Board votes against zoning application for Cedarville University shooting range

CEDARVILLE TWP., Greene County — After hours of comments, Cedarville Township’s Zoning Board voted five to zero against the zoning application Cedarville University filed for a new gun range near campus.

According to documents, the proposed facility would have an outdoor sporting range for clay shooting sports, outdoor pistol/rifle range limited to 100 yards, an archery area, a learning center and about 30 parking spaces.

The university wanted to offer a new shooting club, the range would also be available for use by faculty and the campus police department.

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The range would be located on the 430 acres of open land off State Route 42 on Fishworm Road in Cedarville.

As many as 50 people showed up to the public hearing on Feb. 8, many sharing their comments and concerns.

The most common complaint voiced was the noise the range would create.

Cedarville resident Beki Ryan told News Center 7′s Haley Kosik she worries the sound could scare her horses and result in them destroying her property.

Ryan said she plans to start a horse boarding service, something she has put a lot of money into.

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She said she is not against Cedarville University, half of her staff are students, but is opposed to the location of the project.

Rod Johnson, associate vice president for operations for Cedarville University, said that noise barriers would be installed.

Johnson also offered to run a sound survey to monitor noise levels in the area —that was not convincing enough for many residents.

A few residents in attendance supported the project.

A Cedarville University spokesperson told News Center 7 that they aren’t sure if they plan to appeal the decision.

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