Updated: Gun Rights Threatened by New Liberal Loudoun County Board members with new Noise Ordinance and Resolutions
Eugene Delgaudio, alternate National Delegate to the Republican Convention said: "Any attempt to include guns as part of a noise ordinance is wrong. An exemption must be placed as an amendment either at the Board meeting for the public hearing or at the actual public hearing in response to citizen input Tuesday or at the Public Hearing."
UPDATED TUESDAY JUNE 7 5 pm.
Update: this needed amendment has been prepared and is part of the package.
"Thank you to responsible members of the Board for adding this, but the threat posed by anti-Gun members of the Board of Supervisors, to remove this amendment, is real, said Delgaudio."
"Further, resolutions condemning "gun violence" are liberal blather as some in Sterling and Loudoun have no choice as do Americans everywhere but to fight for their right to bear arms and the right to use guns to protect themselves and their families at any time against the goon violence," said Delgaudio.
Here is a direct messages from pro-gun rights groups and some direct quotes from Loudoun County follows:
VA-ALERT is a project of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (direct quote)
"URGENT ACTION ITEM: Loudoun County considering horrific noise ordinance!
Loudoun County is considering what amounts to a ban on hunting with a firearm and target shooting if you are not on a an existing public range!
The proposed ordinance is up for a public hearing and a vote on July 13th, but it is going to be in front of the Board of Supervisors this Tuesday, June 7th!
In a letter to a VCDL member, Captain Greg C. Brown of the Loudoun County Sheriff's office said this:
>
> Thank you for your inquiry in regards to the proposed amendments of Chapter 654.02 of the Loudoun County Codified Ordinance. During our conversation I stated that the proposed amendments do not include specific language that address the lawful discharge of firearms related to activities such as hunting and practice shooting on private property. Additionally, there are various avenues to address the discharge of firearms, lawful or unlawful, when it becomes a threat to public safety as noted in the presentation.
>
> As the proposed ordinance amendments currently do not include an exemption for the sound of the discharge of a firearm, if the Board chooses to adopt it, the LCSO will be able to respond to and/or enforce a complaint regarding discharge of a firearm if the sound is "audible and discernable" to any person inside a residence with the windows and doors closed. This is based on the General Prohibition in the ordinance against sound of that nature. The Transportation and Land Use Committee did not elect to add an exemption for the discharge of firearms, but the full Board could vote to include it at next week's meeting or after the Public Hearing. The Sheriff's Office holds no position on ordinance language that addresses, or exempts the lawful discharge of firearms.
> For those interested, here's the video of the transportation land use meeting that set this up:
>
> http://loudoun.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=68&clip_id=4490
>
Here's a link to the proposed noise ordinance changes:
>
> https://www.loudoun.gov/index.aspx?nid=3288
>
> URGENT ACTION ITEM
>
> We need to nip this in the bud and bombard the Board of Supervisors with messages urging them to put in exemptions for hunting and the otherwise lawful discharge of firearms!
>
> If you live, work, or travel to Loudoun County, you in particular need to respond.
>
> Spread the word to anyone you know in Loudoun, too!
>
> Email address: [email protected]
>
> Suggested subject: Exempt shooting/hunting in proposed noise ordinance!
> Suggested message:
>
> I urge you to add exemptions to the proposed noise ordinance (Chapter 654.02) for the discharge of firearms, including otherwise lawful target shooting on private property and for hunting. As written, the restrictions would be prohibitive to almost everyone doing either of those activities. Our Right to Keep and Bear Arms is meaningless if we don't have the ability to practice shooting. Enjoying shooting and hunting are part of the fabric of our freedoms as an American. "
>
end of excerpt from
VA-ALERT a project of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc.
The above were Details on the posted alerts being sent out by grass roots conservative groups.
What actually is on the official agenda from the official county website:
Some specific items
BOARD BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA Board Room, First Floor, Government Center Tuesday, June 7, 2016 5:00 P.M.
5:00 P.M. Call to Order - Business Meeting
Item 12c. *ZOAM-2014-0006 Noise Standards (Countywide) Staff Contacts: Theresa Stein, Chris Mohn, Mark Stultz, & Ricky W. Barker, Director, Planning and Zoning
Item 12d. *Proposed Amendments to Chapter 654.02 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County, Noise (Countywide) Staff Contacts: Greg Brown & Mike Chapman, Sheriff's Office
R-3 *Resolution of Recognition of June 2, 2016 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day
(Approval & Presentation) Staff Contacts: Matt Leslie, Chief of Staff to Supervisor Saines; Jeanine Arnett, Chief of Staff to Chair Randall; Valerie Suzdak, Chief of Staff to Supervisor Umstattd
Source
https://lfportal.loudoun.gov/LFPortalinternet/0/doc/201543/Electronic.aspx
More details from the Loudoun County website
ITEM 12c. *ZOAM-2014-0006 Noise Standards (Countywide)
The purpose of this item is to amend the Noise Standards and related definitions in the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance (Zoning Ordinance), and to amend Additional Regulations for Specified Uses, in order to revise outdated standards and better protect residents from excessive noise levels while balancing the needs of businesses to promote increased economic development. At the December 15, 2015 Planning Commission Public Hearing there were seven speakers. The comments focused on the sound from a data center adjacent to The Regency and the perceived inadequacies of the current proposal to regulate tonal noise, as well as the volume of sound that emanates from outdoor recreation facilities in the vicinity of Grenata Preserve. The Planning Commission forwarded ZOAM 2014-0006 (6-0-3, Douglas, Dunn and Ryan absent) to a worksession for further discussion. At the March 10, 2016 worksession, the Planning Commission forwarded the item to the Board of Supervisors with a recommendation of approval (8-1-0, Scheel opposed), subject to a change made at the meeting, specifically to the Applicability section with regard to expansions of existing uses. At the April 5, 2016 Business Meeting, the Board of Supervisors voted (8-0-1, Buona absent) to forward ZOAM 2014-0006, Noise Standards, to the May 13, 2016 Transportation and Land Use Committee for discussion in conjunction with the Proposed Amendment to Chapter 654 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County. 06/07/16 Agenda Summary Page 11 At the May 13 meeting, the Transportation and Land Use Committee (TLUC) discussed noise as it relates to firearm ranges as well as the differing noise standards for farm wineries, limited breweries, commercial wineries, and bed and breakfasts. The TLUC voted to forward ZOAM 2014-0006, Noise Standards to the Board of Supervisors June 7, 2016 business meeting (4-0-1, Randall absent), and directed staff to advertise ZOAM 2014-0006 for the Board of Supervisors July 13, 2016 Public Hearing. The TLUC's motion included a recommendation to include amendments to Section 5-600 to apply the revised Noise Standard uniformly to all rural economy uses, such as bed and breakfasts and commercial wineries, consistent with the regulation of farm wineries and limited breweries. The revised Noise Standards require a specific type of noise meter not currently in use by the Department of Planning and Zoning (DP&Z). Implementation of the revised Noise Standards will require the purchase of new equipment and training of nine (9) members of the Zoning Enforcement division of DP&Z. The upfront cost for purchase of the two SLMs and training of Zoning Enforcement staff will total approximately $18,000.00. Recurring expenses impacting subsequent year budgets are estimated to total approximately $800. The effective date of the revised standards must take into account the time necessary to purchase and receive the SLMs, as well as the completion of training of Zoning Enforcement staff. Staff Contacts: Theresa Stein, Chris Mohn, Mark Stultz, & Ricky Barker, Planning and Zoning
ITEM 12d. *Proposed Amendments to Chapter 654.02 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County, Noise (Countywide)
The purpose of this item is to amend the current noise ordinance to bring it into compliance with the requirements of Virginia law and render it enforceable by the Sheriff's Office. On May 13, 2016 the Transportation and Land Use Committee voted 4-0-1 to forward the proposed amendments to Chapter 654.02 with a recommendation that the Board of Supervisors direct staff to advertise and include the proposed amendments for the July 13, 2016 Public Hearing. The Sheriff's Office recommends adopting the proposed amendments to Chapter 654.02. Staff Contacts: Greg Brown & Mike Chapman, Sheriff's Office
R-3 *Resolution of Recognition of June 2, 2016 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day (Approval & Presentation)
National Gun Violence Awareness Day on June 2, or "Wear Orange" Day, was started in 2013 by high school students in Chicago in honor of their friend, 15-year old Hadiya Pendleton. Shortly after taking final exams, Hadiya Pendleton was shot and killed at a park in Chicago while with her friends. National Gun Violence Awareness Day is a celebration of life, an opportunity to honor all lives cut short by gun violence, and a call to action to help save lives from gunfire. Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America has a Loudoun Chapter that works specifically with the goal of keeping all children safe from gun violence. Staff Contacts: Matt Leslie, Chief of Staff to Supervisor Saines; Jeanine Arnett, Chief of Staff to Chair Randall; Valerie Suzdak, Chief of Staff to Supervisor Umstattd
https://lfportal.loudoun.gov/LFPortalinternet/0/doc/201542/Electronic.aspx