After lengthy public debate and extensive staff questioning, supervisors approve outdoor gun training facility at Frederick County border

The public hearing on Travis Dodson’s Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application for a “Commercial Outdoor Recreation Operation” spearheaded by a “Private Outdoor Gun Training Facility and Classroom” within earshot of two tourist-friendly historic sites, the co-joined Belle Grove Plantation and Cedar Creek Civil War Battlefield National Historic Park, began with a 9-0 run of opposition from neighboring property owners and representatives of the historical site operations. But the “rolling thunder” of support from gun safety advocates, many questioning the major opponent concern of undue noise, led to approval of the CUP application by the Warren County Board of Supervisors Tuesday evening, February 22, 2022.

Belle Grove Executive Director Kristen Laise expressed concern about negative impacts of an outdoor shooting range so close to the tourism-generating National Historic Park sites. Opponents generally concurred the proposed Dodson firearms training facility use was a good one, but that the location was the problem. Below, Tommy Johnson broke the string of nine speakers opposing the Dodson CUP application, and drew some laughs in the process interacting with the photographer shooting at him. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini

However, that 4-1 vote of approval, Jay Butler dissenting, did not come before 31 public speakers made their respective cases (a 19-12 margin for approval), and the county’s elected officials grilled Planning Director Joe Petty on details of permitting conditions revised beyond what was sent from the planning commission with a recommendation of approval, as well as the applicants about their operational plan, over nearly 3-3/4 hours. The one topic Special Meeting beginning at 7:30 p.m. was finally adjourned at 11:14 p.m. to a chorus of “Ayes” not only from the board, but also from the hearty remainder of what had been a full-house crowd that stayed for the board’s final decision.

And that final vote of approval revolved around Shenandoah District Supervisor Walt Mabe’s repeated assertions that the primary involved sides – gun safety training and historical parks operations – communicate with each other in detail over their respective operations to reach a mutually cooperative solution to any problems that may emerge. “Safety is not the concern,” Mabe pointed out after voluminous testimony on the proposed operation’s high safety standards from past customers, associates, and fellow firearms training professionals, “sound is the concern.”

Walt Mabe urged meaningful and ongoing communications between the gun safety training and nearby Belle Grove Plantation/Cedar Creek Battlefield National Historical Park operations. Below, applicant Travis Dodson, center, flanked by operational partners wife Ashley and manager/instructor Jim Baker, promised that cooperation.

And how to measure what decibel level of sound was generated by the outdoor firearms training range versus what came from either nearby Interstate-81 traffic, particularly commercial tractor-trailers, as well as shooting originating on other properties on a by-right basis for non-commercial target shooting and hunting on private property, was a major concern of the supervisors prior to their vote.

Another major point of Dodson supporters was the need for a local firearms training facility stressing gun safety and knowledge of one’s weapon and standards for safe use. Several people cited the current distances one must travel out of the Northern Shenandoah Valley to receive such private firearms and safety training. A changing social environment and a consequent rise in the number of people with no previous experience with guns, purchasing them for personal protection was cited repeatedly by Dodson supporters. Dodson stressed that his operation would be by appointment only for instruction and shooting practice. It would not be a walk-up, public shooting range.

Neighboring opponents cited a predicted reduction in their property values. One asserted that living next to a shooting range was viewed only slightly better than living next to a nuclear power plant. One pro-approval speaker countered that argument by offering to buy a previous opposition speaker’s property if they wanted to sell it if the permitting was approved.

Another supporter of the Dodson CUP approval cited many gun advocates interest in American history, asserting that customers travelling to receive training at Dodson’s proposed operation could add to the nearby Belle Grove and Cedar Creek customer base, rather than reduce it by scaring potential national park tourists away due to the proximity to an outdoor shooting/training range.

Jay Butler queried the applicants on how they initially set their firearms training facility up in Warren County without proper permitting. Below, in addition to responding to that question, Ashley Dodson presented information on the firearms safety training facility to Butler during the applicant’s presentation to the board.

Butler, who cast the lone dissenting vote, queried the Dodson’s, Travis addressed the board with his wife Ashley and operations manager Jim Baker, on how they came to start their operation in Warren County without acquiring permitting after a permitting denial in Frederick County. Ashley Dodson replied that the Frederick County proposal had been for a public shooting range which they knew required permitting. When they set up shop in Warren County with an appointment-only instructional format they believed that to be a private operation which they did not realize required similar permitting to a public operation.

Mabe wondered if the applicant couldn’t add some sound suppression measures to negate possible vibrations from a metal building structure on the property. Asked directly by Mabe if he would be willing to do that, Travis Dodson replied, “Yes”.

The applicants also said they would schedule classes and target shooting around major events at Belle Grove, Cedar Creek and other nearby community events, one misstated as “the I-66 Crawl” drawing some laughter.

At left, County Planning Director Joe Petty explains dynamics of the Conditional Use Permitting process during back and forth between the supervisors and applicant trio at podium.

After extensive discussion between the board and the planning director on adjustments to the conditions, including a reduction in the hours when shooting would occur to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m./or sunset Monday through Saturday (noon to 4 p.m. Sundays) and the involvement of an independent sound measuring company if it became necessary, with the suggested ongoing communications between the Dodson training facility and Belle-Grove/Cedar Creek promised by the applicant, the board moved toward its vote of approval.

With the advantage of a scrolling button, see the full discussion, comments, and vote in the County video.