2007 Minnesota Statutes

CHAPTER 87A. SHOOTING RANGE PROTECTION ACT

87A.001 APPLICATION OF LAWS 2005, CHAPTER 56, TERMINOLOGY CHANGES.
State agencies shall use the terminology changes specified in Laws 2005, chapter 56, section
1, when printed material and signage are replaced and new printed material and signage are
obtained. State agencies do not have to replace existing printed material and signage to comply
with Laws 2005, chapter 56, sections 1 and 2. Language changes made according to Laws 2005,
chapter 56, sections 1 and 2, shall not expand or exclude eligibility to services.
History: 2005 c 56 s 3

87A.01 DEFINITIONS.
    Subdivision 1. Applicability. The definitions in this section apply to sections 87A.01
to 87A.08.
    Subd. 2. Person. "Person" means an individual, association, proprietorship, partnership,
corporation, club, political subdivision, or other legal entity.
    Subd. 3. Shooting range or range. "Shooting range" or "range" means an area or facility
designated or operated primarily for the use of firearms, as defined in section 97A.015,
subdivision 19 , or archery, and includes shooting preserves as described in section 97A.115 or
any other Minnesota law.
    Subd. 4. Shooting range performance standards. "Shooting range performance standards"
means those rules adopted by the commissioner of natural resources under section 87A.02 for the
safe operation of shooting ranges.
    Subd. 5. Local unit of government. "Local unit of government" means a home rule charter
or statutory city, county, town, or other political subdivision.
History: 2005 c 105 s 1

87A.02 SHOOTING RANGE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
    Subdivision 1. Adoption of standards; review. (a) The commissioner of natural resources
must develop and adopt shooting range performance standards, according to the expedited
rulemaking process under section 14.389. The shooting range performance standards must
provide for compliance with applicable noise standards under section 87A.05 and for the safe use
of shooting ranges within their boundaries, including the containment of projectiles.
(b) The shooting range performance standards must provide for the operation of shooting
preserves within the boundaries of the preserve, including an exemption from any discharge
distance limitations generally applicable to hunting on other land, when the shooting preserve is
in compliance with all other applicable laws and is in operation on or before the effective date of
the performance standards adopted under this section or prior to the development of any structure
that would cause the preserve to be out of compliance with the discharge distance.
(c) The commissioner must review the shooting range performance standards at least once
every five years and revise them if necessary for the safe operation of shooting ranges.
(d) In the adoption of any amendments to the shooting range performance standards adopted
under paragraph (a), the commissioner shall follow all notice and public hearing requirements for
the regular rule adoption process under sections 14.001 to 14.28.
    Subd. 2. Interim standards. Until the commissioner of natural resources adopts the
shooting range performance standards under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), the November 1999
revised edition of the National Rifle Association's Range Source Book: A Guide to Planning
and Construction shall serve as the interim shooting range performance standards, having the
full effect of the shooting range performance standards for purposes of this chapter. The interim
shooting range performance standards sunset and have no further effect under this chapter upon
the effective date of the shooting range performance standards adopted under subdivision 1,
paragraph (a).
History: 2005 c 105 s 2

87A.03 COMPLIANT RANGES; AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.
    Subdivision 1. Authorized activities. A shooting range that operates in compliance with
the shooting range performance standards must be permitted to do all of the following within its
geographic boundaries, under the same or different ownership or occupancy, if done in accordance
with shooting range performance standards:
(1) operate the range and conduct activities involving the discharge of firearms;
(2) expand or increase its membership or opportunities for public participation related to the
primary activity as a shooting range;
(3) make those repairs or improvements desirable to meet or exceed requirements of shooting
range performance standards;
(4) increase events and activities related to the primary activity as a shooting range;
(5) conduct shooting activities and discharge firearms daily between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00
p.m. A local unit of government with zoning jurisdiction over a shooting range may extend the
hours of operation by the issuance of a special or conditional use permit; and
(6) acquire additional lands to be used for buffer zones or noise mitigation efforts or to
otherwise comply with this chapter.
    Subd. 2. Nonconforming use. A shooting range that is a nonconforming use shall be allowed
to conduct additional shooting activities within the range's lawful property boundaries as of the
date the range became a nonconforming use, provided the shooting range remains in compliance
with noise and shooting range performance standards under this chapter.
    Subd. 3. Compliance with other law. Nothing in this section exempts any newly
constructed or remodeled building on a shooting range from compliance with fire safety, disability
accessibility, elevator safety, bleacher safety, or other provisions of the State Building Code
that have mandatory statewide application.
History: 2005 c 56 s 1; 2005 c 105 s 3

87A.04 MITIGATION AREA.
(a) Except for those uses, developments, and structures in existence or for which approval
has been granted by October 1, 2005, or as provided in paragraph (b), no change in use, new
development, or construction of a structure shall be approved for any portion of property within
750 feet of the perimeter property line of an outdoor shooting range if the change in use,
development, or construction would cause an outdoor shooting range in compliance with this
chapter to become out of compliance.
(b) A change in use, new development, or construction of a structure subject to this section
may be approved if the person seeking the approval or, at the discretion of the governing body, the
approving authority agrees to provide any mitigation required to keep the range in compliance
with this chapter. The person requesting an approval subject to this section is responsible for
providing documentation if no mitigation is required under this section. Failure to provide the
documentation or any mitigation required under this section exempts the range from being found
out of compliance with the shooting range performance and noise standards of this chapter with
regard to the property responsible for the mitigation if the failure to provide the documentation
or required mitigation is the sole basis for the range being out of compliance with the shooting
range performance standards. Any action brought by the owner of the property against the range
is subject to section 87A.06. With the permission of the range operator, any mitigation required
under this section may be provided on the range property.
History: 2005 c 105 s 4

87A.05 NOISE STANDARDS.
Allowable noise levels for the operation of a shooting range are the levels determined by
replacing the steady state noise L10 and L50 state standards for each period of time within each
noise area's classification with a single Leq(h) standard for impulsive noise that is two dBA lower
than that of the L10 level for steady state noise. The noise level shall be measured outside of
the range property at the location of the receiver's activity according to Minnesota Rules, parts
7030.0010 to 7030.0080, as in effect on May 28, 2005. For purposes of this section, "Leq(h)"
means the energy level that is equivalent to a steady state level that contains the same amount of
sound energy as the time varying sound level for a 60-minute time period.
History: 2005 c 105 s 5

87A.06 NUISANCE ACTIONS; COMPLIANCE WITH SHOOTING RANGE
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
A person who owns, operates, or uses a shooting range in this state that is in compliance
with shooting range performance standards is not subject to any nuisance action for damages or
equitable relief based on noise or other matters regulated by the shooting range performance
standards. This section does not prohibit other actions.
History: 2005 c 105 s 6

87A.07 CLOSURE OF SHOOTING RANGES.
    Subdivision 1. Closure. Except as otherwise provided in sections 87A.01 to 87A.08,
a shooting range that is in compliance with shooting range performance standards and the
requirements of sections 87A.01 to 87A.08 shall not be forced to permanently close or
permanently cease any activity related to the primary use of the shooting range unless the range or
activity is found to be a clear and immediate safety hazard by a court of competent jurisdiction. In
any action brought to compel the permanent closure of any range in compliance with shooting
range performance standards and this chapter, or to permanently cease any activity related to the
primary use of the shooting range, there is a rebuttable presumption that the range or activity is
not a clear and immediate safety hazard. If the shooting range provides evidence that the cause
of a proven safety hazard can be mitigated so as to eliminate the safety hazard, the court shall
not order the permanent closure of the range, or permanent ceasing of the activity found to be a
clear and immediate safety hazard, unless the range operator fails to implement the necessary
mitigation to remove the safety hazard by the date that is determined reasonable by the court.
    Subd. 2. Preliminary injunctions. Nothing in this section prohibits a court from granting
a preliminary injunction against any activity determined to be a probable clear and immediate
safety hazard, or against any individual determined to be the probable cause of an alleged clear
and immediate safety hazard, pending the final determination of the existence of the safety hazard.
    Subd. 3. Permanent injunctions. A court may grant a permanent injunction only against a
particular activity or person instead of permanently closing the range unless the court finds that
the remaining operations also pose a safety hazard under this section.
History: 2005 c 105 s 7

87A.08 APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAWS.
    Subdivision 1. Public safety laws; zoning. (a) Nothing in this chapter prohibits enforcement
of any federal law. To the extent consistent with this chapter, other state laws regarding the health,
safety, and welfare of the public may be enforced. To the extent consistent with this chapter, a
local unit of government with zoning authority jurisdiction over a shooting range may enforce
its applicable ordinances and permits. Nothing in this chapter shall supersede more restrictive
regulation of days and hours of operation imposed by the terms and conditions of ordinances and
permits that are in effect on May 28, 2005.
(b) If the operator of the shooting range shows evidence that the range can be brought
into compliance with the applicable state law, local ordinance, or permit, the range may not be
permanently closed unless the range operator fails to bring the range into compliance with the
applicable law, ordinance, or permit under this section by the date that the court determines
reasonable. Nothing in this section prohibits a court from granting a preliminary injunction
against any activity determined to be a violation of a law, ordinance, or permit under this section
or against any individual determined to be causing an alleged violation, pending the final
determination of the existence of the violation.
    Subd. 2. Permanent injunctions. A court may grant a permanent injunction only against a
particular activity or person instead of permanently closing the range unless the court finds that
the remaining operations also create a violation under this section.
History: 2005 c 105 s 8