2006 Code of Virginia § 15.2-917 - Applicability of local noise ordinances to certain sport shooting ranges

15.2-917. Applicability of local noise ordinances to certain sport shootingranges.

A. No local ordinance regulating any noise shall subject a sport shootingrange to noise control standards more stringent than those in effect at itseffective date. The operation or use of a sport shooting range shall not beenjoined on the basis of noise, nor shall any person be subject to action fornuisance or criminal prosecution in any matter relating to noise resultingfrom the operation of the range, if the range is in compliance with allordinances relating to noise in effect at the time construction or operationof the range was approved, or at the time any application was submitted forthe construction or operation of the range.

B. Any sport shooting range operating or approved for construction within theCommonwealth, which has been condemned through an eminent domain proceedingby any condemning entity, and which relocates to another site within the samelocality within two years of the final condemnation order, shall not besubjected to any noise control standard more stringent than those in effectat the effective date of such sport shooting range.

C. For purposes of this section, "sport shooting range" means an area orstructure designed for the use of rifles, shotguns, pistols, silhouettes,skeet, trap, black powder, or any other similar sport shooting.

For purposes of this section, "effective date" means the time theconstruction or operation of the sports shooting range initially wasapproved, or at the time any application was submitted for the constructionor operation of the sports shooting range, whichever is earliest.

(1990, cc. 541, 577, 15.1-29.20; 1997, c. 587; 2005, c. 544; 2006, c. 704.)