SIMI VALLEY : Indoor Shooting Range Proposed

A Simi Valley resident said Thursday that he may have found a solution to a conflict between the city and Indian Hills homeowners over a proposed outdoor police shooting range that would be built near their neighborhood.

Tim Hodge said at a news conference that he has persuaded Bernard Hoene, a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who was planning to build an indoor range in Santa Clarita, to consider locating the business in Simi Valley instead.

Hodge, who is considering running for City Council in November, said he was referred to Hoene by the owner of a Los Angeles gun shop.

Hodge said an indoor range would meet the needs of the city and the Indian Hills homeowners.

Residents have joined to oppose the police gun range, which would be built on county land about half a mile north of their neighborhood, because of concerns about noise, safety and the impact on the environment. The City Council is scheduled to take up the issue March 16.

“An indoor range is the ultimate answer,” Hodge said.

Hoene said he has already toured Simi Valley once for a possible gun range site and will be in the city again today scouting for potential locations. Hoene said he prefers Simi Valley over Santa Clarita because he is certain that he can contract with the Police Department for its use.

He said the privately run range would also be open to the public.

Councilman Bill Davis said he likes the idea of an indoor range.

“Obviously, I think the city is very interested,” he said. “I hope it happens.”

The city has searched for more than two years to find an appropriate site for an outdoor range, which officials prefer because it would be substantially cheaper to build than an indoor range.

The proposed outdoor range would cost about $65,000 compared with about $500,000 for one indoors.