City to discuss locations, zoning for firearms sales
The Healdsburg City Council will tackle the thorny issue of firearms sales regulation at its Sept. 4 meeting (the council’s regular meeting is moved to Tuesday next week due to the Labor Day holiday).
The city council reacted almost a year ago to a Windsor man’s intention to open a gun shop and firearms education center at a prominent North Street location. Responding to community concerns about the proposal, the council enacted two urgency moratoriums that expire later this year.
The city has studied the topic and will offer the council a recommendation to limit firearms shops to certain areas of the community.
On Wednesday morning, Healdsburg Planning Director May DeRosa said the staff will propose not allowing firearms sales in the downtown commercial and plaza areas.
DeRosa said that under the proposal the council will see next week, firearms sales could be allowed under a conditional use permit in the city’s industrial, mixed use and service commercial areas. In the mixed use zones, an additional provision would limit firearms sales to no more than 5 percent of a business’ square footage.
In addition, the city proposes a 500-foot buffer zone around parks, schools, preschools, churches and the public library. In the buffer zones, no firearms businesses would be allowed.
The issue could take on prominence beyond the city limits. Michel & Associates, a Southern California law firm, has filed a series of public records act requests with the city, asking for copies of documentation pertaining to the city’s firearms regulations and requesting copies of correspondence between city officials and the public.
On its website, Michel & Associates has a page devoted to firearms law. Along with an image of the Bill of Rights and a row of rifle bullets, the description states that the firm has the expertise to “challenge ill-conceived or unconstitutional state laws and local ordinances in court.”
Healdsburg City Manager David Mickaelian said Wednesday morning that he is not aware of any current legal action against a proposed regulation on firearms sales. “Not at this point,” he said.
The Healdsburg City Council meets on Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. at Healdsburg City Hall, 401 Grove Street.
