Zoning Board of Adjustment
Town of Winchester
1 Richmond Road
Winchester, NH 03470
Dear board members,
I am writing to you in reference to the shooting range project
proposed by Ridgeline. Please be aware that I am definitely not an
anti-gun advocate or activist. In fact, I am a National Rifle
Association Range Safety Officer (RSO) and a Chief Instructor for the
State of New Hampshire Hunter Education Program.
However, I am strongly opposed to the proposed shooting range
because of safety issues and other concerns. My training and experience
as an RSO make it clear to me that the design of the proposed facility,
especially the 1000-yard range, is not safe, because occupied,
long-existing homes are in the danger zone, regardless of the proposed
impact berm. As a hunter safety instructor, I would discourage everyone I
teach from hunting that close to residences, or shooting toward them,
no matter how big the trophy is, and no matter whether or not they think
they are outside legally restricted distances.
Ethics and common sense dictate that it would be nearly
impossible to hunt safely in that small patch of woods. Just because
something might fall technically within the limits of the law, that
doesn't always make it right. For instance, the legal speed limit on
Route 10 to Keene is up to 55 miles per hour. That's fine for dry roads
on clear days. But introduce fog, or freezing rain, and suddenly 55
miles per hour becomes dangerous to the vehicle in motion, as well as
other vehicles, pedestrians, and even homes close to the road. The same
principle applies to shooting and shooting laws. Circumstances have to
dictate actions, regardless of whether or not something is "not
illegal."
The majority of Americans do not own guns, and have little
knowledge of either safe handling and use, or how accidents can be
prevented, and therefore just plain fear them. Because of such fear, as
well as the noise, property values of the abutters would drop
dramatically as the pool of potential buyers would be reduced to nearly
zero. At the same time, their quality of life, due to both noise and
fear of ricochets, would be such that it would become undesirable to
remain where they are. In essence they would be financially trapped in
untenable living conditions.
All firearms owners and shooting-sports participants as
individuals, shooting facilities as businesses, and public officials in
decision-making positions, are morally obligated to be sensitive to the
legitimate safety and financial concerns and fears of both immediate
neighbors and the non-shooting segment of the population.
Neighborly considerations are very important in the construction
of any range, including the one proposed by Ridgeline. If the range is
developed according to plan, it will not only disenfranchise the
abutting property owners and those within hearing and random-bullet
range, but it will divide this town. The residents of Ashuelot should
not be treated as second class citizens.
For all of the reasons above, I urge the zoning board to deny the Ridgeline application.
Thank you for your studied consideration.
Jean Goodell
NRA SafetyRange Officer
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