Posted on 05/17/2002 4:30:05 PM PDT by tarawa
Neighbors sound off on paintball operation
By NANCY GISH Southtowns Correspondent 5/15/2002
Dozens of residents opposed to a paintball game operation jammed Wales Town Hall on Tuesday to oppose issuing another permit to Matt Kowalski of Vermont Hill Road. The Town Board on Nov. 13 issued a special permit to Kowalski to operate a paintball operation three days a week seasonally, on property owned by his parents, Paul and Barbara Kowalski.
Neighbors objected and took the Town Board and the Kowalskis to court, claiming, among other things, that the board didn't follow proper state environmental review procedures or the town's zoning law.
Town Attorney Ron Bennett said the permit was revoked on a technicality.
In the end, the board tabled the issue, noting Kowalski has yet to formally reapply for a special-use permit.
"If Kowalski reapplies, we will go through the entire process again," Supervisor Mary Weinman said.
But for more than an hour, residents offered testimony on whether a new permit should be issued.
Among concerns are the potential for injuries by a projectile that is fired at an estimated 250 mph.
"Anything traveling at 250 miles an hour . . . can cause injury," said Joseph Endres of Warner Hill Road.
Other nearby residents said they didn't want to have to witness the weekend spectacle of 25 strangers dressed in military gear, running, shouting and firing paintball guns at each other.
However, some neighbors sided with Kowalski, saying paintball is no more dangerous than any other sport.
One resident urged neighbors to play a game of paintball to understand what it's like.
Christine Hill of Vermont Hill Road said the game is safe.
"Matt had done a lot to assure us the paintball business would be safe," she said.
"Better we should all knit lace doilies, or learn macrame," the poofter limp-wristed girlie-man added.
This is said by a man who ... lives on a road! Oh the horror.
Heaven forbid. A man with a macrame sling can be very dangerous.
At what speed does the airbag in his car travel upon deployment? Maybe he should take up speed walking to get to work.
Guns is the key word in the above. Would they complain if it was 25 strangers dressed in pink tutu's to practice outside for performance of swan lake? What a bunch of nitwits.
However, not knowing the size of the land in question, they could have a valid point. I mean if this was 1/3 acre parcel in the burbs, that is one thing. If it is a 10 acre farm, then that is an entirely different matter.
Have you heard of a pro team known as Avalanche?
2. The anti-gun nuts are trying to kill paintball in other ways, too. My home field had to deal with the EPA performing tests on the lake in the middle of the property. Luckily, they were convinced of the non-toxicity of the paintballs, and could do nothing.
3. The sue-happy mommies and daddies with stupid kids will try to bring down the sport at the first sign of injury;whether it is due to negligence (eye injuries from taking the mask off) or something as benign as twisting an ankle.
4. But there is one positive thing about this: it may unintentionally get kids (future gun owners?) to become involved in politics and (hopefully)realize that there are people who have nothing better to do than to take our rights (and fun) away from us---and that they must be defeated. 5.Freepers, please keep me posted about these kinds of stories; paintball is a very vulnerable sport.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.