DON'T SHOOT ??

RECENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SOUND OF GUN FIRE IN THE FAIRWAYS!



Fairways Watch investigated the residents calls, with the following results. [This blog administrator is not a gun owner--BUT--is a strong supporter of our 2nd amendment!]
  To obtain accurate information we contacted the Orange County Sheriff's office special project officer, Deputy Jason Murrill.
 During a long conversation with Jason, the following information was obtained. There are 2 legal gun firing ranges ,near the Fairways. One of the ranges is in the back area of the Moose club, the other sets off of Lake Pickett Rd. Under certain atmospheric conditions, the sound of gunfire,carries loudly to the Fairways area. The Moose club promotes various shooting contests, such as their ''turkey shoots''
  As to Florida law regarding,''discharge of a fire arm''--the law is --and I quote-- A complicated,--confusing--and ''contradicting mess''
 The law is so complicated that most deputies, do not make on the scene arrests for a suspected violation. They usually write a very detailed report and send it to the state attorneys office for evaluation !
  We also received a report from a reliable source that a park resident had ''test fired'' his hand gun, between houses on Pine Valley  Dr. Deputy Murrill said that this action could be ''discharging a fire arm in a reckless manner'' [ a misdemeanor]----Shame on the resident perpetrator that has such a small regard for the safety of his neighbors!
 Jason also suggested that interested parties, read Florida state statute 790.15
  The following article below is an interesting reprint ,from a prominent Florida newspaper

Fla. law allows backyard shooting ranges !

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Quoted From The Herald Tribune:

The only rules in Florida to discharging firearms on residential property are that you can’t fire over a right-of-way of any paved public road, highway or street, you can’t fire over any occupied dwelling and you can’t fire recklessly or negligently.

Because violation of the statute is only a first-degree misdemeanor, Ramsay said an officer would have to personally witness the recklessness or negligence to make an arrest at the scene. (The offense is punishable by a maximum fine of $1,000 and maximum jail time of a year.)

Many municipalities in Florida used to have local laws banning the firing of guns in residential areas. While the preemptive state law has been in place for almost three decades, many local governments ignored it and passed their own gun ordinances.

But in 2011, backed by the National Rifle Association, the Republican-led state Legislature put more teeth into the state law, creating penalties for local lawmakers who violate it. Gov. Rick Scott signed the law that now makes anyone who creates or upholds local gun ordinances subject to fines of up to $5,000. They also can be removed from office and forced to pay their own legal bills if sued over local gun ordinances.

Once the 2011 law took effect, Florida Carry, a nonprofit, gun-rights organization, began systematically going after any municipality that had not already put a bullet into its local gun ordinances.

Palm Beach County sued the state to keep its gun laws, but the courts upheld the Legislature’s authority.

“I think it’s ridiculous and absurd that we can’t regulate where shooting ranges can crop up,” said Monroe County Commissioner Heather Carruthers, whose district includes the high-density island of Key West.

As the law is written now, a person technically could shoot a gun even in a tiny yard.

In 2005, when Charlie Crist was attorney general, he wrote a letter to Sheriff Roy Raymond of Indian River County that said: “It is well settled that absent a general law stating otherwise, local governments have no authority to regulate firearms in any manner.”

THE FAIRWAYS HAS A RECENTLY FORMED GUN CLUB. WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED AND IS GROWING---WHY NOT GIVE IT A TRY?