A firearms group interested in establishing a shooting range nine miles north of Bandon must soon decide whether it wants the controversial idea put before voters.

Coos County legal counsel David Koch said Bob Main, the president of the Tioga Sports Park Association, has indicated the group may be interested in redirecting its efforts for the proposed 220-acre Tioga Sports Park just north of Whisky Run Lane in the Coos County Forest.

The Tioga Association's plan includes a “concessionaire agreement” with the county, allowing the group to develop, operate and maintain a portion of the county park as a gun range. Koch said he was told the group may be interested in leasing the property from the county instead, which could set in motion either a public hearing, or a ballot measure. Main declined to be interviewed for this article.

Coos County Clerk Terri Turi said the group would have until March 16 to complete the preliminary ballot process. The lease question could then be put to county voters in May.

Coos County Board of Commissioners Chairman John Griffith said he would not comment on whether the issue should be decided by a public hearing or by a vote of the electorate, but, he allowed, “you get a better sense in what the community wants in an election than a hearing because more people participate.”

The Tioga Association plan ran into stiff opposition last fall, after the Coos County Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit to develop the park.

Neighbors opposed to the project cried foul, saying they were not given adequate notification of the land-use proposal. The county agreed, and chose to hold another public hearing in December. Tioga requested that hearing be postponed, Koch said.

The proposed shooting range would include 20 rifle shooting corridors - each 1,000 yards long - numerous pistol ranges, an archery park, a black powder course, trap shooting range, a paintball course and an RV park with camping facilities.

Neighbors have voiced concerns about noise levels from the shooting range and how they would affect the quality of life and the property value of their homes. They've formed the Quiet Forest Homeowners group, and about 70 members meet several times each month. Members, many of whom indicate they are gun owners themselves, say there are about 200 homeowners and hundreds of other buildable lots, within three miles of the proposed shooting range.

According to Chas Waldrop, of Chas Waldrop Real Estate in Bandon, the area proposed for the park is appreciating in value.

“Any sort of noise that will disturb the peace and quiet will lower property values around that area,” Waldrop said. “The reason people live in the country is to have peace and quiet.”

David Comden, a member of the Quiet Forest Homeowners, said the members have said they would divert funds away from a costly legal battle to help finance the gun range - someplace else.

“As long as it's not in someone else's backyard,” Comden added, noting he has found a handful of sites he plans to propose to the association.

Comden said he does not fear the matter being resolved by Coos County voters if it were to come to that.

His wife has another idea.

“What this needs is mediation,” she said; “someone with some common sense to step in. Old friends are getting into heated arguments over this.”