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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Paintball Club Proposal A City Attorney's Office 515 Clark Avenue,P.O.Box 811 Caring People Ames,IA 50010 Quality Programs Fmrptioaal service Phone: 515-239-5146 •Fax: 515-239-5142 August 24, 2001 Ted Tedesco, Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa Re: Paintball Club Proposal Dear Mayor Tedesco and Council Members: Paintball is a recreational activity using airgun launched paint-splatting projectiles which is growing in popularity around the country, including in this area. It's growth has been hampered by a lack of nearby facilities,however. ISU has a club for this sport, and they have been planning to establish a local facility for this sport. One obstacle I made them aware of was our local ordinance that prohibits discharging airguns in the City,which states: "Sec. 17.2. AIRGUNS,BOWS,SLINGSHOTS;DISCHARGING. (1) Any person who discharges any projectile or missile from any bow,air-gun,slingshot or similar appliance, within the City, whereby any person may or shall be hurt or hit, any window broken or other property damaged or destroyed,commits a municipal infraction punishable by a penalty of$50 for a person's first violation and$100 for each repeat violation. (2) Alternatively,a violation of this section can be charged by a peace officer of the City as a simple misdemeanor. (Ord.No. 812,Sec. 94; Code 1956,Sec. 76-94;Ord.No. 3497,Sec. 13, 8-25-98; Ord.No. 3551, 3-7- 00)" Representatives of this club met with me recently, since their plans are moving forward quickly, to begin the process to enact an exemption in the ordinance for their activity. I've enclosed a copy of their proposal . If you are interested in looking at an exemption for this activity,I would be happy to have you refer this back for drafting the appropriate ordinance language. Yours truly,, t�1C'ckw Judy K. Parks Assistant City Attorney JKP:dls Iowa State University Paintball Club Field Proposal Request for the City of Ames: The Iowa State University Paintball Club is seeking to build a paintball field on the campus of Iowa State University. The current city of Ames ordinance section 17.2 states: 17.2 Airguns, Bows, Slingshots; Discharging. (1) Any person who discharges any projectile or missile from any bow, air-gun, slingshot or similar appliance, within, the City, whereby any person may or shall be hurt or hit, any window broken, or other property damaged or destroyed, commits a municipal infraction punishable by a penalty of$50 for a person's first violation and $100 for each repeat violation. (2) Alternatively, a violation of this section can be charged by a peace officer of the City as a simple misdemeanor. (Ord. No. 812, Sec 94: Code 1956, Sec. 76-94; Ord. No. 3497, Sec 13, 8-25-98; Ord. No. 3551, 3-7-00) The ISU Paintball Club would clearly violate this ordinance with a paintball field whereby during the game the object is to eliminate using a tag from a paintball the opposing team's players. We are seeking a change to the ordinance that would allow a recognized paintball facility to apply for a permit to allow it to operate. Field Plans: The Iowa State Paintball Club has already presented a field plan to the Recreational Services Department. The field will be a Sup' Air Ball field which is inflatable for easy storage. This allows the field to be taken down when the club is not using it. This would prevent anyone from using the field when not properly supervised. The field will have paintball netting. The netting is 10 feet tall and surrounds the field on all sides. The system for the netting will allow the club to lower the poles it is hung on so that the field will be completely taken apart when not in use. The netting is specially designed for paintball. It is tested and certified by an insurance company. The club members who will be working the field will pass a safety certification course for paintball. Field Plans: The Iowa State Paintball Club has already presented a field plan to the Recreational Services Department. The field will be a Sup' Air Ball field which is inflatable for easy storage. This allows the field to be taken down when the club is not using it. This would prevent anyone from using the field when not properly supervised. The field will have paintball netting. The netting is 10 feet tall and surrounds the field on all sides. The system for the netting will allow the club to lower the poles it is hung on so that the field will be completely taken apart when not in use. The netting is specially designed for paintball. It is tested and certified by an insurance company. The club members who will be working the field will pass a safety certification course for paintball. Field Plans: The Iowa State Paintball Club has already presented a field plan to the Recreational Services Department. The field will be a Sup' Air Ball field which is inflatable for easy storage. This allows the field to be taken down when the club is not using it. This would prevent anyone from using the field when not properly supervised. The field will have paintball netting. The netting is 10 feet tall and surrounds the field on all sides. The system for the netting will allow the club to lower the poles it is hung on so that the field will be completely taken apart when not in use. The netting is specially designed for paintball. It is tested and certified by an insurance company. The club members who will be working the field will pass a safety certification course for paintball.