The discharge of firearms within the territorial limits of the city is hereby declared unlawful. It shall be unlawful and an offense for any person to discharge a firearm, rifle, shotgun, automatic rifle, revolver, pistol, crossbow, or other weapons designed for the purpose of firing or discharging a shell or cartridge, whether the same is blank or live ammunition, at any place, within any platted subdivision within the territorial limits of the city where such subdivision contains lots of 5 acres or less in size, except as specifically excepted herein.
(Ordinance 2006-24, sec. 1, adopted 12/27/06; 2007 Code, sec. 56-16; Ordinance 2020-05 adopted 5/23/20; Ordinance 2020-07 adopted 6/23/20)
(a) 
This article shall not be construed to prohibit any peace officer from discharging a firearm in the lawful performance of his duties or to prohibit any citizen from discharging a firearm while lawfully defending persons or property in accordance with applicable state law.
(b) 
This article does not prohibit the use of blank cartridges for a show or theatrical production, or for signal or ceremonial purposes in athletics or sports, or by a military organization.
(Ordinance 2006-24, sec. 2, adopted 12/27/06; 2007 Code, sec. 56-17; Ordinance 2020-05 adopted 5/23/20; Ordinance 2020-07 adopted 6/23/20)
(a) 
Definitions.
Pursuant to 26 USC 5845(d), as amended, the following words, terms and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Shotgun.
A weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned or made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore any number of projectiles (ball shot) for each pull of the trigger, and shall include any such weapon which may be readily restored to fire a fixed shotgun shell.
(b) 
Exceptions.
Nothing in this article shall be construed to apply to persons discharging a shotgun on premises larger than 5 acres in size, or in platted subdivisions containing lots of at least 5 acres in size, if the premises are not a public place, as defined in V.T.C.A., Penal Code, section 1.07, and:
(1) 
The person has permission of the owner of the premises;
(2) 
The person is discharging the shotgun for the limited purpose of hunting;
(3) 
The person holds a valid hunting license and the person is not hunting out of season;
(4) 
The person does not violate any provision of V.T.C.A., Penal Code, section 42.01; and
(5) 
The discharge of the shotgun does not pose an imminent threat of destruction of property or injury to a person.
(Ordinance 2006-24, sec. 3, adopted 12/27/06; 2007 Code, sec. 56-18; Ordinance 2020-05 adopted 5/23/20; Ordinance 2020-07 adopted 6/23/20)
Any person violating any of the provisions or terms of this article shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine not to exceed the sum of $500.00 for each offense.
(Ordinance 2006-24, sec. 6, adopted 12/27/06; 2007 Code, sec. 56-19)