GSL has received word that Marcus Harris is working on opening an indoor pistol/rifle range on Rt. 45 north of Urbana. Mr. Harris is partnering with Tim Murray of the Morrigan Company. They go before the Champaign County Zoning board on April 25th, and could use some support from the community. Their target opening is September sometime. 75 yard pistol and rifle capability, plans for some really nice equipment, etc.
The Zoning board meets at the Brookens center at 1776 E. Washington in
Urbana at 6:30 pm on April 25. They don’t have the agenda posted for this meeting yet, but it should be up on the county board’s website soon. If people don’t go to the meeting, they can send letters supporting the project to the Champaign County Zoning Board of Appeals, 1776 E. Washington, Urbana, IL 61802. The range does not have a ‘name’ yet, but the tentative location is 1414 Triumph Drive, Urbana IL 61801 (right off Rt. 45).
There is a dearth of places to shoot, particularly indoor ranges, in East Central Illinois. If you live in this area, they could use some friendly faces and some support at this meeting. Let’s get out there and help clear the hurdles for a new place to shoot.
Got an email from Tim Murray this weekend with further information and thought I’d share.
Good Evening Everyone!
I have an announcement to make regarding the opening of an INDOOR FIRING RANGE AND TRAINING CENTER in the C-U Area.
The Morrigan Company is forming a partnership with Marcus Harris and D&R Firearms to open an Indoor Firing Range and Training Center. Some people have already asked what they could do to help us in this venture. We are in need of a zoning change for the building we have located to renovate and open the range in.
So here is what we would like to ask:
Please contact any (or all) of the people listed below on the Champaign County Zoning Board of Appeals and the Champaign County Board and express your support for the joint project and zoning change needed to bring an Indoor Firing Range and Training Center to the CU Area.
What we also ask at this point in time is that you only express your support of the project and zoning change.
The issue before us, and this project, is the zoning issue and nothing else. We do not want this to become a Second Amendment issue or a political issue. Simply because having a place to train and shoot safely is a separate issue in and of itself.
Thank you in advance for your support!
Tim, Marcus, Dean & Roger
A .pdf of the following list is attached for your convenience.
Zoning Board of Appeals
Catherine Capel (term ending 11/30/2013)
1123 County Road 2300 E
Sidney, IL 61877
Thomas Courson (term ending 11/30/2013)
2102 Belmont Park Lane
Champaign, IL 61822
Roger Miller (term ending 11/30/2014)
Staton Township
2046 County Road 2000 E
Urbana, IL 61802
(217) 202-3141
Paul Palmgren (term ending 11/30/2013)
1788 Aero Place
Urbana, IL 61802-9500
Brad Passalacqua (term ending 11/30/2015)
921 County Road 900 E
Champaign, IL 61822
(217) 778-0119
Eric Thorsland – Chair -(term ending 11/30/2017)
480 E County Road 2500 N
Mahomet, IL 61853
(217) 586-4330
Champaign County Board Members
2012-2014
DISTRICT 1
R – John D. Jay
Home: 302 W. Main
Mahomet IL 61853
Office: Jay Farms
225 CR 1900N
SeymourIL 61875
Cell: 841-1014
Email: jjay@mchsi.com
R – Gary W Maxwell
Home: 1802 E Lakeshore
Mahomet IL 61853
Home: 217-586-5482
Cell: 217-493-0535
Email: maxwell.gary58@gmail.com
DISTRICT 2
R – Stan James
Home: 1310 E County Road 2900 N
Rantoul IL 61866
Home: 893-4771
Office: 200 Mitchell Court
Rantoul IL 61866
Office: 892-2711
Fax: 892-2937 (office)
Email: stanusa@frontier.com
R – Diane Michaels
Home: 1548 County Road 3050 N
Rantoul IL 61866
Home: 892-4287
Email: michaels@illicom.netUpdated 12/4/2012
DISTRICT 3
R – Aaron Esry
Home: 1987 County Road 1400 N
St. Joseph, IL 61873
Home: 552-6470
Email: ale7496@yahoo.com
R- Stanley C. Harper
Home: 1947 County Rd 2700 E
Ogden, IL 61859
Home: 369-2986
Email: harper80@aol.com
DISTRICT 4
R- Jonathan Schroeder
Home: 684 County Road 400 N
Sadorus IL 61872
Home: 598-2327
Email: jonschroeder62@gmail.com
R- Jim McGuire
Home: 2605 Wedgewood Dr
Champaign, IL 61822
Phone: 954-0892
Email: jimmcgu1@gmail.com
DISTRICT 5
R- Jeff Kibler
Home: 4005 Farhills Drive
Champaign, IL 61822
Cell: 815-200-9159
Email: JKibler@IllinoisAlumni.orgUpdated 12/4/2012
R – Max Mitchell
Home: 3345 Stoneybrook Drive
Champaign, IL 61822
Home: 359-4244
Office: 2009 Fox Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
Office: 373-4804
Fax: 352-0501
Cell: 369-0376
Email: Max@MaxMitchell.com
DISTRICT 6
D – Pattsi Petrie
Home: 503 S. Chicago Ave.
Champaign IL 61821
Email: pattsi2@gmail.com
D – Josh Hartke
Home: 303 S Fair Street
Champaign, IL, 61821
Home: 390-2808
Email: jthartke713@yahoo.com
DISTRICT 7
D – Alan Kurtz
Home: 710 Ashton Lane South
Champaign IL 61820
Home: 356-0011
Email: akurtz8@comcast.net
D – Rachel Schwartz
Home: 1204 Foothill Dr
Champaign, IL 61821
(217) 352-0945
Email: SchwartzCB7@gmail.comUpdated 12/4/2012
DISTRICT 8
D- Michael Richards
Home: 506 N Elm Street
Champaign IL 61820
Cell: 390-1740
Email: mcrchrds@hotmail.com
D – Giraldo Rosales
Home: 618 West Hill Street
Champaign IL 61820
Home: 766-6109
Email: grosales@nitrogendesign.com
Website: http://www.giraldorosales.com
DISTRICT 9
D – Ralph L. Langenheim
Home: 401 W. Vermont
Urbana IL 61801
Home: 344-5285
Email: rlangenh@hotmail.com
D – Astrid J. Berkson
Home: 12 Stanford Pl.
Champaign IL 61820
Home: 356-4647
Email: astridjb@comcast.net
DISTRICT 10
D – Christopher Alix
Home: 301 E. George Huff Dr.
Urbana IL 61801
Home: 337-6744
Email: alix@prairiecity.comUpdated 12/4/2012
D – James Quisenberry
Home: 209 Pell Circle
Urbana IL 61801
Home: 328-2097
Cell: 840-6200
Email james@jamesquisenberry.com
DISTRICT 11
D- Lloyd Carter, Jr.
Home: 810 W. Fairview Ave.
Urbana IL 61801
Home: 344-3305
Fax: 344-3305
Email: carter410@att.net
D – Lorraine Cowart
Home: 601 E. Bradley
Champaign IL 61820
Home: 355-9042
OK, folks, you’re always saying someone should do something. If you’re a resident of Champaign County and you are reading this, that person is YOU. YOU are a constituent of two of those county board members. If you don’t know who your county board members are – you should! The Champaign County government website will have that info.
Call, email, or write these people. All the members of the Zoning Board of Appeals represent you.
If you live within driving distance of Urbana, and would use that indoor range if it comes to pass, YOU TOO can let them know that you are in favor; that you will be spending money and time there if it is built.
Don’t leave it to “someone else”. Tell them what you think.
Correction to original post: the planned range is 75 feet (25 yards) not 75 yards as originally reported.
Has this been approved? I heard it was, but can’t find confirmation.