By Sheila McLaughlin
Enquirer Staff Writer

LOVELAND - A group of residents, with help from a councilman, have taken to the streets to block an indoor target range from opening on Loveland-Madeira Road.

Their efforts for a referendum could halt the project before voters get to decide the issue. An owner of Shooter's Supply, a 16-year Loveland business, said Tuesday that the delays may force him to look elsewhere.

The citizen's group, headed by condominium owners on Whispering Knolls Court and residents of Deer Ridge Apartments, began circulating petitions over the weekend to repeal a new law that allows guns to be fired in an indoor range.

They have until Sept. 22 to collect at least 410 signatures and file the petitions with city hall to stop the law from going into effect.

Shooter's Supply owner Marvin Mann said he could abandon the project if the petitions are certified because it would put the purchase of the property and any development there on hold until sometime next year. At the earliest, the issue could make the February ballot in a special election that would cost the city at least $7,800.

"If that does go through, we will probably be looking for another venue. It puts us behind in a time crunch for sure," Mann said.

"As bad as I hate to see this thing go forward with that group, it's still their right. That's the democratic process we have in this country. I can't argue that."

Council passed the amended gun law last month in a 5-2 vote, despite complaints from Whispering Knolls and Deer Ridge residents that the shooting range was too close - less than 200 feet- to their neighborhood.

Council members Paul Elliott and Katie Showler voted against it. Both said they wanted the public to decide the issue at the ballot.

"It's too close to a residence. It's along a very heavily traveled road, and we just don't want any gun firing anywhere within Loveland. It doesn't enhance the beauty or the tranquility of the community," said Mike Konarski, a Whispering Knolls resident who is on a four-member committee spearheading the petition drive.

He said Elliott, who successfully organized a referendum last year that blocked commercial development in a residential area, was involved in the effort against Shooter's Supply. Elliott was elected to council after the referendum.

"He got us all together to do this," Konarski said. "He brought up the idea because we didn't understand all the machinations that go into doing these things."

Elliott said Konarski mischaracterized his involvement, even though he personally obtained a certified copy of the new ordinance to be filed with the petition, and accompanied a referendum committee member to city hall Friday to file notice of the referendum.

"It's their baby. I can certainly help them in some ways because I've been through the process before," Elliott said, adding that he supports the citizen effort. "I think this issue is big enough for council to have sent it to the ballot box."

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E-mail smclaughlin@enquirer.com