(a) Firearms may not be used or discharged for any purpose other than the hunting of wild birds or animals within the limits of the City, and only if the following conditions and provisions are complied with:
(1) Except for reasonable and necessary steps taken by the owner, tenant or manager of lands for the protection thereof from wild birds or animals, no person shall discharge firearms for hunting purposes except during hunting seasons established by the State.
(2) Except for the owner, tenant or manager of lands and their children, firearms shall not be discharged for hunting purposes by any person unless he or she has first procured a hunting license issued by the State.
(3) A. No person shall enter upon or otherwise trespass upon private property for hunting purposes unless he or she obtains written permission from the owner, tenant or manager during the hunting season on the land where he or she resides.
B. “Owner, tenant or manager” means the individual who resides on land which he or she owns, manages or pays for rent.
(4) Irrespective of the foregoing, no person shall carry or employ for hunting purposes a firearm other than a shotgun using scatter shot shells. No person shall hunt, shoot at or pursue a wild bird or animal for hunting purposes within 600 feet of any building, as defined in Section 1240.06(13) of the Planning and Zoning Code.
(5) Irrespective of the foregoing provisions and privileges, no person shall for any reason discharge any firearm in the City in the direction of a public road, street, highway, park, cemetery, public ground, structure used for habitation or public or other occupied building or in such proximity to other persons, domestic animals or structures or improvements of any kind so as to hit the same or unreasonably risk doing so or unreasonably cause fright or alarm as to such risk or in any other manner handle, use or discharge any firearm in a negligent, careless or reckless manner.
(6) No person under the age of eighteen years shall be entitled to exercise any of the privileges herein granted, unless at all times accompanied by a parent or other adult person.
(7) In addition to the foregoing, no person shall discharge a firearm for any purpose, including, but not limited to, hunting, in an area within the City bounded as follows:
A. To the north by the City of Oregon, Lucas County, Ohio, jurisdictional limits;
B. To the east by the high tension lines which run north and south from Curtice Road in the City to the Lake Township jurisdictional limits, which are located approximately 200 feet east of Wolf Creek Court in the City;
C. To the south by Woodville Road and the Lake Township jurisdictional limits; and
D. To the west by Interstate 280.
(b) Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor and shall be subject to the penalty provided in Section 698.02. A separate offense shall be deemed committed each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.
(Ord. 98-36. Passed 9-24-98.)