This chapter shall be known and may be cited
as the "Shooting Ordinance of East Goshen Township."
For the purpose of this chapter the following
definitions shall apply:
APPROVED RANGE
A place for shooting weapons having a natural or artificial
barrier of sufficient size and density to stop any projectile or pellets
fired into it, approved and designated by the Township as an approved
range.
AUTHORIZED RANGE SHOOTING
Shooting upon an approved range in a manner consistent with
safety of persons and property as authorized by the Township in approving
such range, under the supervision of the owner of the land or his
duly designated representative.
SHOOTING
The discharge or release of a projectile or pellets from
any weapon, including the shooting of a pointed arrow from a bow.
WEAPON
Any shotgun, rifle, air rifle, pistol, revolver, pellet gun
or weapon of a similar type and any bow used to propel a pointed arrow.
[Amended 5-22-2018 by Ord. No. 129-A-2018]
Shooting within East Goshen Township is hereby prohibited, except:
A. When hunting in conformity with the Game and Wildlife Code of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and any and all regulations promulgated
thereunder, all other applicable laws of the commonwealth and ordinances
of this Township relating to hunting.
B. Authorized range shooting as herein defined.
C. When the use of force is justified based on the Pennsylvania Crimes
Code.
The careless or improper use of any weapon,
tending to imperil the safety of persons or engender disorderly practice
is hereby prohibited.
[Amended 5-7-1996 by Ord. No. 112; 3-4-1997 by Ord. No. 117]
Any person who violates or permits the violation
of any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof in
a summary proceeding brought before a District Justice under the Pennsylvania
Rules of Criminal Procedure, be guilty of a summary offense, and shall
be subject to the payment of a fine of not less than $100 and not
more than $1,000, plus the costs of prosecution. In default of payment
thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment in the county
prison for a term of not more than 30 days. Each section of this chapter
violated shall constitute a separate offense, and each day or portion
thereof in which a violation of this chapter is found to exist shall
constitute a separate offense, each of which violations shall be punishable
by a separate fine imposed by the District Justice of not less than
$100 and not more than $1,000, plus the costs of prosecution, or upon
default of payment thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment
in the county prison for a term of not more than 30 days. All fines
and penalties collected for the violation of this chapter shall be
paid to the Township Treasurer.
Legible signs giving public notice of the essential
provisions of this chapter shall be posted on or near the public highways
at the boundaries of East Goshen Township; provided, however, that
it shall not be a defense to any prosecution for violation of this
chapter that the violator did not see or understand any such sign,
or that any such sign did not contain sufficient description of the
provision of this chapter to adequately warn the violator.