Gun Shop Plan in Residential Area Raises Concerns

Photo from screenshot

Monday night's Lower Pottsgrove Township Commissioners meeting was held online viz Zoom in order to reduce possible spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

A proposal to open a gun repair and dealership on Deer Ridge Drive in a residential neighborhood is raising concerns for the township commissioners.

According to a legal notice in Thursday's edition of The Mercury, Jeffrey Labombard has applied to the zoning board to be allowed to operate a gun shop, where he would sell guns, ammunition and accessories, as well as undertake firearms repairs, in his home.

The hearing will be held ay 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16 via a Zoom link that will be posted at -- https://www.lowerpottsgrove.org/ -- the township web page. It is open to the public and anyone who lives within 500 feet of the site will be notified in writing.

The business is regulated by the federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agency, which requires that he obtain permission from the township, Township Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. told the commissioners at Monday' night's meeting.

Garner said the township's zoning ordinance classifies this use as a "low-impact home-based business" and only requires a "special exception" from the zoning hearing board. "It's not a variance," he said.

The proposal is "a little bit different than what you might think," but the gun shop, as proposed, "still qualifies" and the primary role of the zoning hearing board is to ensure the plan complies with the 10 conditions the zoning ordinances lays out for a low-impact home-based business, Garner said.

However, he explained, the commissioners are within their rights to communicate with the zoning hearing board and request additional conditions.

Garner, Township Manager Ed Wagner and Acting Chief Will James all met with Labombard, who reassured them the operation would be very professional, Garner said. "He is a very legitimate business operator," Garner said.

Nevertheless, all five commissioners voted to send Garner, Wagner and James to the zoning hearing to get answers to the concerns they raised Monday night.

"I'm concerned about fire and ammunition being so close to homes," said Commissioners Chairman Bruce Foltz. Garner said Labombard told  him the volume of ammunition stored would be "limited in scope."

He said while the gunsmith may be thoroughly professional, "what's to stop a customer from saying he wants to try out his new gun on the front porch, or having a loaded gun accidentally go off in a residential neighborhood?"

Commissioner Earll Swavely, a former township police chief, said he has concerns as well.

"The applicant lives in my development and I have some of the same concerns as Bruce, the nature of the business being in a residential area," said Commissioner Mike McGroarty. "I'd like to know if the police department is comfortable with it. I'm not and I won't be."

But Commissioner Robert Mohollen raised an interesting point. "We know people have guns in their houses and there are a lot we don't know about," he said.

"A guy died recently in my neighborhood and we found out he had more than 20 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition. If that house had caught fire we'd all be in a lot of trouble," he said.

"At least here, it's regulated. There are people watching this guy. There are tons of people out there no one is watching who could have guns out the wazoo," said Mohollen.

Commissioner Ray Lopez said he is concerned about security. "You have gun shops in a commercial area in cement block buildings with iron bars and thieves still get in there and steal guns. I would think a residential property is a lot easier to break into."

The shop is designed to be mostly mail order and customers make appointments to come and pick up their purchases, according to James. "There are precautions being taken. There will be a limited number of people going to the residence."

But Lopez said he is worried "around Christmas time when people are coming to pick up their sights, or guns or accessories" that traffic will be greater than the application forecasts.