In response to community concerns, the Redwood City Council is considering new regulations to further control retail sales of guns and ammunition within City limits and has asked residents to take a survey and attend public meetings to discuss the issue.
This proposal will affect all retail stores that sell these products, including all sporting goods stores and gun stores. On October 24, 2022, the City Council enacted a temporary moratorium on the establishment of new retail sales of guns and ammunition. The temporary moratorium is in effect until regulations are established, or until October 23 of this year.
All residents who would like to provide their comments through a poll, which is available in English and Spanish.
Or go directly to the next public meeting, which will be held entirely in Spanish on April 5th at 6:00 p.m. at the Community Activities Building, located at 1400 Roosevelt Ave.
Additionally, residents can also email firearm_sales@redwoodcity.org
Verbal comments will be accepted at the Planning Commission meeting tentatively scheduled for May 2.
What is under consideration?
The City Council will consider regulating the retail sale of guns and ammunition, while key goals of the developing city ordinance include limiting unsupervised children's exposure to firearms; and protecting places such as schools, daycare centers, places of worship, libraries and parks from proximity to gun and/or ammunition sales.
Additionally, ensuring that law enforcement can confirm that firearms and ammunition are securely stored and accounted for at retail establishments; and requiring local municipal permits to open retail gun and ammunition stores.
The city government said it is not seeking to ban all firearm or ammunition sales in Redwood City, nor to regulate the right to own, acquire or carry a firearm or ammunition.
Key dates
The proposal will be refined on April 5, while the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on May 2 and recommend the adoption of a resolution ‒with a 10-day hearing notice‒.
A City Council public hearing and first reading/introduction of the Ordinance is expected to take place on May 22; the second reading/adoption of the proposed ordinance by the City Council will take place on June 12; and a decision on whether to adopt the proposed Ordinance will be made on July 12.
It should be recalled that on October 24, 2022, the City Council voted to adopt Ordinance No. 2515 as an urgent precautionary measure, imposing a 45-day moratorium on the establishment of new retail uses dedicated to the sale of firearms or ammunition.
The City Council adopted the temporary Moratorium after residents, through detailed correspondence and public testimony, expressed concern that a new retail establishment dedicated to the sale of firearms and ammunition could open a location in the City, without the City having the opportunity to consider planning and zoning issues regarding the location, for example, retailers in proximity to sensitive uses such as schools, parks, and residences, or regarding conditional use provisions.
Currently, Redwood City does not have specific regulations for firearms retailers, so it is treated like any other commercial retail business.
The 45-Day Moratorium was adopted to “pause,” in the short term, the establishment of new firearms and ammunition retailers to allow the City time to study and analyze the planning and zoning regulations governing the establishment of new retailers engaged in the sale of firearms and ammunition, including with respect to the appropriate processes, locations, and conditions for the approval and establishment of such retailers.
However, on November 28, 2022, the City Council adopted a new ordinance extending No. 2515 to allow the City time to study and consider enacting zoning measures for future retail uses of firearms or ammunition.
The temporary moratorium extension is through October 23, 2023, although staff anticipates that the City Council will consider policy recommendations in May 2023, and the temporary moratorium will end once local regulations are adopted.
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