Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Shooting range to reopen following improvements
BELLA VISTA — The Highlands Shooting Range will reopen to Bella Vista Property Owners Association members and their guests, but not until improvements are completed to make the complex safer, and that will take time — “many months” at least.
That’s what CEO Tom Judson told a group of association members gathered for the Jan. 8 meeting of the Recreation Joint Advisory Committee.
The pistol and rifle range located at 16105 Rocky Dell Hollow Road has been closed for two months following the report of a stray bullet striking a residential home located a half mile down range of the sporting complex on Nov. 4. No one was injured in the incident.
POLICE REPORT
Boone County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Marietta conducted an investigation and found that a .30 caliber rifle round, believed to be fired from the shooting range, struck a north-facing window of the home, traveled through a bedroom door and became lodged inside the south wall of the bedroom.
“Based on my training and experience with firearms, it was reasonable to believe the bullet started at the range in an upward trajectory. By the time the bullet had traveled about .5 miles, it was on a downward trajectory because it was losing velocity. This would explain the change in elevation from the first point of impact on the north window of [the] residence to the last point of impact on the south interior wall of the residence,” Marietta’s incident report reads.
Judson showed a slide of this quote during the meeting.
“The bullet went through their living area. It could have hit someone,” he said. “So this police report really squarely points to the POA.”
The report indicated the homeowners were not present when the bullet struck their residence; however, their son and grandchildren were. It also noted the bullet traveled directly over a reclining chair that’s often used by the residents.
The report estimated the cost of the damages to the home at $3,500. Judson said the POA paid for the repairs.
Another slide from the report showed the deputy’s opinion about the safety of the range: “The berm at the range that customers shoot into did not appear high enough to protect what is behind the range. The low height of the berm proved to be a safety hazard during this incident and has the potential to occur again if not raised.”
STEPS TAKEN
Judson said the goal moving forward is for the association to make all reasonable improvements to the pistol and rifle range before it is reopened. The costs and timeline for these improvements are to be determined.
So far the POA has contacted a local civil engineering firm, Wallace Design, to assist with the remodeling of the range, Judson said, noting this is the same firm being used in the Tanyard Creek Practice Facility remodeling project.
Also, two association staff members visited a recently-renovated, state-managed shooting range in Conway to gather information on making successful improvements to the Bella Vista range.
“Based on research and the visit to the range in Conway, it appears that the use of baffles and berms is the appropriate approach,” Judson said. “As we work through process with civil engineers, our approach may shift.”
He said the wooden baffles there are situated so that the shooter can’t see blue sky, forcing them to look straight down range at the target.
Judson said berms need to be constructed on either side of the Bella Vista range in addition to increasing the height of the berm down range.
These improvements will require more land, and fortunately, there is a solution, according to Judson. He said he contacted Cooper Communities, owner of all the property surrounding the shooting range, and asked if the POA could purchase some land from them to accommodate the remodeling.
“Cooper has come back and said we want to sell you as little land as possible while also allowing you enough space to accomplish your goal,” Judson said. “If we need 50 feet, that’s what they’re going to sell us.”
STOP-GAP AMENITY
The POA has partnered with Ozark Sportsman in Springdale so that members can utilize its shooting range while improvements are being made to the Bella Vista complex. The cost to members remains the same.
If you have a POA activity card, you get in for free; if you have a membership card, you pay that fee.
“The only difference is guests will pay more at Ozark Sportsman than they would in Bella Vista,” Judson said. “The POA is subsidizing this and gets charged for that usage.”
DISPELLING RUMORS
One emphasis of Judson’s presentation was to dispel rumors, mainly being distributed on social media, he said, that the POA had ulterior motives for closing the pistol and rifle range in November.
“Social media: You gotta love it, you gotta hate it,” he said. “There’s a bunch of false rumors on social media — it’s a bunch of trash. Are we selling the land? No we’re not. For the POA to sell land that falls under the authority of the declaration requires a vote of the entire membership … we have no intention to sell that land; those rumors are false.”
He said he’s also heard rumors that the POA plans to repurpose the land, such as putting in a swimming pool at the shooting range location. “All false,” Judson said. “These are the facts: A home was hit down range. We’re going to do everything we can to make reasonable improvements to the range. End of story. All of the other stuff — garbage.”