision to implement a shooting range bylaw to mitigate "the constant barrage of impact noise" some residents said they experience from the Galt Sportsmen's Club.
"We're gonna do our best to see what we can come up with that's a happy medium for residents and the gun club," said Mayor James Seeley, summarizing council's stance during the meeting. "We definitely don't want to put (the gun club) in a position where they become insolvent ... that's not the intent."
Sharing three main concerns at the meeting, Galt Sportsmens Club representatives Matthew Moser and Dale Harrison said they support "reasonable" noise mitigation efforts but are concerned the proposed bylaw- especially the penalties- could make the club too expensive for users and push them "towards insolvency."
A first conviction under the proposed bylaw would result in a minimum fine of $500 and a maximum of $50,000 per offence, a second would have a maximum of $100,000.
Someone guilty of a continuing offence would be subject to a minimum $500 fine and a maximum of $10,000 for every day or part of a day that the offence continues up to a maximum of $100,000 per continuing offence
"The penalties are quite severe," said Harrison. "And those sorts of fines could financially sink the club in a hurry."
One of the residents who brought forward the original concerns, Olinda DaSilva also attended the meeting to share her feedback on the first draft- thanking the club for their improved communication before questioning the frequency of the club's hours and how the proposed d
ecibel levels are still above provincial noise guidelines.
The bylaw would limit ranges to three special events per season and are not to exceed twelve per year and a maximum of fifteen days per year. Special events are proposed to be prohibited on three holidays: Mother's Day, Father's day and Christmas. The club currently doesn't allow shooting on Christmas, Good Friday or after dark except on Wednesdays.
"Closed three days a year is in no way a balance between the club and the residents," said DaSilva. "The fact that shooting is allowed every weekend is something that must be addressed."
In contrast to DaSilva, paying gun club members and neighbours to the range Philip and Pamela O’Dell said the club's noise has "never been a problem" to them and "it's a pleasure" to have the club as their neighbour.
"I can't speak highly enough about what they do both as a recreational organization and as a fantastic representative of Puslinch...the club is extremely well known and it is a gem of the township and to see it shut down, altered otherwise...would be very disturbing and upsetting to me as a resident," said Philip. "I enjoy the club, I enjoy what it brings to us and I think it sincerely adds to the flavour of Puslinch and it's one of the reasons why I moved here."
Staff will report back separately with options for increased by-law enforcement service levels for the council’s consideration as part of the 2025 budget process and are developing the complaint protocol to accompany the bylaw which will be presented with the second draft- likely at the Nov. 20 council meeting.
Interim CAO Courtenay Hoytfox said public comments are welcome via email at [email protected].
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program
