Sad news. The skeet and trap club was first established in 1970 by Carl Poston. The Sheaffer family purchased the club in 2000 and added sporting clays.
When neighbors, who moved near the club, complained about noise, the county attorney discovered that the club never received a "special use" permit when first established in 1970. The county filed suit to injoin operation of the club. Never mind that for 38 years the county had full knowlege of the club and allowed it to operate.
The judge ruled against the club on all arguments and further ruled that Tennessee's Range Protection Act did not apply because the club was not lawfully permitted in 1970.
While the Sheaffer family has the option of seeking appropriate zoning approval, the politics in this case do no offer much encouragement. At the behest of a hostile county commissioner, the county commission recently voted to remove jurisdiction of gun ranges from the local zoning board and require gun range zoning be approved by the county commission.
Montlake Classic Clays was a very fine facility operated by a dedicated, hardworking family. This is a loss for the state of Tennessee.
When neighbors, who moved near the club, complained about noise, the county attorney discovered that the club never received a "special use" permit when first established in 1970. The county filed suit to injoin operation of the club. Never mind that for 38 years the county had full knowlege of the club and allowed it to operate.
The judge ruled against the club on all arguments and further ruled that Tennessee's Range Protection Act did not apply because the club was not lawfully permitted in 1970.
While the Sheaffer family has the option of seeking appropriate zoning approval, the politics in this case do no offer much encouragement. At the behest of a hostile county commissioner, the county commission recently voted to remove jurisdiction of gun ranges from the local zoning board and require gun range zoning be approved by the county commission.
Montlake Classic Clays was a very fine facility operated by a dedicated, hardworking family. This is a loss for the state of Tennessee.