PORT TOWNSEND — About 200 people showed up at Fort Worden State Park to the second installment of a public hearing regarding proposed amendments to Jefferson County’s no-shooting zone ordinance.
Like the first portion of the hearing that took place Nov. 6, an overwhelming majority who spoke on Monday were opposed to the proposed amendments, with only two people in agreement.
“I think our rights are being taken away little by little,” said Carol Hurley of Cape George.
“The problem that I see is there’s a limited amount of land where you can hunt and we’re nibbling away at it just like a mouse with cheese,” said James Davis of Port Townsend.
The proposed amendments would allow the Jefferson County Sheriff, county commissioners and county department staff to initiate public process in establishing or dissolving a no-shooting zone.
The current ordinance — adopted in 1995 — requires the submission of a petition with at least 10 resident signatures from each precinct in a proposed no-shooting zone to initiate the public process for the creation or dissolution of such a zone.
The proposed amendments also would change the criteria for a public petition from 10 resident signatures of each precinct in the proposed zone to 25 percent of the population of the proposed zone.
When a no-shooting zone is established in an area, the act of discharging a firearm within the boundary becomes a misdemeanor offense.
The two people who spoke in favor of the amendments were concerned about shooting around their homes.
The public process involves a hearing before the commissioners where residents can speak for or against the establishment of a no-shooting zone in a particular area.
The three commissioners ultimately decide whether a no-shooting zone will be created and the boundary that will contain it.
“I feel like I agree with a lot of the comments,” said Commissioner Phil Johnson, D-Port Townsend, of Monday’s hearing.