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Henrico County Muscling out gun store - Zombie Defense - victim of rezoning

T Dubya

Campaign Veteran
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Feb 11, 2008
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Richmond, Va, ,
Henrico County is muscling out Zombie Defense. They are rezoning him out of his store. Someone complained about him, he's there maybe 20 hours a week and has a tiny store. He's mostly by appointment and doesn't keep a lot of stock. I asked if he notified VCDL and he said the county made their mind up. They had a vote on it. I had no idea there was a meeting. Just another example of our rights being withered away quietly.
 

Brian D.

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Cincy area, Ohio, USA
From what you describe that sounds like a shame. But I gotta also say it must be middle age is here to stay in my life--can't imagine ever taking a store called 'Zombie Defense' seriously enough to shop there.
 

T Dubya

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Richmond, Va, ,
He sells stripped lowers and AR parts for those who like to make custom builds. I have never seen him with a complete rifle. He also has gunbroker customers that use his FFL.


In response to his silly name, he capitalized on a silly fad to make money. Good for him, true to the American entrepreneurial spirit. I think he should have let VCDL know so we could have shown up and supported him. He wasn't hearing what I was telling him about what VCDL can do to help him. His response was the county had made up their mind. Seems like an okay guy, but if he doesn't want to recognize what VCDL can bring to the table, his loss.


http://www.zombie-defense.com/contact.html
 
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Grapeshot

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Presuming that he has a properly issued business license, I do not think it is legal to rezone his business out of existence.

He needs advice and assistance and quickly too.
 

T Dubya

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Presuming that he has a properly issued business license, I do not think it is legal to rezone his business out of existence.

He needs advice and assistance and quickly too.

He's not listening to me Grape. We should have been in that meeting. VCDL should have been made aware. The county is rezoning so that he has to leave and whatever location he picks will have to be approved. It's wrong, it's dirty tricks.

I also hear that Colonial Shooting Academy is coming under attack. The antis are operating below the radar and they need to be stopped ASAP.
 

peter nap

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He's not listening to me Grape. We should have been in that meeting. VCDL should have been made aware. The county is rezoning so that he has to leave and whatever location he picks will have to be approved. It's wrong, it's dirty tricks.

I also hear that Colonial Shooting Academy is coming under attack. The antis are operating below the radar and they need to be stopped ASAP.

What meeting though.
First it has to come before zoning then it has to come before the BOS before it's final. There is also an appeal period.

If he isn't listening, what good is VCDL, assuming they chose to involve themselves in, do?
 

1911 Enthusiast

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Heart of Appalachia
<snip>...can't imagine ever taking a store called 'Zombie Defense' seriously enough to shop there.

I had the same reaction when Hornady came out with their Zombie Max ammo. :banghead:

But they didn't ask my opinion and it hasn't been discontinued so apparently it's selling OK. Guess a lot of gun owners aren't put off by the name.
 

T Dubya

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Richmond, Va, ,
What meeting though.
First it has to come before zoning then it has to come before the BOS before it's final. There is also an appeal period.

If he isn't listening, what good is VCDL, assuming they chose to involve themselves in, do?

Members showing up to the council meetings that make the decision is a first step. I don't know what the zoning laws are and what recourse he has, but it behooves us to pay attention as to how the county can legally kick out a dealer.

Whether he wants our help or not this is bad.
 

peter nap

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Members showing up to the council meetings that make the decision is a first step. I don't know what the zoning laws are and what recourse he has, but it behooves us to pay attention as to how the county can legally kick out a dealer.

Whether he wants our help or not this is bad.

It's worse than you think. No zoning....no FFL. There may be a grace period but I expect he'll have to reapply.
 

riverrat10k

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Aug 24, 2008
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on a rock in the james river
Interesting. Took a quick look and it appears that area is an "enterprise zone" where tax base development is encouraged. Zoning is currentlyB2-C. May look up "by right" uses in this zoning, and try to find the case. Backs up to R-3 single family residential.
 

67GT390FB

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Mar 2, 2007
Messages
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Location
Richmond, Virginia, USA
He's not listening to me Grape. We should have been in that meeting. VCDL should have been made aware. The county is rezoning so that he has to leave and whatever location he picks will have to be approved. It's wrong, it's dirty tricks.

I also hear that Colonial Shooting Academy is coming under attack. The antis are operating below the radar and they need to be stopped ASAP.

there's a huge differene between zombie defense and CSA. the little guy in zombie defense may need some help. the ownership of CSA is affluent and influential enough in henrico politics to pretty much fight their own battles. unlike other such enterprises i don't remember the need for too much support at BOS/planning commision meetings to get CSA open, they pretty much put in their application and were approved.
 

ncwabbit

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rural religious usa
It's worse than you think. No zoning....no FFL. There may be a grace period but I expect he'll have to reapply.

nay, me thinks he can put in for a change of address and w/an explaination of the circumstances and depending where he moves 'might' have to go through another ATF visit...if he moves to his residence he might get some eyebrows raised w/ATF but again w/explaination of the circumstances they should be understanding especially if it is a temporary relocation! but keep in mind the ATF has their own perspective of the world and perhaps a different set of guidelines per se!!

wabbit
 

Grapeshot

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Valhalla
there's a huge differene between zombie defense and CSA. the little guy in zombie defense may need some help. the ownership of CSA is affluent and influential enough in henrico politics to pretty much fight their own battles. unlike other such enterprises i don't remember the need for too much support at BOS/planning commision meetings to get CSA open, they pretty much put in their application and were approved.

Favoritism? Good ol' boy network? Insider deals? Come on this is 2012!
 

peter nap

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I'm still not sure where we're going with this TD.

The guy doesn't want help. I don't know if the zoning hearings are complete.

VCDL can't be expected to watch every zoning application in every locality in the state, to see if it concerns gun owners and even if they did....I haven't figured where it stands on what subjects. That seems like a pinball bouncing from peg to peg.

Lobbying on a local level seems to be left to individual members to identify and organize opposition/support for.

What do you propose we do about this?
 

skidmark

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Jan 15, 2007
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Valhalla
What do you propose we do about this?

Not much you can do when someone brushes off an offer of assistance.

I was not aware of this guy, but will be checking out his business only for the purpose of steering some folks towards it to see if there are any Going Out Of Business bargains to be picked up. It's a shame to be losing a receiving FFL, even if I never used him.

stay safe.
 

Thundar

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Sep 12, 2007
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Newport News, Virginia, USA
If he is building custom rifles then we are talking about a manufacturers FFL, not a dealers FFL (All manufacturers are also dealers in ATFs world).

Opening back up might be more difficult for a manufacturer. There are alot of issues for manufacturers.

If he doesn't want help, I don't know what we can do except find the zoning board minutes and see if there were blatent anti-firearms shenanigans going on at the meeting.

Live Free or Die,
Thundar
 

riverrat10k

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Aug 24, 2008
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on a rock in the james river
Started looking around the Henrico website for this "rezoning" but did not find it easily. If someone really wants to know what is up, message back and I will find out what the dealio is.

riverrat

eta: there is a 2012 rezoning case that I can't get info on yet, may have just happened in the last few days. It is not coming up on-line even for county employees so must be very recent.

B2-C zoning is B-2 zoning with conditions. Zoning here was changed in 1989 from B-1 to B2-C. The conditions excluded a few types of businesses but nothing about firearms.

B-2 zoning allows gun shops. Unless someone else is in the know, am interested in what it was rezoned to, or if additional conditions were placed on the property through the zoning process. Was there mention above that this action was due to residents complaints? If so, this could be abuse of the zoning laws.
 
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peter nap

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Started looking around the Henrico website for this "rezoning" but did not find it easily. If someone really wants to know what is up, message back and I will find out what the dealio is.

riverrat

Thanks RR but almost every day I get calls or emails from people that have a problem and are worried about. In this case, if he ain't concerned, neither am I.
 
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T Dubya

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Messages
914
Location
Richmond, Va, ,
Started looking around the Henrico website for this "rezoning" but did not find it easily. If someone really wants to know what is up, message back and I will find out what the dealio is.

riverrat

eta: there is a 2012 rezoning case that I can't get info on yet, may have just happened in the last few days. It is not coming up on-line even for county employees so must be very recent.

B2-C zoning is B-2 zoning with conditions. Zoning here was changed in 1989 from B-1 to B2-C. The conditions excluded a few types of businesses but nothing about firearms.

B-2 zoning allows gun shops. Unless someone else is in the know, am interested in what it was rezoned to, or if additional conditions were placed on the property through the zoning process. Was there mention above that this action was due to residents complaints? If so, this could be abuse of the zoning laws.

There were complaints about the shop. Strange since the shop is very incognito with very little traffic and open for only a few hours a week. Also he has been audited. Not just by the county, but there was a formal request for him to be audited by BATFE.
 
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