Alexandria archers soon may have to be more careful where they fire their slings and arrows.
In its first meeting since swearing in three new members in July, City Council members are scheduled to weigh an ordinance Tuesday that would prohibit people from shooting arrows onto other people’s property without permission from the owner.
The proposal stems from a complaint received by Mayor William D. Euille, said city attorney James Banks.
In June, Euille received a complaint from a citizen regarding an ongoing dispute with a neighbor. The citizen complained that, despite his protests, the neighbor continued to use a compound bow for target shooting in his yard.
While there is no city law preventing anyone from shooting arrows on private property, the complainant said he felt threatened by the arrows because of the small size of the two yards. The resident notified the police, but to no avail — they found arrows in their yard even after calling the cops.
The proposal would make shooting arrows onto private property without permission a misdemeanor punishable by a $250 fine.
Examining the city statute, the city discovered that there was “a bit of a gap in our ordinances,” and there was really no effective way to address the issue, Banks said.
The authority to enact such a law is generally more relevant in rural jurisdictions where more bowhunting takes place, he said. He said it was “a little unusual” for the issue to surface in a suburban area like Alexandria, but said the new proposal would give people a better guideline of what is allowed under law.
The council also will weigh two other weapons-related issues Tuesday to bring city statutes into line with state law. There is a proposal to spike a lawprohibiting people from carrying a loaded firearm within 100 yards of public parks or playgrounds, and to repeal a law forbidding anyone from carrying a loaded weapon in public.
The proposals are on the table so that city laws would comply with state laws, which say that localities cannot regulate the possession of firearms except in certain circumstances.
