History of the Island Lake Shooting Range

Citizens for a Quiet Community

Below is a brief history of events leading up to the present time. More detail is afforded to recent events.

1981 – Island Lake Recreation Area suggested as location for shooting range.

 

1983 – Citizens petition against shooting range. Green Oak Township files complaint against

             the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) requesting permanent injunction of

             shooting range construction.

 

1988 – Natural Resources Commission (NRC) updates shooting range master plan. Judgment with

            injunction issued, and Circuit Court denies approval of shooting range master plan.

 

1989 – Citizen advisory board meetings. Township approves gravel pit site for the shooting range.

 

1994 – DNR decides to locate shooting range at its present site.

 

1998 – Green Oak Township issues special use agreement but DNR does not sign.

 

1999 – State agrees to Green Oak Township noise limits, lead testing, and hours of operation. Rifle range begins operation.

 

2002 – Concession contract awarded to Michigan Shooting Centers for shotgun portion of shooting range.

 

2003 - After numerous citizen complaints to the DNR and the shooting range about the increased noise levels, Guy Gordon, of the DNR, meets with some citizens and promises to investigate. NRC later receives petition with 200 signatures complaining the shooting range is a nuisance. Also, residents attend many NRC and township meetings to present their concerns regarding the excessive noise.

 

2004 – Sound measurements by Hanson Consulting (hired by the DNR) demonstrate high gun noise readings around the range and up to 1.5 miles away. Hanson found many shortcomings and recommended significant improvements for noise suppression. The DNR terminated Hanson’s contract before the final report was completed.

 

Green Oak Township filed a lawsuit against the DNR and Michigan Shooting Centers for violation of the 65 decibel sound ordinance. In June, the first court hearing ended with instruction to re-do sound measurements. Residents hired their own sound expert who accompanied sound experts hired by Green Oak Township and the DNR. Sound readings by all three experts were comparable and recorded high readings replicating the earlier Hanson readings. The Circuit Court ruled in favor of  Green Oak Township and the residents and issued a temporary injunction strictly restricting noise emanating from the shooting range. The shooting range was unable to comply and suspended operation. After four weeks, the Appeals Court stayed the injunction, on a technical issue. At that time the shooting range was re-opened again.

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2005 - Through early 2005 operation of the shooting range continued and noise levels were still unabated. Even with more attention drawn to the noise concerns, the DNR and its concessionaire, Michigan Shooting Centers, still refused to address the noise complaints. In May, in defiance of the ongoing lawsuit, the DNR increased the number of Sporting Clay stations from 15 to 25. Due to concerns about noise and lead violations of the DNR agreement with Green Oak Township, the Planning Commission began action  in August to consider revocation of the Special Approval Use Permit.

Page last updated
4/17/06

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2006 - As a result of several court appearances, Circuit Court Judge Stanley Latreille is now preparing to schedule court-ordered sound tests in an attempt to get more unbiased analysis of the results. Attorneys for Michigan Shooting Centers attempted to stop this by appealing the ruling. However, the Michigan Appeals Court denied their request.

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