A St. Joseph County zoning board has recommended approval of a special use permit that would allow a firearms-related business to operate from a home in the Granger area.
The request came from Jeremy Bontrager, who told the St. Joseph County Area Board of Zoning Appeals the permit would allow him to obtain a federal firearms license tied to his online sales.
"I'm wanting to get my federal firearms license so that when I sell a firearm, I can run a background check on a person, and I can't get the federal firearms license without this approval," Bontrager said.
Bontrager said the operation would primarily function online and would not resemble a traditional retail gun shop.
"It's not going to be a gun shop. There will be some gunsmithing as I assemble guns, but I'm not going to have an inventory," he said.
Some neighbors who attended the meeting raised concerns about safety and whether the business fits within a residential neighborhood.
"I'm not against guns. I have my own personal carry permit and so does my husband. I just don't think it's right to be putting it into a residential area where there are kids," said Andrea Bedford.
Another resident, Travis Parisi, said the proposal could change the character of the area.
"The request for a special use to operate a retail firearm and gunsmithing shop in a single family residential cul-de-sac is fundamentally incompatible with the safety and welfare of this neighborhood," Parisi said.
The Area Board of Zoning Appeals voted to recommend approval of the special use permit. The proposal now moves to the St. Joseph County Council for final consideration.
