Biting the Bullet Over Permit for Firing Range : Government: Despite latest setback at City Hall, gun enthusiast continues his fight for an exemption. One councilman calls the project ‘inappropriate for a residential area.’

“Home on the Range,” the American folk song celebrating the Old West, takes on an entirely different meaning for Redondo Beach resident Evan Nielsen.

In the midst of remodeling what will be his 4,400-square-foot dream home on north Lucia Avenue, Nielsen wants to build a shooting range in his basement. A general contractor who works up to 70 hours a week, Nielsen says shooting at local gun clubs is inconvenient. Further, Nielsen adds, honing his marksmanship helps him unwind after a long day.

“Basically, I like to shoot rifles and pistols,” said Nielsen, a member of the National Rifle Assn. “It’s nice to be able to shoot off a gun. It’s a pleasure for me.”

The Redondo Beach City Council, however, did not react kindly to the idea of a home shooting range--which would be the first of its kind in the city. Earlier this month, it shot down a proposal by Nielsen to amend city codes to permit the project.

“It’s . . . just inappropriate for a residential area,” said Redondo Beach Councilman Stevan Colin. “It sets a bad precedent not only for the city, but for the whole South Bay.”

Despite the lack of support, Nielsen is still pressing his case. To succeed, he will have to be exempted from city laws forbidding shooting galleries and prohibiting the discharge of a firearm without the permission of the chief of police. The police chief and city Building Department are considering Nielsen’s request.

Home shooting ranges are rare, said Ed Klyka, a spokesman for the NRA. “It’s about as common as having a bowling alley in your house,” he said.

Nielsen, who has hired an attorney to help him in his quest, hopes city authorities will OK his home shooting range out of respect for his property rights.

“If a person does something in their house and it doesn’t bother anybody and it’s legal, I just don’t see the problem,” said Nielsen, who lives with his wife and two children, ages 11 and 14. “If I want to put a swing set in my living room, it’s still my living room. It’s not like I’m torturing cats.”

City planners recognize that property rights are at issue, but say they are not sure whether Nielsen’s interests outweigh those of his immediate neighbors--and those of the community at large. The city’s planning director, Paul Connelly, believes the city has an obligation to protect the residential character of the neighborhood.

“Let’s say you’re nervous about firearms and the guy next door puts in a shooting range with the end of it pointing at your bedroom,” Connelly said. “Are we being fair (to the homeowner)? We have to discuss that.”

But at least one of Nielsen’s neighbors does not seem to mind.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said Bill Davidson, whose home is closest to Nielsen’s. “I enjoy shooting every once in a while, and if he invites me over to shoot, that will be all right.”

Nielsen, who has built a home shooting range for a Rolling Hills resident, maintains that his range would pose no danger to the neighborhood. He said he would follow guidelines established by the NRA.

The range would be 65 feet long and about 6 feet wide, with an 8-foot ceiling. The room would be sound-proofed, encased with 8-inch concrete blocks, and would have a quarter-inch tempered steel plate behind the targets.

Nielsen said he would also install a steel vault in the range to store his weapons, ensuring that the guns would be kept out of reach of his children. His firearms include .22-caliber and .38-caliber pistols, a .357 magnum and a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. Nielsen also has some rifles, but said they would not be used in the home range.

City officials said that even if the home range is allowed, they may restrict Nielsen to smaller caliber weapons. Connelly, himself an experienced gun enthusiast, points out that sometimes well-built ranges can’t safely stop larger weapons.

“I’ve seen lots of ranges with that cute little hole in the steel plate,” Connelly said.

Nielsen said he would accept restrictions if the city insists, but he just wants to get his range.

“It won’t be bothering anybody,” he said. “Nobody will see it, nobody will hear it. Nobody would even know about it if I didn’t go to the City Council about it.”