A Caddo Parish Commissioner named David Cox has introduced the following bill. It keeps people from hunting, firing any guns on any property within one mile of another house. This will stop many from target practice, hunting or enjoying their own property or that of hunting leases. It is difficult to find a place that is not within one mile of another home
The wording of the proposed law is as follows:
ORDINANCE NO. 5512 OF 2015
BY THE CADDO PARISH COMMISSION:
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 32
-
48 OF THE CODE OF
ORDINANCES RELATIVE TO THE DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS AND
OTHERWISE PROVIDING WITH RESPECT THERETO.WHEREAS,
the discharge of firearms in proximity to residential subdivisions poses a
significant threat to the safety of citizens; WHEREAS, the Parish of Caddo
desires to provide for the safety a nd welfare of its citizens;
WHEREAS, the Parish of Caddo has adopted an ordinance governing the
discharge offirearms in certain areas of the parish to address that threat;
and
WHEREAS, recent events require amending that ordinance to make it
applicable to certain subdivisions previously not included;
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the citizens of the parish to make the
ordinance apply to residential subdivisions regardless of where situated.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by the Caddo Parish Commission
in due, legal and regular session convened, that Section 32 -48 of the Code
of Ordinances be and is hereby amended and re-enacted to read as follows
to -wit: Sec. 32 -48.
-
Discharge of firearms.
(a) Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, w
hen used in this section, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection,
except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Dedicated residential subdivision means a platted subdivision with five or
more lots filed of record at the parish courthouse.
(b) It shall be unlawful to intentionally discharge any firearm of .17 caliber or
larger within the geographical limits of any dedicated residential subdivision
with this parish.
(c) It shall be unlawful to intentionally discharge any firearm within one mile
of any dedicated residential subdivision that lies within five miles of the city
limits of Shreveport within this parish.
(d) The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed so as to prohibit
any person from discharging a firearm in the defense of his person, family or
property.
(e) Exceptions:
(1) Within a dedicated residential subdivision:
a. Public shooting galleries now lawfully established hereafter as
provided by law or parish ordinance;
b. Target practice ranges or shooting galleries required and
maintained by the sheriff’s department or municipal police
departments and target practice ranges of organizations which
have presently established and approved target practice ranges
in the parish;
c.The use and discharge of blank pistols and blank cartridges only
where the use and discharge thereof is conducted in formal
ceremonies conducted by recognized organizations, such as the
VFW and American Legion;
d. Any duly legally constituted law enforcement or animal control
officer while acting in his official capacity.
(2) Within one mile of a dedicated residential subdivision that lies within five
miles of the city limits of Shreveport that is within this parish:
a. All exceptions listed in subsection
(e)(1) of this section;
b. BB guns, shotguns, pellet guns.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that if any provision or item of this
ordinance or the application thereof is held invalid, such invalidity shall not
affect other provisions, items or applications which can be given effect
without the invalid provisions, items or applications, and to this end the
provisions of this ordinance are hereby declared severable.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that this ordinance shall take effect after
publication in the official journal.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that all ordinances or parts thereof in conflict
herewith are hereby repealed.
The wording of the proposed law is as follows:
ORDINANCE NO. 5512 OF 2015
BY THE CADDO PARISH COMMISSION:
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 32
-
48 OF THE CODE OF
ORDINANCES RELATIVE TO THE DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS AND
OTHERWISE PROVIDING WITH RESPECT THERETO.WHEREAS,
the discharge of firearms in proximity to residential subdivisions poses a
significant threat to the safety of citizens; WHEREAS, the Parish of Caddo
desires to provide for the safety a nd welfare of its citizens;
WHEREAS, the Parish of Caddo has adopted an ordinance governing the
discharge offirearms in certain areas of the parish to address that threat;
and
WHEREAS, recent events require amending that ordinance to make it
applicable to certain subdivisions previously not included;
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the citizens of the parish to make the
ordinance apply to residential subdivisions regardless of where situated.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by the Caddo Parish Commission
in due, legal and regular session convened, that Section 32 -48 of the Code
of Ordinances be and is hereby amended and re-enacted to read as follows
to -wit: Sec. 32 -48.
-
Discharge of firearms.
(a) Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, w
hen used in this section, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection,
except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Dedicated residential subdivision means a platted subdivision with five or
more lots filed of record at the parish courthouse.
(b) It shall be unlawful to intentionally discharge any firearm of .17 caliber or
larger within the geographical limits of any dedicated residential subdivision
with this parish.
(c) It shall be unlawful to intentionally discharge any firearm within one mile
of any dedicated residential subdivision that lies within five miles of the city
limits of Shreveport within this parish.
(d) The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed so as to prohibit
any person from discharging a firearm in the defense of his person, family or
property.
(e) Exceptions:
(1) Within a dedicated residential subdivision:
a. Public shooting galleries now lawfully established hereafter as
provided by law or parish ordinance;
b. Target practice ranges or shooting galleries required and
maintained by the sheriff’s department or municipal police
departments and target practice ranges of organizations which
have presently established and approved target practice ranges
in the parish;
c.The use and discharge of blank pistols and blank cartridges only
where the use and discharge thereof is conducted in formal
ceremonies conducted by recognized organizations, such as the
VFW and American Legion;
d. Any duly legally constituted law enforcement or animal control
officer while acting in his official capacity.
(2) Within one mile of a dedicated residential subdivision that lies within five
miles of the city limits of Shreveport that is within this parish:
a. All exceptions listed in subsection
(e)(1) of this section;
b. BB guns, shotguns, pellet guns.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that if any provision or item of this
ordinance or the application thereof is held invalid, such invalidity shall not
affect other provisions, items or applications which can be given effect
without the invalid provisions, items or applications, and to this end the
provisions of this ordinance are hereby declared severable.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that this ordinance shall take effect after
publication in the official journal.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that all ordinances or parts thereof in conflict
herewith are hereby repealed.