The following local ordinances apply in Lynchburg City:
- Sec. 27-67. - Throwing missiles, shooting; use of bows and arrows—Generally. (reference)
(a) No person shall in any street or public place recklessly or intentionally throw any stone, ball, or missile of any character in such a manner as to cause bodily injury to any person or damage to the property of any person, or discharge anywhere within the city limits any firearm, or discharge an arrow from a bow, except upon a properly located and constructed gunnery or archery range, approved by the chief of police, as hereinafter provided. The above provision shall not apply to peace officials or members of the armed forces of this state or the United States while acting in performance of their duties as such.
(b) No minor under the age of 18 shall shoot or discharge any firearm, or arrow from a bow, except upon a properly located, constructed and approved gunnery or archery range, and then only under the immediate supervision of an adult.
(c) Nothing herein shall apply to the use of a bow ten pounds or less of draw weight with a blunt rubber-tipped arrow.
(d) This section shall not apply to any law enforcement officer in the performance of his official duties nor to any other person who's said willful act is otherwise justifiable or excusable at law in the protection of his life or property, or is otherwise specifically authorized by law.
(e) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.
(Code 1959, § 33-1; Ord. No. O-81-166, § 1, 8-11-81; Ord. No. O-92-056, 2-25-92; Ord. No. O-06-080, 6-27-06; Ord. No. O-11-077, 6-14-11, eff. 7-1-11)
- Sec. 27-67.01. - Pneumatic guns. (reference)
(a) As used in this section, "pneumatic gun" means any implement, designed as a gun, that will expel a BB or a pellet by action of pneumatic pressure. "Pneumatic gun" includes a paintball gun that expels by action of pneumatic pressure plastic balls filled with paint for the purpose of marking the point of impact.
(b) Pneumatic guns may be used at facilities approved for shooting ranges, or on or within private property with permission of the owner or legal possessor. Use thereof must be conducted with reasonable care to prevent a projectile from crossing the bounds of the property. "Reasonable care" means that the gun is being discharged so that the projectile will be contained on the property by a backstop, earthen embankment, or fence. The discharge of projectiles across or over the bounds of the property shall create the rebuttable presumption that the use of the pneumatic gun was not conducted with reasonable care. Minors may use such implements only under the following conditions:
(1) Minors under the age of 16 must be supervised by a parent, guardian, or other adult supervisor approved by a parent or guardian and shall be responsible for obeying all laws, regulations, and restrictions governing the use thereof.
(2) Minors 16 years of age and older must have the written consent of a parent or guardian and shall be responsible for obeying all laws, regulations and restrictions governing the use thereof.
(3) Training of minors in the use of pneumatic guns shall be done only under direct supervision of a parent, guardian, junior reserve officers training corps instructor, or a certified instructor. Training of minors above the age of 16 may also be done without direct supervision if approved by the minor's instructor, with the permission of and under the responsibility of a parent or guardian, and in compliance with all requirements of this section. Ranges and instructors may be certified by the National Rifle Association, a state or federal agency that has developed a certification program, any service of the department of defense, or any person authorized by these authorities to certify ranges and instructors.
(4) Commercial or private areas designated for use of pneumatic paintball guns may be established and operated for recreational use in areas where such facilities are permitted by the city's zoning ordinance. Equipment designed to protect the face and ears shall be provided to participants at such recreational areas, and signs must be posted to warn against entry into the paintball area by persons who are unprotected or unaware that paintball guns are in use.(c) A violation of this section shall constitute class 3 misdemeanor.
(Ord. of 6-14-11, No. O-11-077, eff. 7-1-11)
- Sec. 27-67.1. - Same—Exception. (reference)
(a) The provisions of section 27-67 shall not apply to shotguns discharging pellets using number 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 shot under the following conditions:
(1) On land that is 25 acres or more of contiguous area, and
(2) Used primarily for agricultural purposes, and
(3) The landowner has applied for an annual permit from the chief of police to use his property for this purpose.
The permit shall be granted by the chief of police or his designee if the application meets the requirements of this section, and
(4) The landowner has agreed to allow the city's wildlife management specialists on his property to cull deer under the conditions set forth in a Memorandum of Understanding between the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the city. A copy of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the city shall be kept in the police department and shall be available for review upon request. It shall be the responsibility of any landowner applying for a permit to review the memorandum of understanding and become familiar with its requirements.
(5) Any person or persons discharging a shotgun as set forth above shall, at all times, while engaged in such activity, have in his possession written permission from the landowner to discharge such weapon on the premises.
(6) All hunting must be done in compliance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the rules and regulations of the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries.
(7) 00 to #4 shot may be used in shotguns for the sole purpose of hunting deer.
(8) No person or persons shall hunt deer in the city by the use of a dog or dogs.(b) No person shall discharge a shotgun within 100 yards of any building, dwelling, street, sidewalk, alley, roadway or public land or public place within the city limits.
(c) Any person engaging in hunting must comply with any conditions or restrictions imposed by the chief of police as a part of the permit.
(Code 1959, § 33-1; Ord. of 9-7-76; Ord. No. O-92-048, 2-11-92; Ord. No. O-92-372, 12-8-92; Ord. No. O-02-126, 7-9-02; Ord. No. O-02-157, 8-13-02; Ord. No. O-10-107, 9-14-10)
- Sec. 27-67.3. - Bow hunting. (reference)
(a) The provisions of section 27-67 shall not apply when discharging an arrow from a bow for the purposes of deer hunting within the city limits during the early special urban archery season, the early special archery season, the full general firearms deer season or the late special archery season, as designated in regulations promulgated by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, under the following conditions:
(1) The landowner has applied for an annual permit from the chief of police to use his property for this purpose. The permit shall be granted by the chief of police or his designee if the application meets the requirements of this section, and
(2) The landowner has agreed to allow the city's wildlife management specialists on his property to cull deer under the conditions set forth in a Memorandum of Understanding with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. A copy of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the city shall be kept in the police department and shall be available for review upon request. It shall be the responsibility of any landowner applying for a permit to review the Memorandum of Understanding and become familiar with its requirements.
(3) Any person discharging a bow as set forth above shall, at all times, while engaged in such activity, have in his possession written permission from the landowner to discharge such a weapon on his premises, and
(4) All hunting must be done in compliance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the rules and regulations of the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries, and(b) Discharge of a bow will be from an elevated position located at least 12 feet above the ground.
(c) No person shall discharge a bow from, over or across any street, sidewalk, alley, roadway or public land or public place within the city limits or toward any building or dwelling in such a manner that an arrow may strike it.
(d) No person shall hunt deer in the city by use of dog or dogs.
(e) Any person engaging in deer hunting must comply with any conditions and restrictions imposed by the chief of police as part of the permit.
(Ord. No. O-02-124, 6-25-02; Ord. No. O-02-126, 7-9-02; Ord. No. O-02-157, 8-13-02; Ord. No. O-02-162, 9-10-02; Ord. No. O-10-107, 9-14-10)