This story by Liberty Darr was first published Aug. 31 in The Citizen.
The yearslong battle over noise complaints at the Laberge Shooting Range, a private, open-air shooting range located on a 287-acre family farm on Lime Kiln Road, has again resurfaced in Charlotte, this time with some members of the town selectboard considering the creation of a noise ordinance to avoid the onslaught of an “expensive legal issue” with neighboring residents.
“We understand that there have been some changes in the amount of noise and the guns that are being used, and that brings it back in front of us,” selectboard Chair Jim Faulkner said Monday. “This issue has been in front of the selectboard in the past, and it’s ramping up a little bit again. There’s a concern for a lot of the neighbors about the noise, and there might be some legal suits in process that will affect the town considerably.”
Since as far back as 1994, the shooting range, part of a large parcel of land owned by Laberge and Sons, Inc., has been the recipient of a slew of resident-led backlash over noise complaints, with the most recent court battle taking place in 2015, when a group of anonymous neighbors formed the Firing Range Neighborhood Group and filed a request with the District 4 Environmental Commission to determine whether or not the firing range is a development that should come under Act 250 jurisdiction.
The Vermont Supreme Court ruled three years later, in August 2018, that the range was not subject to Act 250 jurisdiction and therefore could continue to operate without state regulation.
But, Faulkner said at Monday’s meeting, “This group is not willing to just accept that.”
Last year, the selectboard authorized Faulkner and selectboard member Louise McCarren to facilitate a neighborhood conversation between the two groups with the hopes of mediation. However, McCarren, in a phone call, said she has not been a part of any sort of mediation efforts.
“I think the law is pretty clear that the shooting range has the right to be there,” she said. “I feel very badly for the neighbors. But the way to deal with this, in my opinion, is to get everybody together. Let’s just talk about it.”
At the meeting, board member Lewis Mudge asked Faulkner whether the town’s attorney had warned the town about the risk of a potential lawsuit. Faulkner responded, “Yes,” but was quick to add, “I shouldn’t have even said that.”
Although the town has sought resolutions in the past, Faulkner suggested that the selectboard begin to consider crafting a noise ordinance for that area in order to evade any upcoming legal issues. McCarren was the only selectboard member quick to object to any noise ordinance aimed at the range.
“Everybody says you can’t do it, but the town’s running a risk,” Faulkner said.
