4-151-080 Shooting ranges – Indoors.

   No outdoor shooting ranges are permitted. All shooting ranges shall be located indoors in completely enclosed buildings.

   No mobile shooting range is permitted regardless of whether the mobile shooting range has been immobilized or located within a completely enclosed building.

(Added Coun. J. 7-6-11, p. 3073, § 3)

4-151-090 Reserved.

Editor's note – Coun. J. 5-24-17, p. 50364, § 1, repealed § 4-151-090, which pertained to hours of operation.

4-151-100 Standards of operation.

   (a)   No firearm shall be discharged in the shooting range if the type of firearm or caliber of ammunition is not suitable or safe for use at the shooting range. The discharge of firearms shall only be permitted in the shooting range. The range master shall inspect all firearms and ammunition, whether supplied by the licensee or brought by a shooting range patron to the shooting range facility, to determine whether the firearm and ammunition are safe and in good operating condition and are of a caliber appropriate for the design of the shooting range and backstop.

   (b)   A range master shall be on duty during all operating hours of shooting range facility. Prior to permitting anyone to discharge a firearm, the range master shall ensure that no person is in the direct fire zone.

   (c)   Reserved.

   (d)   No person under the age of 18 shall be permitted in the shooting range facility unless accompanied by and under the direct supervision of a parent, guardian, or an instructor in a firearms safety and training course recognized by a law enforcement agency, a national or international shooting sports organization, a certified firearms instructor approved by the Illinois State Police or Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, or a certified firearms and hunter safety instructor approved by the Illinois Department of Wildlife. The licensee shall require every shooting range patron to provide a driver's license or other government-issued identification showing the person's name, date of birth, and photograph.

   (e)   No person, other than the range master, licensee, manager or employee shall be permitted beyond the firing points; provided that this provision does not apply to any independent contractor hired to clean or maintain the shooting range facility.

   All doors, gates and entrances between the firing points and backstop shall be securely locked at any time that a person is engaged in shooting on the range.

   (f)   No person shall be permitted to enter or remain at the shooting range facility if he appears to the range master to be under the influence of alcohol, narcotics, or controlled substances, or if he is engaging in conduct which the range master reasonably deems to pose a hazard to himself or others.

   (g)   The licensee shall not permit any person, including a shooting range patron, to possess or discharge a firearm at the shooting range, if the person does not have a valid FOID card or valid CCL, if required to do so.

   (h)   No other weapons, other than firearms, shall be discharged in the shooting range.

   (i)   Protective eye wear and hearing protection shall be provided to every range master, manager, employee and shooting range patron while such person is located in the shooting range. The protective eye wear and hearing protection must be worn at all times when a person in the shooting range is discharging a firearm.

   (j)   A manager must be in charge of the shooting range facility at all times other than those times when an individual licensee is in charge.

   (k)   Every shooting range facility shall be in compliance with the applicable building, environmental and fire code requirements, including any rule or regulations promulgated thereunder.

(Added Coun. J. 7-6-11, p. 3073, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 9-8-11, p. 7262, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 9-11-13, p. 59869, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 6-25-14, p. 83727, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 5-24-17, p. 50364, § 1)

4-151-110 Safety plan.

   (a)   At the same time an applicant submits an application for a license, the applicant shall submit a safety plan to the superintendent in a form and manner prescribed by the superintendent. After review of the proposed safety plan, the superintendent, in consultation with the executive director of emergency management and communications, the fire commissioner, and any other appropriate department, shall either approve or deny the safety plan within 30 days of its submission. During the 30-day review period, the superintendent may consult with the applicant to recommend amendments to the proposed plan. If the superintendent denies a safety plan, he shall state, in writing, the basis for such denial. The superintendent shall notify the commissioner of such approval or denial.

   (b)   Every safety plan shall include a floor plan of the proposed site and provisions that address: (i) the installation and maintenance of adequate exterior lighting; (ii) the installation and maintenance of interior and exterior surveillance cameras installed at each building; (iii) the installation of an alarm system; (iv) protocols for the safe display of and storage of firearms and ammunition; and (v) the employment of adequately trained personnel and qualifications of the range masters; all in accordance with rules prescribed by the superintendent. Recordings from the surveillance camera required by clause (ii) shall be maintained for not less than 30 days and shall be made available to members of the department of police. The failure to submit an approved safety plan as required by this section shall be grounds to deny an application for a license under this chapter or renewal thereof.

      The licensee shall obtain all necessary permits, including a public way use permit if applicable; provided that notwithstanding any other provision of the code to the contrary, no fee for a public way use permit will be imposed when the permit is for any surveillance camera installed pursuant to this subsection solely because the camera or its wiring is in any portion of the public way.

   (c)   Any proposed change to the approved safety plan shall be submitted to the superintendent, in a form and manner prescribed by the superintendent, prior to the implementation of such change. The superintendent shall approve or deny the proposed change within 30 days.

   (d)   The licensee shall keep a copy of the approved safety plan at the licensed premises and make it available upon request for inspection by members of the department or the police department.

   (e)   No license may be issued or renewed unless the superintendent approves the applicant's or licensee's safety plan.

   (f)   Every licensee shall comply with the safety plan, as approved by the superintendent.

   (g)   The failure to adequately implement, maintain, or adhere to the provisions of the approved safety plan under this section shall be grounds for suspension or revocation of the license and shall be grounds for the city to recover its costs resulting from such failure under Chapter 1-20.

(Added Coun. J. 7-6-11, p. 3073, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 1-17-13, p. 45370, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 6-25-14, p. 83727, § 5)

4-151-120 Reserved.

Editor's note – Coun. J. 1-17-13, p. 45370, § 3, repealed § 4-151-120, which pertained to restricted license areas.

4-151-130 Prohibited activities.

   (a)   No licensee shall permit any alcoholic beverages, narcotics or controlled substances to be brought to, or consumed at, the shooting range facility, or permit the conduct of any activities at the shooting range facility for which a public place of amusement license is required under Section 4-156-300.

   (b)   No licensee shall permit any activity at the shooting range facility that is not in conformance with this chapter, or Chapters 8-20 or 8-24, or with any federal or state law or regulation concerning the transfer or possession of firearms or ammunition.

   (c)   No licensee shall allow any illegal activity at the shooting range facility. The violation of the provisions of this chapter, or Chapters 8-20 or 8-24, or of any criminal statute of the state of Illinois by the licensee, or by any employee, partner, agent or independent contractor of the licensee while at the shooting range facility may be grounds for revocation or suspension of the license issued under this chapter.

   (d)   It is the affirmative duty of a licensee to report promptly to the police department all illegal activity reported to or observed by the licensee on or within sight of the shooting range facility; to answer fully and truthfully all questions of an identified police officer who inquires or investigates concerning persons or events in or around the shooting range facility; to cooperate with the police in any such inquiry or investigation, including the giving of oral or written statements to the police at reasonable times and locations in the course of investigations; and to sign a complaint against any person whom the licensee observes in any illegal conduct or activity on or within sight of the shooting range facility.

   (e)   For purposes of this section, "licensee" includes the manager of the premises and any employee, partner, agent or independent contractor of the licensee. For purposes of a license revocation and suspension, the licensee shall be strictly liable for violations or impermissible conduct of any employee, partner, agent or independent contractor of the licensee, regardless of actual or constructive knowledge.

(Added Coun. J. 7-6-11, p. 3073, § 3)

4-151-140 License revocation– Wait for new license.

   When any license issued pursuant to this chapter has been revoked for any cause, no license shall be granted under this chapter for those premises to any person for the period of one year thereafter, unless the revocation order was entered as to the licensee only.

(Added Coun. J. 7-6-11, p. 3073, § 3)

4-151-150 Exemptions.

   The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any shooting range facility operated by:

   (1)   any federal, state or local law enforcement agency;

   (2)   the armed forces of the United States, including the Reserves; or

   (3)   an entity licensed by the State of Illinois under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004, 225 ILCS 447/35-5, et seq, as amended, to the extent that such licensed agency is permitted under state law to operate a shooting range and that the licensed agency is in compliance with those laws; provided further that the shooting range facility is used exclusively for employees of such licensed agency and is not open to the public.

(Added Coun. J. 7-6-11, p. 3073, § 3)