Willow Wood Gun Club Causes a Nightmare for Nearby Residents
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A policy statement of the Town of Carmel is to prevent excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noise, which may jeopardize the well-being, public health, comfort and peace and quiet of its residents.
Thousands of residents of Carmel, Mahopac and Somers who live in the area of the Willow Wood Gun Club have been denied the right of peace and quiet that they deserve. They are now bombarded every week with thousands of harrowing shotgun blasts. Many residents have indicated that they now know what it must be like to experience “hell on Earth” in a combat zone. While the shooting is going on, it is impossible to sit on your deck or patio and enjoy the tranquility of your surroundings. Many times, you can hear the shotgun blasts while in your home with the windows closed!
There have been many noise complaints but no action has been taken.
Condo 22 of Heritage Hills has used a Toptes TS-501 B model sound-level meter to determine the noise levels that are occurring at the Condo 22 property line. Readings of 79 decibels have been measured and recorded on video; the limits noise to 60 decibels. The Toptes sound level meter has recorded hundreds of shotgun blasts that are more than 60 decibels. Additionally, it appears that the Town of Carmel has no equipment to measure sound levels when complaints are filed.
Carmel’s noise code states “No person shall make or cause or permit to be made, verbally or mechanically, any unnecessary noise. An unnecessary noise shall mean any excessive or unusually loud sound or any sound which either annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of any other person.”
We say to the Town of Carmel code enforcement officer, take measured readings of the noise levels of the Willow Wood Gun Club, and if necessary, close the club’s skeet disc shooting stations.
The shotgun blasts have been allowed to continue at the gun club with no consideration of the effect they have on the neighbors in Carmel, Mahopac and Somers. Homeowners are thinking about moving because of this invasion of their privacy. We invite the Carmel code enforcement officer to drive on Union Valley Road, Lovell Street, Warren Street, etc. any week and hear the noise of the shotgun blasts. So far, the nightmare remains. The skeet disc shooting stations are as close as 132 feet away from Condo 22 property in Heritage Hills.
It is time for Carmel officials to act and measure the sound levels at the club’s skeet disc shooting course, and if the sound levels exceed the code, close it down.
The original course of four target practice ranges was there for 70 years. No problem with that. The new skeet disc shooting course with 15 shooting stations is totally unacceptable. Fifteen shooting stations from which the residents in the surrounding area hear excessive, unimaginable noise at 79 or more decibels. Think of parents trying to explain these booming and exploding noises to their children?
The time has come for action by Carmel town officials.
Jack Stein
Vice President
Condo 22 Heritage Hills
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