ARCHERY RANGES AND SHOOTING FACILITIES.

Austin City Code tit. 4, ch. 4-3, art. 2

in effect

Austin City Code § 4-3-41 DEFINITIONS.

§ 4-3-41 - DEFINITIONS. In this article: (1) ARCHERY CLUB means a non-profit organization, sanctioned by a national or state archery association, composed of archers who meet to engage in the sport of archery. (2) ARCHERY RANGE means a facility where archery is practiced, excluding an archery range limited to the use of toy bows and soft rubber tip arrows. (3) FIREARM means a weapon capable of discharging a projectile by means of an explosive charge, including a rifle, pistol, shotgun, or any other type of gun, excluding an air pistol or air rifle incapable of discharging a projectile at a muzzle speed greater than 300 feet per second. (4) FIRING LINE means a designated area at an archery range or shooting facility designed and intended for use as the location from which a person may shoot an arrow or discharge a firearm in the direction of a target. (5) SHOOTING FACILITY means an area, either enclosed or outdoors, at which a firearm is discharged at a target, designed to prevent a projectile fired from a firearm at a target from going beyond the boundaries of the area, by use of a backstop or other barrier. (6) SHOOTING POSITION means the designated area at an archery range designed and intended for use as the location from which persons may shoot arrows in the direction of a target. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-4-60; Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 4-3-42 DELEGATION AUTHORIZED.

§ 4-3-42 - DELEGATION AUTHORIZED. The city manager may delegate the authority or a duty or responsibility assigned to the building official under this article to the police chief, the fire chief, or another City employee who the city manager determines is capable of exercising the authority or performing one or more of the duties or responsibilities of the building official. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-4-60; Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 4-3-43 PERMIT REQUIRED.

§ 4-3-43 - PERMIT REQUIRED. A person commits an offense if the person conducts or operates, or permits another person to conduct or operate, an archery range or shooting facility on property under the person's ownership or control, without a permit issued under this article. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-4-61; Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 4-3-44 APPLICATION FOR PERMIT.

§ 4-3-44 - APPLICATION FOR PERMIT. (A) A person must file an application for a permit to operate or conduct an archery range or shooting facility with the building official on a form approved by the building official. (B) An application under this permit shall include: (1) the name, mailing address, and telephone number of the applicant, including, if the applicant is a partnership, the name, address, and telephone number of each partners, and, if the applicant is a corporation, the name, address, and telephone number of the corporation's officers and directors; (2) the business name, address, and telephone number of the proposed archery range or shooting facility; (3) a scale drawing or site plan showing the location and dimension of any existing or proposed improvement, specifically including the location and dimension of each proposed firing line and target area, and the location, design, and material used for the construction of a backstop, baffle, and all other surfaces downrange from a firing line; (4) a copy of each building permit application required to construct a structure to be used in connection with the archery range or shooting facility; (5) for a shooting facility not located entirely inside a building, a site plan showing the existing and proposed topography of the land and all existing structures and uses of property located within: (a) 1,200 yards downrange and a 20 degree outward angle from either end of a firing line for a firearm other than a shotgun; (b) 300 yards downrange and a 20 degree outward angle from either end of a firing line for a firearm other than a shotgun on a baffled range; (c) 300 yards downrange and 180 degrees on either side of any skeet launching facility at a skeet range for the exclusive use of shotguns; and (d) 300 yards down-range and 110 degrees on either side of any trap launching facility at a trap range for the exclusive use of shotguns; (6) for an archery range not located entirely inside a building, a site plan showing the existing and proposed topography of the land, the location of each shooting position and target, and all existing structures and uses of property located within 400 yards of a shooting position; (7) the name and address of each property owner located within 300 feet of the boundary of the property on which the archery range or shooting facility is to be operated; (8) a copy of the proposed rules, regulations, and operating procedures governing the use of the archery range or shooting facility and the proposed hours of operation; (9) evidence satisfactory to the building official that the archery range or shooting facility meets the design requirements imposed by Section 4-3-45 (Design and Operation Requirements); (10) evidence satisfactory to the building official of the applicant's ability to comply with the insurance requirement imposed by Section 4-3-46 (Insurance Requirement); and (11) other information required by the building official to determine the safety of the archery range or shooting facility. (C) The building official shall mail a notice to each property owner located within 300 feet of the boundary of the property on which a proposed archery range or shooting facility is to be operated stating that an application has been filed under this article. (D) The applicant shall post a notice in a form and at the locations approved by the building official advising the public that an application has been filed under to this article. Source: 1992 Code Sections 8-4-62 and 8-4-63(B); Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 4-3-45 DESIGN AND OPERATION REQUIREMENTS.

§ 4-3-45 - DESIGN AND OPERATION REQUIREMENTS. (A) An archery range or shooting facility shall be designed and operated to prevent an arrow, bullet, or other projectile from traveling beyond the property boundary of the archery range or shooting facility. (B) An outdoor shooting facility at which a firearm other than a shotgun will be discharged shall be designed and operated to prevent a projectile fired from the firing line from initially striking a surface that is not designed to completely stop the projectile or prevent a potentially dangerous ricochet. (C) The owner or operator of an archery range or shooting facility must post and maintain the rules and regulations for the range or facility in a visible location at the range or facility. The rules and regulations for the archery range or shooting facility must prohibit: (1) the possession or use of alcoholic beverages by a person on the firing line; and (2) the discharge of a firearm or arrow by a person under the influence of alcohol. (D) The operating procedures for a shooting facility shall prohibit a person from using a firing line at the facility unless the permit holder, owner, operator, or an employee is present and directly supervising the range operation to ensure compliance with approved rules and regulations. (E) The operating procedure for an archery range shall prohibit a person from using a shooting position at the facility except when the permit holder, owner, operator, an employee, or, in the case of an archery club operation, an authorized club member is present and directly supervising the range operation to ensure compliance with approved rules and regulations. (F) The owner or operator of an archery range or shooting facility must post and maintain a sign in a visible location at the range or facility that displays the 988 national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline. (G) The owner or operator of a shooting facility must post and maintain a sign in a visible location at the facility that informs a person about safely storing firearms. (H) Text on a sign required by Subsections (F) and (G) must be one-inch letters of highly visible colors on a contrasting background. Source: 1992 Code Sections 8-4-63(A) and (B)(1) through (5) and (7); Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. No. 20241212-008, Pt. 1, 12-23-24.

Austin City Code § 4-3-46 INSURANCE REQUIREMENT.

§ 4-3-46 - INSURANCE REQUIREMENT. A permittee under this article shall obtain and maintain liability insurance coverage in a minimum amount of $300,000 per person and $500,000 per event, if coverage in these amounts is available for the operation of an archery range or shooting facility. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-4-63(B)(6); Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 4-3-47 DETERMINATION AND PERMIT ISSUANCE.

§ 4-3-47 - DETERMINATION AND PERMIT ISSUANCE. (A) If the building official determines that an archery range or shooting facility satisfies the specific requirements of Sections 4-3-45 (Design and Operation Requirements) and 4-3-46 (Insurance Requirement), the building official shall: (1) conditionally approve the application and issue a temporary permit, subject to final approval after the completion of the improvements shown on the application in accordance with the approved plans and specifications; or (2) approve the application and issue a permit. (B) If the building official issues a temporary permit under Subsection (A), the building official must inspect the completed improvements and certify that the requirements of Subsection 4-3-45 (Design an Operation Requirements) are met before issuing a final permit. (C) The building official may consider range development guidelines promulgated by the National Rifle Association, the National Field Archery Association, the National Archery Association, or other national organization in the review of the design of an archery range or shooting facility. (D) A conditional permit approved under this section is not approval of a building permit or other permit required under other applicable provisions of the Code or an ordinance. Source: 1992 Code Sections 8-4-63(A) and (B)(1); Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 4-3-48 PERMIT TERM AND REQUIREMENTS.

§ 4-3-48 - PERMIT TERM AND REQUIREMENTS. (A) A permit issued under this article must state that issuance of the permit is not an assurance by the City, its employees, officers, or agents that injury may not result from the operation or use of the approved archery range or shooting facility. (B) A permit issued under this article is valid for one year from the date of issuance. (C) A permit for an archery range or shooting facility may contain: (1) restrictions on the type of firearms and ammunition permitted to be discharged; (2) a maintenance schedule for improvements and safety equipment; (3) rules and regulations governing the use of the facility; (4) limitations on the times of operation; and (5) other terms and conditions relating to the use and operation of the archery range or shooting facility that the building official determines are necessary to protect public safety, a neighboring property owner, and a person who uses the archery range or shooting facility. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-4-63(C); Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 4-3-49 COMPLAINT REVIEW AND PERMIT REVOCATION.

§ 4-3-49 - COMPLAINT REVIEW AND PERMIT REVOCATION. (A) The building official shall review each written complaint filed with the city regarding the operation of an archery range or shooting facility. The building official shall keep a record of each complaint against an archery range or shooting facility that involves public safety. (B) The building official shall notify the permittee if the building official determines that there is a reasonable basis to believe violation of a permit has occurred or is occurring. The building official shall give the permittee a reasonable opportunity to cure a continuing permit violation. (C) If a permittee fails to correct a permit violation within the time authorized by the building official, the building official may revoke the permit if the building official determines that: (1) a permit is being violated; (2) the permit holder has failed to cure the violation; and (3) the violation constitutes an immediate and unreasonable danger to the public, a neighboring property owner, or a person using the archery range or shooting facility. (D) The building official shall revoke a permit issued under this article and may not renew or reissue a permit for an archery range or shooting facility against which the building official has certified five or more violations within the preceding 12-month period that involve a threat to public safety, a neighboring property owner, or a person using the archery range or shooting facility. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-4-64; Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 4-3-50 RIGHT OF APPEAL.

§ 4-3-50 - RIGHT OF APPEAL. (A) A person aggrieved by a decision of the building official under this article may appeal the decision to the council by filing a written notice of the appeal with the city clerk describing the error of the building official. (B) An appeal under this section does not stay the building official's decision. (C) The council shall schedule a public hearing on the appeal not later than the 30th day after the day the city clerk receives the notice of appeal. The council may uphold, reverse, or modify the decision of the building official. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-4-65; Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 4-3-51 PERMIT FOR A GOVERNMENT AGENCY.

§ 4-3-51 - PERMIT FOR A GOVERNMENT AGENCY. The building official shall issue a permit to operate an archery range or shooting facility to a federal, state, or local governmental agency on receipt of a certification from an authorized official of the agency that the archery range or shooting facility is: (1) under the exclusive control and management of the agency; and (2) operated for the exclusive use of governmental employees. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-4-66; Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 4-3-52 APPLICABILITY TO AN EXISTING RANGE OR FACILITY.

§ 4-3-52 - APPLICABILITY TO AN EXISTING RANGE OR FACILITY. (A) An authorized archery range or shooting facility annexed into the City may operate without the permit required by this article for a period of not more than 45 days after the date of annexation. (B) If a person files an application for the permit required by this article within the 45-day period authorized in Subsection (A), the archery range or shooting facility may continue to operate without a permit for an additional 45-day period following the expiration of the initial 45-day period, pending processing and conditional approval of a permit by the building official. (C) If the building official conditionally approves a permit within the 90-days authorized by Subsections (A) and (B), and the applicant begins and continues construction of the improvements necessary to meet the requirements prescribed by Section 4-3-45 (Design and Operation Requirements), an existing archery range or shooting facility may continue to operate without the issuance of a final permit for an additional 90 days after the expiration of the 90-day period authorized by Subsections (A) and (B). (D) The building official may grant a single extension of a conditional permit of not more than 60 days if an applicant is unable to complete the required improvements within the 90-day period authorized by Subsection (C). (E) The building official may authorize the construction of improvements and site development on an existing archery range or shooting facility to meet the requirements prescribed by Section 4-3-45 (Design and Operation Requirements), without requiring the applicant to obtain a building permit, site development permit, or other permit required under the Code. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-4-67; Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11.

Source: City of Austin, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT4BUREPERE_CH4-3AMPACICAARRASHFA_ART2ARRASHFAFetched: 10/27/2026