An ordinance to secure the public peace, health, safety, welfare and general convenience of the residents and property owners of the Township of _________, _________ County, Michigan, a municipal corporation, by the regulation of the use of firearms, the prohibition of specified firearms, the restrictions as to the firing of firearms, the approval of shooting ranges, the prohibition of the shooting of firearms within specified areas; to provide penalties for the violation thereof, and to repeal all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict therewith.

THE TOWNSHIP OF___________, ________ COUNTY, MICHIGAN, ORDAINS:

Section 1: Purpose
The purpose of this ordinance is to secure and maintain the public peace, health, safety, welfare and convenience of the residents and property owners of the Township of _________, _________ County, Michigan, by the regulation of the use of firearms within said Township and the approval of firearm ranges.

Section 2: Title
This ordinance shall be known and cited as the ________ Township Firearms Discharge Ordinance.

Section 3: Definitions
A. Firearm. The word "firearm," as used in this ordinance, shall mean any weapon or device from which is propelled any missile, projectile, bullet, shot, pellet, or other mass by means of explosives, compressed air or gas, or by means of springs, levers or other mechanical devices.

B. Approved Ranges. An "approved range," as used in this ordinance, shall mean a range for the shooting of firearms, constructed in such manner as to prevent the projectile from any weapon so fired on said range from exceeding the physical limits of said range.

C. Building. The words "building," "structure" or "edifice," as used in this ordinance, shall be construed to mean a space within its walls and usually, but not necessarily, covered with a roof.

Section 4: Regulation of Use of Firearms
No person shall, from after the effective date of this ordinance, discharge any pistol, revolver or rifle within the Township of __________, except:

A. Authorized officers of the law are permitted to discharge their weapons in the performance of their duties.

B. A person shall be permitted to discharge any weapon for the protection of his/her life and his/her property.

C. A person may discharge a weapon for target practice purposes, in a safe manner, upon a range which has been approved by the Township Board of _________ Township, for the specified type of weapon so discharged.

Section 5: Size Restrictions
It shall be unlawful to discharge any shotgun with slugs, ball, cut or ring shotgun shell, or shot larger than No. 2, except on a Township-approved range.

Section 6: Discharge Restrictions; Structures
It shall be unlawful, after the effective date of this ordinance:

A. To discharge any firearm not prohibited elsewhere in this ordinance, within an area of 100 yards of any building, structure or edifice, whether occupied or unoccupied.

B. It shall be unlawful to discharge any firearm permitted elsewhere, except on approved ranges, upon any platted land, or within 100 yards of any public or private school real property.

C. However, it shall be permissible to discharge a shotgun with No. 2 or small shot, within 100 yards of any building, structure or edifice, provided the written consent to so discharge said shotgun has been secured from the owner of said building, structure or edifice, but in no instance shall a shotgun be discharged within 100 yards of any public or private school real property.

Section 7: Discharge Restrictions; Roadways
From and after the effective date of this ordinance, it shall be unlawful to discharge any firearms, upon or across any public road or highway, within said Township.

Section 8: Approved Range
The Township shall approve firearms practice ranges provided that said range so approved shall be so constructed as to prevent the discharge from the specified type of firearms exceeding the limits of said approved range. Approval of any practice range shall specify in said approval the type of firearm that may be used on said practice range. Use of any firearms not approved for said practice range shall be grounds for withdrawal of approval of said range.

Section 9: Age Restriction
It shall be unlawful for any person under the age of 17 years to discharge a firearm unless under the direct supervision and control of and accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or adult person authorized by said parent or legal guardian, to have direct supervision of the person under the age of 17 years, and further, it shall be the responsibility of every parent, guardian or other person having the physical custody or charge of any minor under the age of 17 years, to control said minor and prevent him from violating or attempting to violate any provisions of this ordinance.

Section 10: Penalties
Any person who violates any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100, or by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed 90 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Section 11: Validity
Should any action, clause or provision of this ordinance be declared to be invalid, the same shall not affect the validity of this ordinance as a whole, or any part thereof, other than the part so declared invalid.

Section 12: Effective Date
This ordinance shall take effect on the _____ day of ____. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed.

The purpose of this sample ordinance is to provide a suggested guideline for the types of items that should be included within an ordinance. Certainly, no sample ordinance should be used unless, after careful review, it is the professional judgment of your legal counsel that using the sample will accomplish the particular objectives and intentions of your township. Although these sample ordinances are the result of much thought and effort, neither the authors nor the Michigan Townships Association assumes any responsibility for the results of using these samples word-for-word in individual cases.