Shooting-range facility approved
Ben Godar
The Planning Board has unanimously approved a conditional-use permit
for a private security firm to open an indoor shooting range at 455
North Moss St.
The facility, to be operated by Andrews International/
Advanced-Tech Security, Inc., will be open only to state- licensed
security and law- enforcement personnel and not the general public.
It will feature nine shooting lanes and a computerized Firearms
Training Simulator, city officials said.
The building that will house the range was originally built in
1989 as a two-story office space and warehouse complex, and is
located in an area zoned for general industrial uses. It is more than
600 yards from the nearest residentially zoned area, something board
member Mitchell Thomas said helped him support approving the permit.
“I think this is a good use for that location, particularly in the
neighborhood it’s in,” Thomas said.
Thomas also proposed an amendment to the permit that would
restrict the facility from having any signs identifying it as a
shooting range, which was passed unanimously by the board.
Board member Greg Jackson, who said he frequents nearby Pacific
Sales, asked operator Randy Andrews if the facility would include the
necessary safety provisions to keep stray bullets from leaving the
building.
“I’m not going to be dodging gunshots, I trust,” Jackson said.
Andrews told the board that the building would have the highest
level of protection possible for an indoor facility. In addition to
being used for some pistol and rifle training, Andrews said operators
are working with Burbank Police to meet safety requirements needed to
offer shotgun training.
Everyone using the facility would be either a law- enforcement
officer or a state licensed security guard, and Andrews said most
would bring their own weapons to the facility.
“Our goal is to provide a state-of-the-art training facility for
law enforcement and security personnel,” he said.
Local police will also be given access to the facility, but
spokesman Sgt. William Berry said most officers will probably
continue to use the department’s range. He said other officers living
in the area might choose to use the facility, however.
“There’s a bunch of officers from other agencies living in
Burbank, and it might be convenient if they’re looking to practice,”
he said.
The only other private shooting range open in Burbank is Firing
Line Indoor Shooting Ranges, 1060 N. Lake St., which is open to the
public.