Committee of the Whole Mulls Gunsmith Shop

The Committee of the Whole discussed a Twin Lakes residents’ request to operate a gunsmith shop at 475 Lincoln Drive, unit 106.

Jim Hodges is seeking permission to sell classic, “high-end” and competition/match grade weapons and accessories, as well as repair and customize similar firearms.

Several weeks ago, the Plan Commission recommended approval of the proposal with a few conditions:

• Strict adherence to ATF, State and Local Requirements
• All weapons will be locked when on the premises
• Proper storage of ammunition
• Storage of weapons in a proper safe secured to the concrete floor when business closed.
• Full security system with remote monitoring
• No on-site discharge of weapons/no firing range
• Signage limited to existing group sign and identifier on the specific space
• Knox Box on outside of building.

Despite a few residential concerns regarding the proximity of the business in relationship to apartments housing the elderly or disabled, Police Chief Dale Racer and Village Administrator David Cox recommended the business to the Committee of the Whole with additional conditions if approved by the Village Board.

• Addition of dead bolt lock to the front door
• Disable and lock the garage door access
• Install cement bollards or vehicle blocks
• Include motion sensors and cameras in the security system
• Access door opened by interior remote only. Locked at all times
• Require that no loaded weapons be in the store
• Police review and approval of security system and measures prior to stocking and opening

Business hours would be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 10-6 on Fridays and Saturdays. With operations primarily in the daylight hours, neither Village President Howard Skinner nor Police Chief Racer anticipate a problem with the business.

For Hodges, who has more than 20 years of experience in firearm repair, and worked with firearms since he was a child, it is an opportunity for a change in venue.

“I am recently unemployed, and I have worked repairing firearms for family, friends and relatives for years, and they encouraged me to try to make this business work,” he said. “I will be doing customization, rebarreling, and repair of match type firearms. I am hoping that I can pick up some of the business that other gunsmith shops can’t handle. I’m trying to find my niche and hoping to fill it with higher end, competition and collective type repairs.”