[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Cinnaminson 4-9-1963
by Ord. No. 1963-3 (Sec. 2.156 of the 1995 Code). Amendments
noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fees — See Ch. 265.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions are hereby
established:
Any bow and steel-tipped arrow, pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun
or any weapon that expels a charge by the combustion of powder or other means.
Includes the singular and plural and shall mean and include any person,
firm or partnership, corporation, association, club, society or any other
firm or association or organization.
Any place designed, used or intended to be used for the discharge
of any firearms at a fixed mark or target.
From and after the passage of this chapter, it shall be unlawful for
any person to open, operate or maintain, or cause to be opened, operated or
maintained, any rifle range, as herein defined, within the limits of the Township
of Cinnaminson, without first having obtained a permit to do so and without
first complying with the standards and regulations herein stated.
Applications for the permit required by this chapter shall be filed
with the Township Clerk upon forms to be furnished by her. Said application
shall be signed by the applicant, if an individual, and by a duly authorized
agent, if a partnership or corporation. Said application shall set forth the
following information:
A.
The name and address of the record owner of the real
estate upon which such range is located.
B.
The name and address of the person in charge of and responsible
for the maintenance of the said range.
C.
A description by way of map or sketch of the range, including
the lot and block numbers, as shown on the Tax Assessment Map, upon which
the range is located; the location upon said lot of the range, stating the
distance in feet between the firing points and the furthest targets, between
the targets and the nearest property line, and between the firing points and
the nearest property line and direction of firing; and a full and complete
description of the plan for construction of the place for stopping and controlling
bullets. Said sketch or description shall show all houses, barns or other
buildings and all streets or highways within 2,000 feet and in direction of
fire of any part of said range, and 1,000 feet on either side of the direction
of fire.
A.
The Township Clerk shall refer each application for permit
hereunder to the Chief of Police, who shall forthwith make or cause to be
made an investigation of the character of the applicant and of the fitness
and suitability of the range from the standpoint of public safety and compliance
with the regulations therefor hereinafter set forth.
B.
After completing such investigation, the Chief of Police
shall return said application, with his recommendation endorsed thereon, to
the Township Clerk; on said application and in his report he shall indicate
his recommendation of approval or disapproval of the range; he may make suggestions
for additional safety precautions to be taken by the applicant. In the event
of disapproval, the reasons for the same shall be set forth by the Chief of
Police in writing. The application with the reasons of disapproval shall be
returned to the applicant.
C.
In the event of approval, said application with the approval
of the Chief of Police endorsed thereon shall be submitted by the Township
Clerk to the Township Committee for its action. The Township Committee may
thereupon authorize the issuance of the permit or may conduct such further
investigation of the facts set forth in the application as it shall deem necessary
before granting said permit.
Upon receipt of the application from the Chief of Police with his endorsement thereon approving the same, and the resolution of the Township Committee authorizing the issuance of the permit, the Township Clerk shall issue the permit upon the payment of a fee as set forth in Chapter 265, Fees, by the applicant for the range to be licensed. All such permits shall be for the period of one year and shall expire on the 31st day of December next following the date of issuance, and there shall be no rebate for any lesser time. The permit shall be conspicuously exhibited upon the premises licensed thereunder.
No permit shall be issued unless the following specifications have been
met with respect to construction:
A.
Not less than 18 inches nor more than 36 inches behind
each target, there shall be a steel plate not smaller than 30 inches square
and not thinner than 3/8 of an inch, attached or affixed in such manner as
meets with the approval of the Chief of Police.
B.
At a distance of not more than six feet behind each target
shall be maintained a barricade not less than six feet square and not less
than 12 inches thick, consisting of sandbags or other material of equal density.
C.
No permit shall be issued for any rifle range unless,
in addition to any other requirements and specifications provided in this
chapter, such range is so constructed and maintained so as to prevent any
shot, bullet or missile going beyond the property line on which said range
is located. The applicant shall provide proper bullet stops, which may be
natural slopes or of such artificial construction so as to ensure that no
shot, bullet or missile will go beyond such stops; no bullet stops shall consist
of brick, stone or concrete walls; proper stops and wings shall be provided
so as to prevent the ricochet of bullets, shot or missile. Applicant shall
comply with the specifications of the National Rifle Association of America,
or equivalent, in the construction of bullet stops, ranges, and to adopt its
recommendations for safety. The applicant shall also provide and maintain
adequate fences surrounding the area designated as the rifle range. Regularly
spaced signs shall be posted which will indicate that the area enclosed is
a rifle range and that no trespassing is permitted.
D.
The failure of the applicant to maintain such bullet
stops or to take the above precautions shall subject the applicant to a revocation
of the range permit after due hearing on notice has been held. Each target
or rifle range shall be under the supervision of qualified persons. The Chief
of Police is authorized to qualify the type of rifle or weapon to be used
on a range, his qualifications to be based on the proper bullet stops and
wings installed and the safety precautions provided and taken.
E.
The Chief of Police is empowered to make regular inspections
of at least three-month intervals in order to carry out the provisions of
this section. Where in his opinion a range is being conducted contrary to
the provisions of this chapter, is not under qualified supervision and is
not conducted in accordance with the rules and regulations hereof, and such
a violation constitutes a danger to the safety of the public and adjacent
property owners, he shall have the right to direct the discontinuance temporarily
of the use of the said range, in which case he shall submit his report in
writing to the Township Committee for appropriate action under this chapter.
The Township Committee, after hearing on due notice to the applicant, may
revoke or suspend the permit granted for failure to comply with the terms
of this chapter or any of the rules or regulations relating to the use of
the rifle range.
No person or persons shall open or operate a rifle range under this
chapter before 10:00 a.m., prevailing time, on any weekday, or before 1:00
p.m., prevailing time, on Sunday, and not later than one hour before sunset.
Hereafter no person shall discharge a firearm, as defined above, of
any type, at any place in the Township of Cinnaminson other than at a target
range as permitted herein, except that this prohibition will not apply to
a landowner and his immediate family, or his lessee and his immediate family,
or by employees of an owner or lessee on lands which said persons own, lease
or are employed, provided said lands are 10 acres or larger. Hunters shall
report to the Police Department before hunting within Cinnaminson Township.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the members of the
Police Department of the Township of Cinnaminson, the members of any municipal,
county or State of New Jersey Police Department, Detectives of the office
of the Prosecutor of Burlington County, Conservation Officers of the State
of New Jersey, or any other person authorized by the statutes of New Jersey
to carry firearms, when said firearms shall be used in the performance of
their duties. Any ranges set up by them in the Township of Cinnaminson shall
comply with the safety regulations as provided for in this chapter.
Any person who violates or causes, suffers or permits the violation
of any provision or provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof,
pay a fine not exceeding $200 for each offense, or be imprisoned in the county
jail for a term not exceeding 90 days, or both, in the discretion of the Judge
before whom such conviction shall be had. In case of failure of any person
to pay any fine imposed hereunder, such Judge may cause such person to be
imprisoned in the county jail for any term not exceeding 90 days. Each day
that a violation is permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense.
