[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of East Goshen 5-5-1992 by Ord. No. 101. Amendments noted where applicable.]
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.