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.