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(Continued from Page 4) clear that he was hired by R. L. Bowers trading for Blue
Ridge Guns and that he billed the gun shop,” answered Konick.
Dulaney produced a bill from Ryder made out to the sportsmen’s association.
“That wouldn’t surprise me a bit,” countered Konick, pointing out that the bill was dated November 30, 1983— 114 months after the construction.
At the time the ordinance amendment was drafted, did Bowers intend to build a commercial firing range adjacent to the gun shop, Dulaney asked Konick.
Konick responded that it would be best to ask Bowers what his intentions were. Konick added that he had seen the ammendment as proposed “simply to provide for firing ranges to be allowed in some districts and to enact guidelines.” In fact, Konick added, the Planning Commission chairman had to point out several times during the public hearing that the proposal was intended to cover all firing ranges in the county and not just near the gun shop.
Baumgardner briefly called Patricia Ann Dixon to the stand. Dixon testified that she lives “one farm over” from the Settle property. She had taken the pictures of the firing range which Baumgardner had introduced into evidence. Dixon added that she had no reason to believe that the firing range had been removed.
Bowers Tells His Side
After the county rested its case, Dulaney called Robert L. Bowers to the stand. Bowers identified himself as a gunsmith, one of the owners of Blue Ridge Guns and president of the nine member Rappahannock Sportsmen’s Association.
Bowers said the associa tion had leased the Settie property for “a few selected individuals to go and shoot safely and for no other reason. We have not fired the first round of ammunition,” he added, saying the club was still in the process of organizing when the temporary injunction was brought against it.
“For no reason” would the firing range be open to the public, he added. The club was limited to a fewskilled marksmen interested in improving and practicing for competition, Bowers maintained. He likened the sport to tennis or golf where a few club members would get together to work to improve their skill.
Under further questioning, Bowers asserted that there was no connection between the association and his gun shop and that he stood to gain “absolutely” no personal profit from the club. There would be qualifications for membership, he continued. Each member would be someone who had previously participated in competitive shooting, knew guns and had completed the Virginia hunters’ safety course.
Bowers said the berms had been built to make the area safe. Although several of the same men had used the Settle property for about four years for target practice, they had decided to add the constructions to make the area safer from ricochets.
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