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Westminster R&G closed due to neighbor complaints

never makes sense to me why they cannot continue to operate until the hearing. I hope people swarm in droves to support this club.
 
I wonder if this was caused by the greasy hippies that are directly behind the place. Back when I used to shoot there a bunch of hippie-like people bought the parcel of land behind the club and they used to have all this junk set up out there. This hippie like old lady tried to give me shit for "being on her property" and I was like "no, um, see that rock wall that you're behind? That's the property line it's been there for probably 50+ years. Now I'm going to continue shooting, if you don't mind" Then she just stood there and stared at me while I popped off a half dozen more rounds of .308 ...

-Mike
 
I'm always blown away by people who don't consider these things before they buy a property somewhere... The entire world is supposed to just change for your benefit? Maybe the zoning board should relocate an "offensive" pond, river, bus stop or train tracks near your new house, too. Morons.

Anyone remember the deer crossing sign lady?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K3MoxlCaJ4
 
Frizzle Fry said:
I'm always blown away by people who don't consider these things before they buy a property somewhere...
Click to expand...

Not QUITE the same thing, but didn't the MBTA bury significant portions of the commuter rail in a South Shore town???? (Hingham? I forget.)

Same s-word going on in Easton right now. "Oh noes. Don't putz'z the rail'z through our townz'z!" All sorts of fights dealing with the toxic Hockomock Swamp when the reality is they don't want tranquil stuck-up Easton to have to deal with trains pulling the lowly masses from Taunton, Fall River and NB through their town.
 
Frizzle Fry said:
I'm always blown away by people who don't consider these things before they buy a property somewhere... The entire world is supposed to just change for your benefit? Maybe the zoning board should relocate an "offensive" pond, river, bus stop or train tracks near your new house, too. Morons.
Click to expand...

yeah, but that's not how it works, libtards are looking to buy into any package that they want to bitch about. It's like they go to a store and they look for some project bitching thing, so they can buy into it then whine and cry.
 
Dennis in MA said:
Not QUITE the same thing, but didn't the MBTA bury significant portions of the commuter rail in a South Shore town???? (Hingham? I forget.)

Same s-word going on in Easton right now. "Oh noes. Don't putz'z the rail'z through our townz'z!" All sorts of fights dealing with the toxic Hockomock Swamp when the reality is they don't want tranquil stuck-up Easton to have to deal with trains pulling the lowly masses from Taunton, Fall River and NB through their town.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure the details, did they really end up burying them? My aunt bought a small house in Hingham a few years back, around the time they were doing rail construction or expansion. She did her due diligence, knew it was coming, and was OK with buying the house knowing there would be tracks across the street (or maybe they were getting more busy, or something). She wasn't there long - her company OK'ed her buying the house then shut down her division a few months later, genuinely scummy on their part.

Overall my point is, you're buying a house. Yuge investment. Check out the crime data, the school systems, taxes, infrastructure, local government, etc. Have the home inspected. Visit at a few different times of day to check out the traffic patterns, etc. What kind of moron doesn't do due diligence when make a hundreds of thousand dollar long term investment? It's not like the Rod & Gun sprung up overnight, it's existed for 60+ years. Nobody moved in and then was told "Oh, we just approved opening a Rod & Gun with a loud shooting range".

I've got a Rod & Gun that is practically in my back yard... to me, that's a benefit, but if my neighbor bought a house and then got mad about the noise, I'd laugh my ass off.
 
I'm always blown away by people who don't consider these things before they buy a property somewhere... The entire world is supposed to just change for your benefit? Maybe the zoning board should relocate an "offensive" pond, river, bus stop or train tracks near your new house, too. Morons.
Click to expand...

I think they consider it, and then I think they do it anyway with the full intention of filing some lawsuit or other grievance in an attempt to get what they want.
 
If they would make supressors legal, this issue would go away, right?

Assuming that the "noise" complaints are legit and it isn't just some ahole anti pushing this BS.
 
Seems to me a huge reduction in property taxes for the range is due since the town shut down their primary activity...
 
Frizzle Fry said:
I'm not sure the details, did they really end up burying them? My aunt bought a small house in Hingham a few years back, around the time they were doing rail construction or expansion. She did her due diligence, knew it was coming, and was OK with buying the house knowing there would be tracks across the street (or maybe they were getting more busy, or something). She wasn't there long - her company OK'ed her buying the house then shut down her division a few months later, genuinely scummy on their part.

Overall my point is, you're buying a house. Yuge investment. Check out the crime data, the school systems, taxes, infrastructure, local government, etc. Have the home inspected. Visit at a few different times of day to check out the traffic patterns, etc. What kind of moron doesn't do due diligence when make a hundreds of thousand dollar long term investment? It's not like the Rod & Gun sprung up overnight, it's existed for 60+ years. Nobody moved in and then was told "Oh, we just approved opening a Rod & Gun with a loud shooting range".

I've got a Rod & Gun that is practically in my back yard... to me, that's a benefit, but if my neighbor bought a house and then got mad about the noise, I'd laugh my ass off.
Click to expand...
They did put a portion of it underground and at great expense.
 
Read MGL C. 214 S. 7B to them at the hearing.

That EXEMPTS any range existant prior to this law from any noise issues during "normal hours" (8AM to 10PM).

Good luck.

ETA: Correction of times allowed under this law above.
 
Last edited:
Len-2A Training said:
Read MGL C. 214 S. 7B to them at the hearing.

That EXEMPTS any range existant prior to this law from any noise issues during "normal hours" (8AM to 10PM).

Good luck.

ETA: Correction of times allowed under this law above.
Click to expand...

I emailed the club leadership this morning that every response to the antis needs to begin with this.
 
Mike S said:
I emailed the club leadership this morning that every response to the antis needs to begin with this.
Click to expand...

. . . and end with a lawsuit against each member of the ZBA (individually, due to overstepping their legal authority) and the town for violation of this law!
 
I was a member of North Grafton f&g when this happend to them. Not exactly the same circumstances, but shut down by the town until we got a gun lawyer and found out that the town had no jurisdiction or any right to shut us down as long as the range operated within state laws. The club no longer pays for a shooting gallery license that they paid for, for years and years. After an internal review of its shooting and safety procedures the club resumed shooting activities without the blessings of the town.

I strongly suggest that you Westminister members
contact an officer from NGFG&B club and ask for direction. I'm sure that they will be glad to help.
 
Last edited:
The noise law protection is not absolute if the court wants to apply the bug (but its guns) doctrine.

About 20 +/- years ago, the Dudley Sportsmens Club had a noise dispute that elevated to the level of the opposition hiring a private eye to join the club so he could attend meetings (disclosed at deposition).

Despite being a long standing gun club, the court held the club did not provide proof that it had been in continuous operation every year since the law was put in place, and thus denied protection. It was shut down as the club could not afford an appeal.
 
Asaltweapon said:
If they were smart they would already be getting a huge tax break for having it in Chapter 61 B.
Click to expand...
Yes (easy for a range), and if the range is shut down 61B is the lowest possible tax rate - if it has to be repurposed outside of recreational/forrestry/farm, the property tax goes up. The best alternative contigency plan is a comprehensive permit (40B developement). If the town screws the club, the president can go in and say "we are here to tell you about the low cost housing development and low income people we are bringing to town; it's a 40B so just sit and listen as you do not get a say in the matter").
 
Personally, I just don't want to pay a lot of taxes for a train that's not going to carry enough people to make it profitable. How many people commute from the south coast to Boston? The right of way through Easton and points south has been abandoned for 50 or more years. It's not like it's an active line south of Stoughton center.

Dennis in MA said:
Not QUITE the same thing, but didn't the MBTA bury significant portions of the commuter rail in a South Shore town???? (Hingham? I forget.)

Same s-word going on in Easton right now. "Oh noes. Don't putz'z the rail'z through our townz'z!" All sorts of fights dealing with the toxic Hockomock Swamp when the reality is they don't want tranquil stuck-up Easton to have to deal with trains pulling the lowly masses from Taunton, Fall River and NB through their town.
Click to expand...
 
There's barely half a dozen houses in the area - not a lot of people could possibly be bothered by the noise. What a bunch of whiny crybabies.

GXOzvLD.png
 
Len-2A Training said:
. . . and end with a lawsuit against each member of the ZBA (individually, due to overstepping their legal authority) and the town for violation of this law!
Click to expand...

QFMFT

Since the town's actions are opposed to black-letter law, this should be a start. Next, a good disbarred attorney should file a suit for damages against the complaining party, on behalf of the Club as an entity, and every member who was deprived of the use of the Club, and emotional distress caused by having one's multi-year investment of time and $ in the Club reduced by the actions of the complaining party.


Or, a sternly worded letter.



Nah.....sue the sumbitch!
 
Rob Boudrie said:
Yes (easy for a range), and if the range is shut down 61B is the lowest possible tax rate - if it has to be repurposed outside of recreational/forrestry/farm, the property tax goes up. The best alternative contigency plan is a comprehensive permit (40B developement). If the town screws the club, the president can go in and say "we are here to tell you about the low cost housing development and low income people we are bringing to town; it's a 40B so just sit and listen as you do not get a say in the matter").
Click to expand...

Slight correction. 61 (forestry) and 61 A (agricultural) are the lowest rates. 61 B (recreational) is still pretty cheap. IIRC its only 15%. Town has the right for first refusal on an actual offer to purchase. There are a few more twists and turns along the way so dropping the 40B bomb isn't an easy option.
 
Apparently the town is telling the club that they're not zoned for that use, problem is the club predates any zoning as it's been there since the late 1800's.
 

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