[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish Council meeting over shooting range draws fire from audience

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish Council meeting over shooting range draws fire from
audience
 By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune 
on December 28, 2012 at 6:16 PM, updated December 28, 2012 at 7:13 PM Print

The St. Bernard Parish Council, which met across the street from a fireworks
stand ready to usher in 2013, passed an amended 2012 budget on Friday. But
by far the most fireworks of the afternoon came during a proposal to allow
the reopening of a local pre-Hurricane Katrina firing range.

The proposed indoor Arabi firing range and gun store drew shots from some of
the 28 neighbors who signed a petition opposing it. The discussion often
digressed into a pro- and anti-gun debate, even bringing in the recent
Connecticut school shooting.

"To say that the constituents of Arabi have been engaged in this topic is an
understatement," said Councilman Ray Lauga, who represents that district. "I
agree that I don't want people in their backyards to be hearing gunshots,
but I believe if Mr. LeBouef does what he says he is going to, which will be
mandated under the conditional use permit, that will not happen."

The ordinance that passed on Friday, allowing the indoor firing range to
reopen, mandates that certain sound control measures (such as foam
installation) are constructed before Brannon LeBouef can receive his
certificate of occupancy permit for the 208-212 Aycock St. site.

Jan Hirschey, who lives near the proposed range and submitted a petition
signed by 28 area residents against it, said it would be "an annoying, awful
intrusion" into their neighborhood.

"I don't care whether this is legal or not legal ... I don't care about
another business opening. I just want to tell you that the noise pollution
is unacceptable," Hirschey said.

She recalled before Katrina hearing "bullets breaking the sound barrier" and
"that popping cracking when it travels." Another neighbor feared for
children waiting at a nearby school bus stop, and another feared not being
able to enjoy her backyard hot tub in peace.

Councilman Casey Hunnicutt told LeBouef that he'd received calls of concerns
from some constituents, especially after the recent Connecticut school
shooting.

LeBouef spoke about controls in place before a person can buy a firearm,
and, in terms of nearby school children, he said: "I'd want my child to be
as close to that gun shop as possible if someone tried to take my child from
that bus stop."

Meanwhile, Councilman George Cavignac, who will take over as council
chairman next year, attempted to narrow the discussion.

"We are not going to make this a gun-control issue," Cavignac said. "This is
not about whether you like guns or don't...we need to make these standards
so they are fine for everyone."

Quoting Robert Frost, Cavignac told LeBouef, "Good fences make good
neighbors... These people need to live day in and day out as your
neighbors."

Meanwhile, in terms of the amended 2012 budget, the council approved a
year-end budget showing nearly $3 million in savings from the 82 parish
employee positions that the parish government eliminated throughout the
year. The 2013 budget, officially passed at the council meeting earlier this
month, likely will be tweaked next month, in part due to those year-end
budget revisions.