Garland Gun Range Could Face More Legal Action

Rowlett says some safety upgrades not completed

The city of Rowlett says a Garland gun range will not compete all of the safety upgrades it agreed to make by the deadline.

The Garland Public Shooting Range agreed to make the safety improvements after Rowlett filed an injunction to shut the range down.

Rowlett residents had complained that stray bullets had hit their homes.

City attorney David Berman said the gun range was given a 150-day extension.

"We're disappointed, but we're not surprised," he said.

The gun range has until Aug. 17 to finish the upgrades, but the most important improvement -- a 20-foot berm that would make "no blue sky" visible to shooters -- would not be up by the deadline.

The berm wasn't put up because of permit requirements and a $30,000 study. In addition power lines close to the berm would have to be moved at a cost of $50,000 because of federal clearance rules.

"It's difficult to sympathize with him given the fact that, as we stand now -- more than six months since we've negotiated with him -- he hasn't even applied for a permit, hasn't even submitted an application," Berman said.

Other safety upgrades at the range have been completed.

Garland Public Shooting Range owner James Day said by phone that he could not comment on the case. He also said he is trying to play by the court rules and will do anything to keep his business, which has 200,000 cardholders, open and safe.

Berman said Rowlett is not willing to give the gun range any more extensions.

Janine Bowman, who said a stray bullet landed in her son's bedroom in January, said she hoped the upgrades would be complete by now.

"Both kids don't play in his bedroom during range hours," she said. "It's frustrating. It's disappointing. I don't feel a sense of urgency and, to me, it's an urgent matter because I would hate to see something happen."

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