PORT HADLOCK — The Jefferson County no-shooting zone committee has recommended that a proposed no-shooting zone in the Paradise Bay area be cut in half.
“There was a desire to keep the no-shooting zone as small as possible,” said committee chairman Henry Werch.
The seven-member committee unanimously voted to recommend to the three county commissioners that Andy Cooper Road comprise the southern boundary to Fir Street.
The zone would then follow the contour of Paradise Bay Road, adjoining the existing no-shooting zone in Port Ludlow on its eastern boundary, and continue south on Teal Lake Road to form the western boundary and connect with Andy Cooper Road.
The originally proposed zone was more than double that, with the same boundaries except that the southern boundary extended all the way south to state Highway 104.
Another motion — to create a second zone around a neighborhood on Huckleberry Lane on the southwest corner of the originally proposed zone near Highway 104 and Teal Lake Road — failed with only committee member Ray Hunter of Discovery Bay voting to recommend the second zone.
Gravel pit out of zone
A gravel pit south of Andy Cooper Road commonly used for recreational shooting was not included in the recommendation.
Committee member Ken Merritt of Port Hadlock said he walked the pit area and found no reason to include it in a no-shooting zone.
“I could not talk myself into thinking it would be a reasonable threat to anyone there,” Merritt said.
Although some have complained about gunfire in that area, “It seems to be that it’s more of a nuisance than a danger,” Merritt said.
Jefferson County Chief Criminal Deputy Tony Hernandez, who sits on the committee, agreed with Merritt.
“It’s more of a nuisance than reckless endangerment,” Hernandez said.
The committee is charged with making recommendations based only on the threat of errant bullets coming in contact with people, pets or property.
The committee had received two petitions, one from residents who want to be included in the no-shooting zone and one signed by those who don’t want to be included.
The petition supporting a no-shooting zone contained 30 signatures of Paradise Bay-area residents.
That petition was turned into the county commissioners in the spring of 2006 and prompted the commissioners to amend the county’s no-shooting zone ordinance, which they did in the spring.
The major changes they made were giving themselves the authority to create or dissolve a no-shooting zone, which they previously didn’t have, and the ability to form a committee to analyze proposed no-shooting zones.
The commissioners will hold a public hearing on the committee’s recommendation sometime after the first of the year, said Karen Barrows, planner for the county Department of Community Development.
A proposal to create a no-shooting zone in Irondale on either side of Chimacum Creek has also been turned in, but the committee has not begun considering it.
There are currently eight no-shooting zones in the county: inside the city limits of Port Townsend, Kala Point, Port Ludlow, Black Point, Brinnon, Triton Cove in Brinnon, Olympic Canal Tracts in Brinnon and South Coyle Peninsula.
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Reporter Evan Cael can be reached at 360-385-2335 or evan.cael@peninsuladailynews.com.
