Proposed Police Gun Range Put to a Noise Test in Simi

Some said the popping noise that came from behind a knoll sounded like hammering; others compared it to the thud made by a dropping plank. But most of those assembled at the Indian Hills subdivision in Simi Valley Saturday said that the gunfire, though distant, was intolerable.

“It’s exactly what I thought it would be--annoying,” said resident Eileen Gordon a few minutes after the last rounds were fired.

Flanked by about 30 neighbors, Simi Valley City Council members and police officials conducted an unusual test to determine whether the sound of gunfire from the proposed site of a police shooting range would disturb residents of the exclusive hillside community.

The City Council is expected to decide March 16 whether to approve the shooting range, located about half a mile from the Indian Hills homes at the basin of the Las Llajas Dam.

Officials say the city could save up to $50,000 each year if it had its own shooting range, which would cost about $65,000 to build. The Police Department now pays officers overtime and travel expenses to practice at a range in Camarillo.

To determine how bothersome the noise would be, council members stationed themselves at three spots to listen as officers fired 15 rounds from a 9-millimeter Beretta pistol, followed by six rounds fired from a 12-gauge shotgun.

At all three spots--Texas Avenue, Kawai Court and Crazy Horse Drive--a city worker held a microphone to record sound levels with a noise meter.

“I think everybody heard it,” Mayor Greg Stratton said, referring to the gunfire. “We just have to collectively decide if it’s bad enough.”

According to an environmental study, the gunfire from the proposed shooting range would not be loud enough to disturb nearby residents, an opinion echoed by other council members.

“It sounds like a hammer, like somebody hammering next door. It’s the type of sound you hear in the neighborhood all the time.” said Councilwoman Sandi Webb as she strained to hear the gunfire at a cul-de-sac on Texas Avenue.

“I’m satisfied that at this point there’s obviously not enough that could bother anyone,” she said.

At another spot on Kawai Court, Councilwoman Judy Mikels likened the noise to a falling wooden board.

“It wasn’t as loud as a dog barking,” she said.

Marlund Hale, a private consultant hired by the city to evaluate the noise level, said residents and city officials may not be able to agree on what is annoying and what isn’t.

“One person’s noise is another person’s music,” he said. “Just because you can hear it doesn’t mean it’s illegal.”

But about 300 residents who signed a petition opposing the range disagree.

Some fear that the constant crackle of gunfire would destroy the peace and quiet they now enjoy.

Those who attended the gun test questioned its accuracy because of high winds that might have muffled the sound of gunfire. Others said the test did not accurately reflect the proposed use of the range for extended periods and at night.

“There’s a big difference between a two-minute test and six hours of shooting,” said Bill Souder, a resident of Crazy Horse Drive.

However, Police Chief Paul Miller said the weapons used and the way they were fired reflect actual police practices.

“We’re trying to make it as realistic as possible,” he said.

Gordon, a spokeswoman for Citizens for a Safe and Scenic Simi Valley, a group of neighbors who oppose the range, said homeowners fear property values would decline drastically if the range were built.

Moreover, claims by the city that it would save money are incomplete, she said. The city did not include maintenance costs and the costs of cleaning up the site when it is closed down, Gordon said.

Russ Sargent, another Indian Hills resident, brought a video camera to record the test on Crazy Horse Drive.

“That’s loud enough to ruin a Saturday,” he said. “It would be very annoying.”