Posted on 01/09/2012 6:22:53 AM PST by marktwain
SPRING HILL --
County Commissioner Jim Adkins said he is a strong supporter of a person's right to keep and bear arms.
But there is a limit, he said. And that limit may be reached when it comes to someone extending that constitutional right to selling firearms out of his home.
"I'm a very strong Second Amendment person," Adkins said. "I just don't think residential areas are good for that type of business."
But, he added, "I can be convinced either way" and awaits more information on Tuesday.
That's when a contingent of neighbors who live in a quiet cul-de-sac off Hague Court, near County Line Road, plan to show up to voice their concerns about a resident's plan to sell firearms from his home.
Planning and zoning commissioners last month voted unanimously to recommend a special exception use permit to Paul Hargis to allow the Internet sale of firearms.
They limited his hours of operation from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Only one client a day would be allowed at the residence.
County commissioners, by a majority vote, may decide to review any special exception decision rendered by the planning board. If at least three commissioners do not vote to review the decision within a 30-day time limit, it becomes final.
Paul Allen of Hague Court said this is not about the Second Amendment, and dismisses people's attempts to try to turn the argument around.
"Let's not draw that into the issue," Allen said Friday. "The issue is that neighbors and most people feel that a residential area is residential and you shouldn't have a retail business there."
The fact that Hargis wants to sell guns as part of a business makes it all the more unpalatable, he said.
"This is not a vendetta to get anybody," he said. "We're not pro-gun or anti-gun. We're just neighbors who feel this would be better in another area."
Allen said neighbors have gotten together to try and figure out how to boil down their arguments into the allotted three-minute time span at the commission meeting.
He hopes commissioners will reverse the P&Z decision.
Commissioner Wayne Dukes said he's heard from several of the concerned neighbors and is sure the item will be pulled for discussion.
And Commissioner Dave Russell also told Hernando Today he will ask the item be pulled for discussion by the board.
Residents worry people will get wind of the home business and break into Hargis' home and steal weapons. They also fear a devaluation of their homes.
Neighbors fear nobody would want to buy a home if they knew someone was selling weapons from their residence.
Hargis, who works for the Pasco County Parks Department, said he has made many friends in law enforcement and that more than 90 percent of his clientele will be deputies looking for good buys on supplemental firearms.
The officers, and anyone else doing business, will be thoroughly screened and must have the proper permits, he said.
Hargis said he hopes to expand his business and eventually open a commercial store, where he would increase the kinds of firearms for sale.
From his home, he plans to sell rifles — including semiautomatic models such as AR-15s — and pistols.
"This is something I hope to retire on," he said.
Zoning has changed us from a society based in freedom to a nanny state where everything that is not permitted is forbidden.
Low overhead and low prices????????
PERISH THE THOUGHT!
Where do these people come from who have to try and control everyone else. what happened to freedom!
“Where do these people come from who have to try and control everyone else. what happened to freedom!”
Ever been on one of the FR marijuana threads?
It looks to me like the dealer is applying for a variance.
No, zoning has its proper place.
My wife sells Mary Kay out of her home. Dollars to donuts none of those residents would have a problem with that. How many of them run an Ebay business out of their homes? What a load of crap.
One neighbor says he’s not anti or pro gun(liar)and states his objection is to a business in a residential area. He then states that it being a gun business makes it more unpalatable.
I think this County Commissioner is smarter than the average in very carefully describing the situation. Zoning of a small business in a residential area is almost always a real fight, be it someone who wants to sell retail, set up a business office, or run a homestay bed and breakfast.
That it involves guns is almost inconsequential, except that it makes his business a serious target for robbery, and there is little that can be done to mitigate that. Even reinforced gun stores are well aware that they are at risk from very determined criminals.
His best bet is to offer to limit his home business to paperwork only, which is a substantial part of the business, with the guns themselves stored in the vault of a commercial gun, sporting goods, or other type store that has commercial level security and a vault, where the guns could be examined prior to purchase.
This would seem to be to the advantage of all concerned.
I couldn't find it, but I did find guns.
Absolutely.
The folks in this thread that live in a residential neighborhood and complain about government oversight...will be crying to the local "gubment" zoning board when Akmed starts running a halal chicken butchering shop out of his basement, with customers parking in the street, stink rising from Akmed's backyard, and feathers clogging their HVAC vents.
If he is a licensed Federal firearms dealer and selling via the internet I don’t see how they can stop him legally........
Hypocrisy on FR!!! Never sir, never
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