That's Saco, Maine, and appears to be strictly related to
discharging firearms (or blanks) in city limits, that kind of restriction is specifically allowed under
Maine's state preemption law.
As I said before, some towns have discharge ordinances within urban or built-up areas, which the Maine Constitution allows. There are numerous exceptions within these ordinances that protect individuals who fire a gun in self-defense.
And yes, namedpipes, that sign is/was rather vague.
PREEMPTION STATUTE
The Maine Legislature has adopted an express preemption statute. Section 2011 of title 25 of Maine Rev. Stat. provides:
1. Preemption. The State intends to occupy and preempt the entire field of legislation concerning the regulation of firearms, components, ammunition and supplies. Except as provided in subsection 3, any existing or future order, ordinance, rule or regulation in this field of any political subdivision of the State is void.
2. Regulation restricted. Except as provided in subsection 3,
no political subdivision of the State, including, but not limited to, municipalities, counties, townships and village corporations, may adopt any order, ordinance, rule or regulation concerning the sale, purchase, purchase delay, transfer, ownership, use, possession, bearing, transportation, licensing, permitting, registration, taxation or any other matter pertaining to firearms, components, ammunition or supplies.
The adoption of express preemption rendered invalid many local ordinances regulating firearms.
1 In addition to affecting regulations by cities and counties, section 2011 preempts firearms regulations by municipal agencies or authorities.
2
EXCEPTIONS
Political subdivisions in Maine are allowed to enact ordinances that:
- Conform exactly with state law3
- Regulate firearm discharge4
Law enforcement agencies also retain the authority “to regulate the type and use of firearms” issued to its employees.
5
INTERPRETATION
As of the date this page was last updated, Giffords Law Center is not aware of any significant case law interpreting these statutes.
OTHER STATUTORY PROVISIONS
Maine also limits local regulation of shooting ranges. A municipal noise control or other ordinance may not require or be applied so as to require a sport shooting range to limit or eliminate shooting activities that have occurred on a regular basis at the range prior to the enactment date of the ordinance, as long as the range conforms to generally accepted gun safety and shooting range operation practices or is constructed in a manner not reasonably expected to allow a projectile to cross the boundary of the range.
6 Subject to some limitations, local governments are allowed, however, to regulate the location and construction of new sport shooting ranges or substantial change in use of existing ranges on or after September 1, 2016.
7
Further, a 2017 law prohibits local governments (as well as state agencies) in Maine from keeping, or causing to be kept, a list or registry of privately owned firearms or firearm owners within their jurisdiction.
8
IMMUNITY
For state laws prohibiting local units of government (i.e., cities and counties) from filing certain types of lawsuits against the gun industry, see our page on
Immunity Statutes in Maine.
