Shooting range denied in Carlsbad Council vote upholds previous decision from Planning Commission

By Ellen Wright

CARLSBAD — City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday night to uphold a past decision by the Planning Commission denying a gun range at the Gunther Guns retail store off Palomar Airport Road.

Lisa Gunther, owner of Gunther Guns, appealed the Planning Commission’s Feb. 18 decision, which was a tie vote, so by default, upheld

City Planner Don Neu’s decision to deny a conditional permit allowing a gun range.

The Planning Commission had to decide whether or not Neu had made an error or abuse in discretion when denying the permit.

Mayor Matt Hall told the packed city chambers that he is a supporter of the second amendment, a right to bear arms, but did not believe Neu had abused his authority or made an error in judgment when denying the range.

“Did he interpret the ordinance maybe how I would have interpreted it? Perhaps not, but he made an interpretation based on how he read the code, how he read the ordinances and I’m OK with that,” said Hall. The 17-lane shooting range was proposed for the Gunther Gun’s retail gun store, off Loker Avenue West, which is in a Planned Industrial zone.

At the Planning Commission meeting, Neu said the industrial zone has very specific guidelines for what can be operated in the area, and a gun range is not listed. He said the range did not meet the purpose of intent for the Planned Industrial zone.

There is some flexibility in the ordinance for “select uses,” like athletic clubs, gyms, churches, daycare