Proposed shooting range raises concerns from Goochland neighbors

GOOCHLAND COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Nearly a dozen Goochland neighbors have shared concerns over a proposed shooting range for the county's west end.

It's the quiet community and rural neighborhood that brought families like Katrina and Daniel Dalton to the western part of the county. The two have called Goochland County home for decades, and felt their current home on Walton road near Three Chopt Road was the perfect place to raise their growing family.

“My son is almost four and he has autism and our backyard is his sanctuary,” said Katrina Dalton.

The Dalton's told 8News the future of their beloved sanctuary is in question after learning about a plan to use 75 acres nearby to build a shooting range by 2027.

“That is going to disrupt our whole lives and my son is sensitive to loud, sudden sounds," Dalton said.

According to the pre-application, Virginia Sports Park and Training Center at Goochland, LLC wants to build a skeet shooting range in the neighborhood off Interstate 64. In December, 2024 the company submitted a pre-application. The company is requesting a conditional use permit to build on the agriculturally zoned land.

The project plan is set to include shooting and archery stations along with a clubhouse and maintenance building. The site can be seen just steps away from their home. Others, like Sonny Williams and Kyle Edwards, also live near the proposed site.

“I work nights so I have to sleep during the day and from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week, that's what I'm going to hear," Williams said.

“Your home is your biggest investment you'll ever have and that’s the case for us and they are going to have a negative impact on that," Edwards said.

In addition to noise concerns and worries about the businesses operating hours, neighbors are also worried their property values will decrease. However, the direct impacts from the project is not their only concern, some say they question Tom Winfree's involvement -- who is the company president and county board chair.

Neighbors said they were told Winfree would not have a vote for the project and would not receive financial gain.

Project planners have conducted a community meeting and a traffic study finding no need to make traffic improvements.

The project is in its early stages and would need approval from the planning commission and the board.

“They want to come to a place that they can shoot, and I have nothing wrong with that. I'm an avid shooter, an avid hunter but I just don't want it in my backyard," Williams said.

8News contacted developers for the project to ask about concerns expressed by neighbors. We did not receive a response before the publication of this article.