Iron City Armory gun club hit with $10,000 in fines
A Robinson Township gun range and firearms club lost its appeal of the revocation of its zoning permit to operate, leaving it facing $10,000 in fines and fees.
The unanimous ruling Sept. 14 by the Robinson zoning hearing board came after a hearing in which the owner of Iron City Armory, Jason Doetzer, acted as his own attorney. The zoning hearing board ruled it did not err in revoking the permit for the gun range at 920 King Road in Bulger.
An initial notice of violation for the range to shut down was sent June 2, and after 10-day appeal window passed, Robinson Township filed a civil complaint with District Judge Traci McDonald seeking fines of $500 per day against the club for violating its zoning permit. The notice of revocation was issued July 19.
McDonald ruled Thursday the range owed $9,500 in fines and $500 in attorneys’ fees. The range could face rup to $20,000 in fines.
The notice of violation came as Doetzer was selling ammunition and targets at the range, was advertising gun rentals at the site and was applying for a federal firearms license to manufacture or sell guns at the range. Doetzer defended himself at the zoning hearing, saying he was transparent with the township about his plans to eventually open a store. The zoning permit issued April 18 allowed only for the gun range to operate as a club and not as a commercial operation.
“After we were hit with the first violation, we shut down the store and only sold memberships. We sold 800 memberships. I’m investing money in this community and this is the thanks I get … I have to sit through meeting after meeting to hear about rumors,” Doetzer said.
Robinson Township solicitor Gretchen Moore presented evidence and testimony at the zoning hearing from McDonald police Officer Brad Resnik, who conducted two undercover operations to document sales at the range. Resnik said on July 17 two confidential informants bought $66 worth of targets and ammunition and two, two-hour memberships for $15.