Gun range still in Wasilla’s sights

WASILLA — For Wasilla Mayor Verne E. Rupright, having a legitimate gun range within or near Wasilla city limits is first and foremost a safety issue.

“If the (Mat-Su) Borough could help us figure something out, maybe we could get into some sort of agreement with them before somebody gets shot out there — like the little girl a couple of summers ago who was shot while berry picking,” Rupright said, referring to a 10-year-old girl shot in the head near the end of Knik-Goose Bay Road in August 2009. “Most people will sacrifice safety to avoid driving long distances to a firing range. Hopefully we can work out something, especially with a new borough mayor.”

Although the KGB incident was not fatal, it strengthened Rupright’s resolve for the city to find a spot everyone can live with. Whether that means further engineering an NRA-approved outdoor range next to the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center that is acceptable to nearby neighbors or looking elsewhere in the Valley, Rupright said he is determined to make good on his campaign pledge to serve local gun enthusiasts and law enforcement officials.

“Let’s put our eye on the future,” he said. “There’s got to be some middle ground in such a big sport shooting area. Every other jurisdiction has a gun range somewhere and we still don’t.”

Plans to build the range off South Mack Drive within 700 feet of Wasilla Councilwoman Taffina Katkus’ two homes and within 200 feet of developer Brad Laybourn’s property seemed to be on target last May when the Wasilla Planning Commission unanimously approved a conditional-use permit for the facility as part of the city’s multi-use sports complex there.

It was the second time the range had been approved by the commission. And just like the year before, residents in the area challenged the city to a duel. Although the city had shelved the idea after the first resistance — especially after Katkus won a seat on the city council on a platform of giving residents more power in local government — this last fight involved hours of testimony from residents during December appeal hearings.

In the end, the firing range permit was shot down by hearing officer Eric Jensen Feb. 8, when he ruled the city had not proved noise from the facility would not disrupt the neighborhood, despite efforts to dampen the decibel impacts with 20-foot berms and a large culvert at its entryway.

The city’s own acoustic expert ended up convincing Jensen that the decibel levels would not be acceptable for those living nearby, even though Idaho-based Earl Mullins’ suggestions of building a long roof over the firing area and orienting the line of fire away from homes had been included in the Planning Commission’s approval.

Jensen sent the matter back to the commission, giving the city 30 days to decide whether to continue to pursue the matter.

There seems to be some confusion, however, on whose move it is now — the mayor or the commission. Planning Commission Chair Clark Buswell III said that although he’d still like to see the gun range go in next to the Menard center, he said it’s up to Rupright to decide where to go from here.

“We make a decision based on the facts before us and if that gets rejected, it goes back to the person or entity who applied and that would be the city itself,” Buswell said. “It’s up to the mayor to decide if it gets resubmitted or if he wants to change conditions or whatever. I honestly don’t know of a better place to put a firing range, do you? I think it’s simply a not-in-my-backyard scenario. We’ll see if the city wants to bring in more testimony and facts or walk away with their tail between their legs.”

Rupright said that although he might put together a “mayor’s task force” of local residents to review the issue, it’s ultimately up to the Planning Commission to decide what to do now.

“There’s got to be a way of addressing the noise issues,” Rupright said. “The city’s only 13.7 square miles and we have nearly 11,000 people now. We’ve got to find a local solution that’s close to the city and not way out at Point Mac or someplace. That’s just not cost efficient if you look at driving out there for maintenance and providing security.”

Contact K.T. McKee at kate.McKee@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.