On March 11, 2024 there was a public meeting at the Burbank Community Services Bldg. of the Burbank Community Development staff, which was held from 6 pm to 7:30 pm to report on the July 26, 2022 Burbank City Council directive to its staff to evaluate new regulations for its 14 licensed firearm dealers.
Nine have physical locations, and the other five are permitted to be wholesale operators with an option to open a new physical store. At the March 11 meeting, it was announced that the City of Burbank has no plans to cap and limit the number of licensed gun dealers to 14.
The staff made “progress” on the following items while reminding the audience several times that they are an advisory committee only making recommendations to the City Council, which makes the ultimate decisions on new regulations, which also apply to gun shows and events.
“Bollard” barriers, it was reported, may possibly be mandated around gun stores to keep vehicles at a distance. New gun stores will be permitted in select location zones, as determined by the Council around Burbank.
Requested to their staff by the Council was the following guidelines:
1) Consider the Gifford Law Model Ordinance Best Practices (completed).
2) Amend the City’s business license process and establish new operations and inspection requirements for firearms retailers (completed).
3) Prepare a Zone Text Amendment (ZTA) and development standards for firearms retailers.
4) Establish a discretionary review process for new firearms retailer applications.
Proposed Burbank Municipal Code Firearm Retail Use Regulations
A) Compliance by Existing Firearm Retailers
*180 days to comply with new regulations
*Nonconforming retailers and continuation of use
B) Separation from “residential zones” and “Sensitive Uses”
Sensitive uses apply to schools, public libraries, religious institutions, public parks, and city open spaces. The study will give options to the City Council to decide on distances between existing and new gun stores of either 500 or 1,000 feet, both of which have been designated by other Californa cities.
C) Video Surveillance System
*Firearm retail activity must comply with the video surveillance system approved by the Burbank Police Chief
D) Lighting
* Lighting shall be provided to illuminate the interior, facade, and immediate surrounding area of the firearm retail facility
E) Prohibition
Firearm retail activity on City property is prohibited.
The audience for the March 11 meeting was made up mostly of men, many of whom appeared to be owners and employees of gun stores. The question segment of the meeting made it clear that all of the many audience members who spoke would prefer that the City Council enact no new laws at all. Some raised their voices in anger as the evening wore on, viewing any attempts at controlling the firearm industry as a direct threat to their livelihoods.
Residents of Burbank who may want strong new gun store control laws will need to start attending meetings like the one on March 11 and follow up by attending City Council meetings, where they’ll need to contend with stiff and well-organized opposition.
Further meetings will be announced to discuss the proposed recommendations for Burbank firearm dealers.
This article is completely wrong, I was at this meeting. You obviously were not paying attention to who was in the room.
While attending the Burbank city meeting on gunshop regulations I scanned the room and saw women at the speaker’s table only, however, if I missed Ms. Bessin being there I apologize and stand corrected.
It appears that Mr. Weiskopf has a strong bias against businesses he doesn’t’ like. I was in the room and I am neither a gun store owner or associated with anyone with a license to sell or wholesale. My comments pointed out the fact that no data supported such actions by the council. This is driven purely on emotions by well meaning concerned residents.
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