HomeMy WebLinkAboutShooting Range UpdateMemo
To: Dave Kanner, County Administrator
From: Marc Mills, Captain
Date: March 16, 2009
Re: Sheriffs Office Shooting Range Update - Next Monday's work session
The Deschutes County Sheriffs Office, along with Deschutes County Property Management has been
actively seeking land that could be used for a Sheriffs Office Shooting Range. We have made contacts
with BLM, the Oregon National Guard, and Redmond Rod & Gun Club to seek alternatives as well as
creative ideas/solutions for a range. Ideas have ranged from County owned land, BLM land/land swap,
partnerships with the Military/the Redmond Rod & Gun Club. We have run into issues with all ideas
mentioned.
Some months back the Bend Trap Club contacted the Sheriffs Office after an article appeared in the Bend
Bulletin regarding the sale of County property that included the Sheriffs Office Shooting Range. We
made contact but waited until February 2009 to meet with Bend Trap Club's Board to see what they had
to offer. Bend Trap Club has done an excellent job constructing their current facility (about 28 miles east
off Hwy 20). They have offered the Sheriffs Office a lease of about 120 acres adjacent to their current
facility that would be exclusively used by the Sheriffs Office (this would allow for tax exemption for the
120 acres). They also would allow us to tap into utilities and allow for construction of a large storage
building.
We have made contact with the Assessor's Office and Planning Department to understand the
possibilities. What we have found is that we may have some planning issues that we are still working, on,
but possible solutions too.