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The Founders Ranch, home of the Single Action Shooting Society, got a big boost last week for plans to expand the private facility into a public shooting range and host large-scale events.
A key government panel recommended that the Torrance County Commission approve a zoning change for the 480-acre site in the northwestern corner of the county.
After more than 4 1/2 hours of discussion, explanation, rebuttal and a lengthy PowerPoint presentation by the Founders Ranch, the county’s Planning and Zoning Board voted unanimously to recommend approval the plan, providing certain conditions are met.
The conditions centered on the roadways leading into the site, which fall under the jurisdiction of three counties – Santa Fe, Bernalillo and Torrance – compounding the problem. The board members wanted some assurance that the county commissioners would pursue talks with the other counties aimed at widening and paving Barton and Juan Tomas roads to greatly improve access at the ranch.
If the commission gives the proposal a green light next month, Founders Ranch could become home to such widespread events as concerts, flea and farmers’ markets, dude ranch activities, sporting competitions, automobile and livestock shows, banquets, weddings, public meetings, rodeos and community games, such as bingo, completely altering the relatively peaceful area into an economic hub.
The ranch could also expand current shooting sites and build a pro shop, a clubhouse with kitchen facilities and museums and host world-class shooting and other cowboy exhibitions, among others.
Several residents who live near the ranch objected to the request for “massive” change, citing existing noise and traffic problems that they said would only get much worse. But supporters – and there were many present – said noise is not really a problem and that traffic had only been a major problem once, in May, when the ranch allowed an outside organization to host an event called Warrior Dash.
Misty Miller, CEO of the Single Action Shooting Society, presented the Founders Ranch position to the board. At one point near the end of the discussion, she conceded that the ranch had “over-slipped our limits” when it allowed Warrior Dash to go on without proper oversight. But, she added, the ranch had learned from the mistake.
The laundry list of possible additions to the ranch were, in essence, “our wildest hopes and dreams,” Miller said. After obtaining a limited but permanent conditional-use permit seven years ago, the ranch wanted to “do it right” this time and was therefore requesting the whole kit and caboodle. She said the ranch wants to work with neighbors of the facility.
Several of those neighbors complained about the almost constant gunfire at the ranch, which is open five days a week.
“I really understand how the neighbors feel,” said board chairman Jim Frost. His colleagues seemed to agree, but other than the roads and traffic issues, they attached no other conditions to their recommendation for approval.
— This article appeared on page C2 of the Albuquerque Journal
