SHOOTING GALLERIES

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland pt. SIX, tit. IX, ch. 695

in effect

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.01 Shooting Gallery Defined

§ 695.01 Shooting Gallery Defined As used in this chapter, “shooting gallery” means a place open to the public where a charge is made for discharging firearms at a target, and does not include ranges maintained by any military, police or other organization to which the public generally is not admitted. (Ord. No. 105351. Passed 12-21-36)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.02 License Required

§ 695.02 License Required No person, firm or corporation shall open, operate or maintain, or cause to be opened, operated or maintained, any shooting gallery without first obtaining a license to do so as provided in this chapter. (Ord. No. 105351. Passed 12-21-36)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.03 License Application

§ 695.03 License Application Application for a license to operate a shooting gallery shall be filed with the Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses upon forms to be furnished by him or her. Such application shall contain the name and address of the applicant; and if a corporation, the full and accurate corporate name, when and where incorporated, name of county where certificate has been filed and date of filing; principal place of business; full name and address of corporate officers; and if a partnership, the name and address of the members thereof; and if the applicant conducts business under a trade name, the full and complete trade name and the name and address of the person or persons doing business under such trade name. Such application shall give the proposed location of the shooting gallery or galleries, and the number and type of arms to be used and a full and complete description of the plan for construction of the place for stopping and controlling bullets, and such other information as the Commissioner prescribes. A copy of the target to be used shall be submitted with the license application. (Ord. No. 105351. Passed 12-21-36)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.04 Investigation

§ 695.04 Investigation The Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses shall refer each application to the Chief of Police who shall forthwith make or cause to be made an investigation of the character of the applicant and of the fitness and suitability of the shooting gallery from the standpoint of public safety and compliance with the regulations hereinafter set forth. After completing such investigation, the Chief of Police shall return the application to the Commissioner with his or her recommendation endorsed thereon. (Ord. No. 105351. Passed 12-21-36)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.05 License Issuance; Posting

§ 695.05 License Issuance; Posting Upon receipt of the application from the Chief of Police, with his or her endorsement thereon approving the same, the Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses shall issue a license upon the payment of a fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) per year for each shooting gallery licensed to be operated. All such licenses shall be for the period of one (1) year and shall expire on September 30 next following the date of issuance, and there shall be no rebate for any lesser time. The license shall be conspicuously exhibited upon the premises. (Ord. No. 105351. Passed 12-21-36)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.06 Bond; Liability Insurance

§ 695.06 Bond; Liability Insurance No license shall be issued by the Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses until there has been deposited with the Director of Finance a bond of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) for the benefit of any person or persons who may receive injuries or suffer death by reason of the operation of such shooting gallery, which bond shall be approved by the Director of Law and the Director of Finance; or such applicant may deposit a policy or certificate of liability insurance acceptable to and approved by the Director of Law and the Director of Finance, insuring and indemnifying the applicant in a sum of at least five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) for injury or death of one (1) person, and ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) for injury or death of two (2) or more persons in any one (1) accident resulting from the operation of such shooting gallery. If a cancelled, terminated, or lapsed policy of insurance required by this section is not immediately replaced without any lapse in coverage, the license shall forthwith be cancelled. (Ord. No. 599-11. Passed 6-6-11, eff. 6-13-11)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.07 Operating Regulations for Public Ranges

§ 695.07 Operating Regulations for Public Ranges The Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses, and any person or persons designated by him or her, and every police officer shall enforce the following regulations: (a) The backstop behind the target shall be made rigid; be at least sixteen (16) gauge steel boiler plate; extend the full width of the room and extend forward at an angle which in the opinion of the Police Division officer in charge of ordnance section is adequate to protect the employees and the public from bullet ricochet. The sides of the room shall be protected by steel boiler plate of a thickness satisfactory to the Police Division officer in charge of ordnance section and shall extend from the floor not less than ten (10) feet. There shall be provided a six (6) inch sand trap at the bottom and directly in front of the backstop, the full width and depth of the same. However, where the room is surrounded by walls of heavy masonry, the Police Division officer in charge of ordnance section is hereby empowered to modify the above regulations. (b) No owner, operator or attendant shall permit any person under the influence of intoxicants or narcotics, or any person under the age of sixteen (16) years to handle or discharge any firearms upon the premises. (c) The use of pistols or revolvers shall not be permitted and no rifle discharging a cartridge at a velocity exceeding one thousand two hundred (1,200) feet per second shall be permitted. (d) All doors, gates and entrances leading into that part of the premises between the firing point and the backstop shall be securely locked, and no person shall be permitted therein, at all times while persons are engaged in shooting, or have access to the rifles used. (e) No shooting gallery shall be located nearer than two hundred (200) feet of any school, church or hospital. (f) All rifles, including the sights thereon, shall be kept at all times in first class condition, and the adjustment and blackening of sights shall be permitted. (g) The ammunition used shall be smokeless, and only twenty-two (.22) caliber short cartridges shall be permitted to be used. (h) Such shooting gallery shall be open to the public only between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight. (i) The shooting gallery shall be properly and adequately ventilated at all times. (j) Attendants shall wear a uniform, brassard or other distinguishing mark to identify them as employees of the licensee, and no attendant or employee shall have charge of more than four (4) rifles while actually being used on the firing line. (k) No gambling shall be permitted upon the premises licensed as a shooting gallery, but this shall not be construed to prevent the offering of prizes for marksmanship. All paper targets used shall be of a quality and texture of paper to be prescribed by the Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses. In addition to the foregoing, the City is hereby empowered to make such further regulations not inconsistent herewith, which may from time to time be required for the protection of the public safety and welfare. (Ord. No. 106257-A. Passed 1-31-38)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.08 License Suspension; Revocation

§ 695.08 License Suspension; Revocation The Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses, upon the recommendation of the Chief of Police, may at any time revoke or suspend the license granted under authority of this chapter for failure to comply with the terms of this chapter or any of the laws or regulations relating to the use of shooting galleries. (Ord. No. 105351. Passed 12-21-36)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.09 License Appeals

§ 695.09 License Appeals In case of the refusal to issue a license or the revocation or suspension of a license by the Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses, the applicant or licensee may appeal from such order to the Board of Zoning Appeals, established pursuant to Charter Section 76-6. Notice of such appeal shall be in writing and shall be filed with the Board within ten (10) days after the making of such order. The Board within ten (10) days after filing with the Board of such notice of appeal shall proceed with the hearing of such appeal, at which hearing all parties interested shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard. Such Board shall approve, modify or annul such order from which the appeal has been perfected. The finding of such Board shall be final on all parties thereto. (Ord. No. 105351. Passed 12-21-36)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.10 Definitions

§ 695.10 Definitions As used in this chapter, the following terms shall be defined as follows: (a) “Private range” includes a private rifle range, private pistol range and a private pistol and rifle range, and means every place whether indoors or out, or underground, open to or used by members of a gun club or guests, where firearms are discharged at a target, but does not include ranges maintained by any military or police agencies, or public shooting galleries provided for under Sections 695.01 through 695.09. (b) “Gun club” means and includes every two (2) or more persons banded together to promote and engage in the shooting of firearms at targets in a private range. (Ord. No. 783-A-41. Passed 10-27-41)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.11 Private Range Permit Required

§ 695.11 Private Range Permit Required No person, association, board of education or gun club shall construct, open, operate or maintain or cause to be constructed, opened, operated or maintained, a private range nor shall any gun club use a private range without first obtaining a permit therefor, and complying with the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. No. 783-A-41. Passed 10-27-41)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.12 Application for Private Range Permit

§ 695.12 Application for Private Range Permit Application for a permit to construct, open, operate and maintain a private range, or for a gun club to use a private range, shall be filed with the Director of Public Safety in a form prescribed and furnished by him or her. Such application shall state: (a) The name of the applicant; (b) Kind of permit requested; (c) Name and address of range; (d) Names and addresses of officers and members of the club; (e) Type of firearms to be used; (f) The type of target to be used; (g) Such other information as the Director may require. (Ord. No. 783-A-41. Passed 10-27-41)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.13 Investigation; Permit Issuance

§ 695.13 Investigation; Permit Issuance (a) The Director of Public Safety or any member of the Department of Public Safety designated by him or her, shall forthwith make an investigation of the character of the person or persons named in the application, and of the fitness and suitability of the private range from the standpoint of public safety and compliance with the regulations as set forth herein. (b) The application may be rejected if the Director finds any of the persons named in the application not of good moral character, or any who belonged to a gun club the permit of which was revoked because of violation of any of the provisions of this chapter. After completing such investigation, a report of the same shall be made to the Director. (c) On a receipt of any application upon which there is endorsed a recommendation approving the same, the Director shall issue a permit to the applicant without charge therefor, for the constructing, opening, operating or maintaining a private range, or for the use of a private range as the case may be. (Ord. No. 783-A-41. Passed 10-27-41)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.14 Permit Appeals

§ 695.14 Permit Appeals In case of the refusal to issue a permit or the revocation or suspension of a permit by the Director of Public Safety, the applicant or permittee may appeal from such order to the Board of Zoning Appeals, established pursuant to Charter Section 76-6. Notice of such appeal shall be in writing and shall be filed with the Board within ten (10) days after the making of such order. The Board within ten (10) days after filing of such notice of appeal, shall proceed with the hearing of such appeal, at which hearing all parties interested shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard. The Board shall approve, modify or annul such order from which the appeal has been perfected, and the finding of such Board shall be final on all parties thereto. (Ord. No. 783-A-41. Passed 10-27-41)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.15 Operating Regulations for Private Ranges

§ 695.15 Operating Regulations for Private Ranges The Director of Public Safety, and any member or members of the Department of Public Safety so designated by him or her, and every police officer shall enforce the following regulations: (a) (1) For ranges where rifles of no more than twenty-two (.22) caliber and bullets having no greater velocity than one thousand two hundred (1,200) feet per second are used, the backstop behind each target shall be at least one-fourth (1/4) inch steel boiler plate, having a minimum width of four feet for each firing point, slant forward at an angle of not less than thirty (30) degrees with the floor, but of rigid construction, and at least six (6) feet high from the floor. (2) For ranges where pistol and rifle shooting is done and bullets having no greater velocity than one thousand two hundred (1,200) feet per second are used, the backstop shall be of at least three-eighths (3/8) inch steel boiler plate and extend the full width and height of the room, and the ceiling above the range from a point over the head of the shooter and for a distance of ten (10) feet in the direction of the target shall be one-fourth (1/4) inch steel plate. However, if the ceiling is of concrete or brick construction, the Director may waive this requirement of steel for the ceiling. (3) There shall be provided a one (1) foot sand trap at the bottom and directly in front of the backstop, the full width of the range. (b) No person under the influence of intoxicants or narcotics shall be permitted to handle or discharge any firearms on a private range; nor shall any person under the age of sixteen (16) be permitted to handle or discharge firearms on any private range unless done under adult supervision. (c) All doors, gates and entrances leading into that part of the premises between the firing point and backstop shall be securely locked, and no person shall be permitted therein, at all times when persons are engaged in shooting. (d) There shall be, at all times, proper and adequate ventilation of all private ranges. (e) (1) Every private range holding a permit shall have a registration book for members, and a registration book for guests, and each day that a member or guest uses the range, he or she shall register under proper date, name, address and the club to which they belong, in the respective book for that purpose. (2) Every gun club shall keep a current roster of the names and addresses of its officers and members. Such books shall be subject at all times to examination by the persons designated herein to enforce the regulations provided for in this chapter. (f) No rifles other than twenty-two (.22) caliber, rim fire shall be used in private ranges permitted under this chapter. (g) The storage of common powder shall be in conformity with all provisions of the Codified Ordinances. (h) No permit issued under this chapter shall be transferred from one (1) gun club to another gun club. (i) The Director of Public Safety shall have the right to make such further regulations not inconsistent herewith as he or she deems necessary for the proper enforcement of this chapter, and the Director shall have the right, at his or her discretion, to revoke any permit issued by him or her pursuant to the authority of this chapter. Every permit issued hereunder shall expire on June 30 of each year and must be renewed for the ensuing year at the office of the Director. (Ord. No. 783-A-41. Passed 10-27-41)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 695.99 Penalty

§ 695.99 Penalty Whoever violates any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not less than five dollars ($5.00) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200.00) or imprisoned for not more than sixty (60) days or both. (Ord. No. 783-A-41. Passed 10-27-41)

Source: City of Cleveland, Ohio, Codified Ordinances and City Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/cleveland/latest/cleveland_oh/0-0-0-38484Fetched: 11/1/2026