Proposed SCSO Firing Range On Today’s Stephens Co. Commission Agenda

The Stephens County Commission is expected to consider a decision on whether or not to allow a proposed firing range for the Sheriff’s Office to move forward at their meeting this morning.

County commissioners are meeting at 8:30 a.m. today in the second-floor courtroom of the historic Stephens County Courthouse in downtown Toccoa.

On the agenda for today’s meeting, county commissioners are to consider a motion to direct staff to resume clearing and grading for the Sheriff’s Office firing range at the county road department.

In August, Stephens County Commissioners voted to let the Sheriff’s Office use the land for the range.

However, a number of residents in that neighborhood voiced concerns over the proposed range at a commission meeting last month and based on those concerns, county commissioners voted to halt work on the range until the Sheriff’s Office could meet with concerned residents.

That meeting took place on September 18.

Residents expressed concerns including the level of noise that would come from the range, whether the range was really needed since the city has a training facility that is made available to the county, and whether the Sheriff’s Office contacted residents appropriately about the range.

The Sheriff’s Office said that the range is needed to have the time to do additional training for deputies and add that it does not feel noise will be a problem and that they have attempted to follow all appropriate standards for firing ranges.

Concern has also been expressed about the effect of the noise of the range on the animals at the humane shelter, about 400 yards away.

However, Shelter Director Jeff Roberts said his concerns were alleviated after a test was done last month, though range opponents questioned that because it was not continuous firing.

Today’s 8:30 a.m. Stephens County Commission meeting is open to the public.