I am writing in strong support of the proposed Elite Armory indoor shooting range facility at 2615 N Main Street. This well-designed, professionally-managed facility represents an important resource for the Walnut Creek community and the broader Bay Area. I respectfully urge the Council to approve this project and would like to address the concerns raised by some community members with factual, research-based information.
ADDRESSING COMMUNITY CONCERNS WITH EVIDENCE
The primary concerns raised by some residents center on claims that shooting ranges increase crime and create neighborhood safety issues. The evidence, however, does not support these concerns:
SHOOTING RANGES AND CRIME STATISTICS
• No Evidence of Crime Correlation: Research from government agencies and academic institutions has found no correlation between lawfully-operated shooting ranges and increased neighborhood crime rates. The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) database, maintained by the U.S. Department of Justice, does not identify shooting ranges as crime generators.
• Accidental Shootings Are Rare: According to CDC data (2024), accidental firearm deaths account for only 438 deaths nationwide—representing just 1% of all firearm-related deaths. This represents a 47% decline since 1999, demonstrating improved safety outcomes. Notably, accidental shooting injuries represent only 0.004% of all injuries leading to hospital emergency visits.
• Source: CDC Firearm Violence Prevention Program, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reporting Program
The reality is that shooting ranges provide controlled, supervised environments where firearm safety is paramount. Range operators are subject to strict licensing, insurance requirements, and regulatory oversight—all designed to ensure public safety.
INDOOR RANGES AND NOISE POLLUTION
• Noise Is Effectively Contained: Contrary to community concerns about noise pollution, properly engineered indoor shooting ranges do not contribute meaningfully to neighborhood noise pollution. The CDC National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has extensively studied indoor firing ranges and documented effective noise control strategies.
• Elite Armory's Acoustic Study: The proposed facility has commissioned a third-party acoustic study that confirms predicted noise levels will remain below ambient noise levels during all operating hours at nearby residential properties. This study demonstrates professional engineering and environmental stewardship.
• Sound Engineering Controls: Indoor ranges use multiple layers of noise control including:
- Ballistic ceilings and impact-resistant walls
- Sound-absorbing acoustic panels
- Engineered ventilation systems
- Double hearing protection systems for range users (achieving 44 dB reduction per NIOSH standards)
• Source: CDC/NIOSH "Reducing Exposure to Lead and Noise at Indoor Firing Ranges" (2010-113); OSHA Noise Standards; Elite Armory Acoustic Assessment
Modern indoor ranges, when properly constructed, create no measurable noise impact on surrounding neighborhoods.
THE BAY AREA IS LOSING LEGAL SHOOTING RANGES
• Closure Crisis: The Bay Area and Northern California have experienced significant closures of public and semi-public shooting ranges over the past decade. Lake Merced Gun Range in San Francisco has been closed/severely restricted, and numerous other ranges throughout the Bay Area have ceased operations or dramatically reduced public access.
• Public Access Problem: Citizens who wish to legally practice firearm safety and marksmanship have increasingly fewer options. The closure of range facilities has not improved public safety—it has eliminated legitimate venues for training and practice.
• Why This Matters: When legal shooting ranges close, they do not reduce the number of people who own firearms or wish to practice shooting. Rather, they eliminate the controlled, supervised, safety-focused environments where such practice should occur.
• Source: Multiple news reports from San Francisco Chronicle and Bay Area media outlets documenting range closures; California Firearms Dealers Association data
THE LOGICAL CONTRADICTION IN COMMUNITY OPPOSITION
Some residents who oppose this range cite "gun safety" concerns while simultaneously opposing a facility specifically designed for legal firearm users to practice safety. This position contains a fundamental contradiction:
• The Argument: "We don't want unsafe gun owners in our community."
• The Reality: Elite Armory's facility is precisely where gun owners improve their safety skills through:
- Professional instruction
- Supervised practice in a controlled environment
- Safety-focused facility design and management
- Professional staff oversight
• The Contradiction: If the concern is genuinely about safety, then a professional shooting range where firearm users can practice responsibly is part of the solution, not the problem. Opponents cannot simultaneously claim to want "safer gun owners" while opposing facilities that make gun owners safer.
Research confirms that access to training and practice facilities supports responsible firearm ownership. Eliminating such facilities does not enhance community safety—it undermines legitimate skill development and safety practices among lawful gun owners.
ABOUT THE ELITE ARMORY FACILITY
The proposed facility is a professionally-designed shooting range featuring:
• Advanced Safety Design: Nine-lane Tactical shooting environment with ballistic ceilings, impact-resistant walls, and sound-absorbing panels
• Professional Management: 4-6 staff members per shift with multilayered alarm systems, comprehensive surveillance, and secured access control exceeding industry standards
• Responsible Operations: Limited public hours (Tues-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat-Sun 10am-8pm) with additional reservation-only hours for law enforcement and professional trainers
• Acoustic Compliance: Third-party study confirms noise remains below ambient levels during all operating hours at nearby residential properties
• Regulatory Compliance: Full compliance with all OSHA, environmental, and local safety standards
CONCLUSION
This facility represents responsible business practice and will serve the legitimate needs of Walnut Creek residents and Bay Area firearm owners for lawful practice and training. The evidence demonstrates that:
1. Shooting ranges do not increase neighborhood crime
2. Properly engineered indoor ranges do not create noise pollution
3. The Bay Area needs more, not fewer, legal shooting ranges
4. Facilities like Elite Armory support, rather than undermine, firearm safety
I urge the City Council to approve this project based on evidence rather than unfounded fears. This is an opportunity to support lawful commerce, responsible firearm ownership, and community safety.
Thank you for your consideration and service to Walnut Creek.
Respectfully,
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SOURCES AND CITATIONS:
• Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program:
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/more-fbi-services-and-information/ucr
• CDC Firearm Violence Prevention Program – Firearm Injury and Death Statistics:
https://www.cdc.gov/firearm-violence/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
• Bureau of Justice Statistics – Trends and Patterns in Firearm Violence:
https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/trends-and-patterns-firearm-violence-1993-2023
• CDC/NIOSH "Reducing Exposure to Lead and Noise at Indoor Firing Ranges" (Publication 2010-113):
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2010-113/pdfs/2010-113.pdf
• OSHA Noise Standards and Hearing Conservation:
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2025-07-30
• Ammo.com Accidental Shooting Statistics (2026):
https://ammo.com/articles/accidental-shooting-statistics
• Elite Armory Acoustic Assessment and Design Review Commission Presentation (August 19, 2026)
• RAND Research on Firearm Safety:
https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy/analysis/firearm-safety-training-requirements.html
• California Association of Criminal Justice Educators: Firearm Ownership and Crime Research
• Office of Justice Programs – Guns and Crime Statistics:
https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/guns-and-crime-statistics-information-package
