Charlotte County commissioners are exploring options to reduce noise from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office gun range on Airport Road after residents of a neighboring community raised concerns about health, safety and quality of life.
Residents of Waterford Estates, a gated development adjacent to the semi-enclosed range, have asked the county to lower decibel levels and fully enclose the facility. In response, the Board of County Commissioners directed Facilities Director Travis Perdue to prepare a request for proposals for an engineering feasibility study to examine potential noise-reduction solutions.
Marie Hollenbeck, who lives on Mikasa Drive in Waterford Estates, told commissioners that gunfire often begins at sunrise and can continue into the evening.
“If we called 911 every time we heard a gunshot, we would overwhelm emergency services,” she said.
Shirley Stewart, a resident of Waterford Estates, addresses Charlotte County commissioners about persistent gunfire noise from the Sheriff’s Office training range near her neighborhood.
Charlotte County government
Another resident, Shirley Stewart, said she moved into the community in 2019 and did not begin hearing gunfire until 2023. She said she was unaware the activity would occur so close to her home.
Connie Wendt echoed those concerns, telling commissioners that the noise sometimes causes her windows to rattle. She questioned why a modern gun range would be constructed without sufficient sound baffling so close to homes. “No public person should have to put up with that kind of noise,” Wendt said.
Commissioner Bill Truex noted that the gun range has operated at its current location since the 1970s, long before the Waterford Estates development was built. At that time, the roughly 190 acres where the community now sits was undeveloped land.
Commission Chair Joe Tiseo outlined the more recent history of the facility. Construction began on the semi-enclosed range several years ago, but a dispute with the original contractor halted work. During that period, sheriff’s deputies trained at alternative facilities.
After a new contractor was hired and construction was completed, training resumed at the Airport Road range — roughly five years after the project initially began. By then, many homes had been built and occupied in Waterford Estates, which includes more than 330 single-family homes and more than 230 multifamily units developed by D.R. Horton.
Charlotte County Commission Chair Joe Tiseo discusses the history and operation of the Sheriff’s Office gun range during a public meeting on resident complaints and possible mitigation strategies.
Charlotte County government
Tiseo said residents who moved into the community during construction years would not have heard gunfire, as the range was not in use. While original buyers may have been informed of the nearby range, he said, subsequent buyers may not have been aware of it.
Residents said long guns create the most disruptive noise. William Krause, another Waterford Estates resident, said the range should have been fully enclosed from the outset, noting its proximity to schools, parks and playgrounds.
“Come in my backyard,” Krause told commissioners. “You wouldn’t want to live here.”
Some residents at previous meetings also have said the sound of gunfire has triggered anxiety for people with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Commissioners acknowledged that funding presents a significant challenge. Officials said addressing the issue could require hiring both a sound engineer and a structural engineer to evaluate potential modifications to the existing range. Estimates suggest the cost of such work could approach $1 million.
When commissioners asked whether long-gun training could be moved to a different facility, Sheriff’s Office Executive Director Andres Rodriguez said alternative ranges used during construction are no longer available. He added that approximately 500 deputies are required to undergo regular training with both pistols and long guns.
Waterford Estates resident William Krause urges commissioners to consider enclosing the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office gun range, citing its proximity to homes, schools and parks.
Charlotte County government
Perdue outlined several previously considered options, but commissioners said none appeared viable. A natural vegetation buffer on county-owned land is not feasible because of space limitations. Installing a sound wall could cost about $500,000 and would likely reduce noise levels by only 5 to 10 decibels.
Officials also noted that Waterford Estates has about 50 feet of buffer space within the community that could be replanted with vegetation lost during recent hurricanes. While additional vegetation could help reduce sound, the community’s homeowners association has indicated it would not pay for the work.
The discussion comes as uncertainty surrounds the county’s future revenue. State lawmakers are considering property tax exemptions for homesteaded residents, which could affect ad valorem tax collections and limit available funding for capital improvements.
No timeline was established for when Perdue will return to the commission with a draft request for proposals. Commissioners said they want more information before deciding how to proceed.