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Rockbridge County Zoning Administrator Chris Slaydon’s determinations that certain activities at the Quail Ridge Sporting Club are out of compliance with the county’s zoning regulations were upheld July 19 by the county’s Board of Zoning Appeals.
Slaydon notified Scott and Crystal Guise May 12 that the grandfathered or nonconforming use at Quail Ridge Sporting Club as an outdoor shooting range (1) does not include holding/hosting special events (weddings, receptions and reunions) and (2) does not include the ability to develop and operate a private school/ paramilitary training facility; and (3) that the current practices at the outdoor shooting range have impermissibly increased and require a special exception permit to continue operating at this scale.
Quail Ridge Sporting Club is located on the east side of Murat Road (Va. 675) approximately 0.67 of a mile north of the intersection of Murat Road and Collierstown Road (Va. 251). Slaydon was responding to complaints of neighbors about the activities at the shooting range when he issued his notifications of alleged violations.
The BZA voted 3-1 to uphold Slaydon’s determination that special events (weddings, receptions and reunions) are not allowed as part of the grandfathered or nonconforming use as an outdoor shooting range. Jeff Pufahl provided the lone dissent while Grigg Mullen III, James “Buddy” Powers and Samuel L. Vest voted in the affirmative. Joseph Clemmer was absent.
A motion failed on a 2-2 vote to overturn the zoning administrator’s ruling that a private school/paramilitary training facility is not allowed as part of the grandfathered or nonconforming use as an outdoor shooting range. Pufahl and Powers voted to overturn the zoning administrator’s determination while Vest and Mullin voted to uphold the determination.
The BZA voted 4-0 to uphold Slaydon’s determination that the current nonconforming or grandfathered use at Quail Ridge Sporting Club as an outdoor shooting range has impermissibly increased and therefore requires a special exception permit to continue operating at this scale.
Slaydon’s notification letter alluded to increased hours of operation, including the addition of night-time shoots. Also noted was the introduction of a “five stand” game that increased the number of launchers and shots. The structure associated with the game was, according to Slaydon’s letter, constructed without the proper building permits or zoning authorization.
Timothy E. Kirtner of the law firm Gilmer, Sadler, Ingram, Sutherland & Hutton LLP in Pulaski represented the Guises at the BZA meeting. The Guises have 30 days, or until Aug. 19, to appeal the BZA’s rulings to the Rockbridge Circuit Court.
