NO RANGE ON WALTON
Concerned neighbors for the preservation of quiet life
on Goochland & Louisa's Walton Road and Old Fredericksburg Road
View our interactive map HERE.
Keep It Quiet,
Keep It Peaceful
Join with your neighbors on Walton Road, Old Fredericksburg Road, and adjoining roads to oppose the proposed construction of a shooting range on Old Fredericksburg Road (originally proposed on the 4600 block of Walton Road), operating 23-50 shooting stations from morning to dusk within earshot of ~500 homes.
Records obtained through Virginia's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) raise serious concerns regarding integrity of the process.
Within VSP's new proposed site on Old Fredericksburg Road, there are:
three homes within half a mile, 120+ homes within a mile, and 500+ homes within two miles.*
There are also eight small businesses, plus the businesses in Midpoint Industrial Center, within a mile.
* Estimated number of homes calculated using Google Maps satellite imagery cross-referenced against Goochland and Louisa GIS records.
A GOOD IDEA DOESN'T JUSTIFY A BAD LOCATION
WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED?
Virginia Sports Park and Training Center at Goochland proposal:
-
Located on 125 acres of land leased from Luck Stone, accessed from the 4500 block of Old Fredericksburg Road, just north of I-64 behind the Midpoint Industrial Park.
-
Current concept plan shows 23 shooting stations, consisting of a skeet station, wobble station, a five-stand, and 20 stations on their clay shooting course, but their application requests UP TO 50 STATIONS.
-
Clay shooting is likened to the "golf of shooting sports," with squads of shooters traversing the course. A range with 50 shooting stations, even if only half the stations are active, would incur anywhere from 25-125* shooters on-site, firing simultaneously and successively on heavily attended days such as weekends, fun shoots, or tournaments. (*25 stations times squads of four or five people)
-
Operating daily, excepting Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, from morning to dusk.
Read more about the proposal, our concerns, and how it compares to other clay shooting ranges.
Updated June 13, 2026
WHY OPPOSE?
While we support responsible firearm use and ownership, the placement of a public-use firing range within a rural residential area poses significant and unacceptable risks and disruptions to our community. We oppose this development for the following reasons:
-
Noise Pollution: Continuous or intermittent gunfire would destroy the peace and quiet that defines our neighborhood. The June 9, 2026, shooting demonstration consisted only of eight shooters, but a high impact event such as a fun shoot or tournament could generate anywhere from 25 to 125 shooters onsite, firing simultaneously and successively. The persistent noise of shotgun fire will severely diminish residents’ quality of life and property values.
-
Environmental and Health Risks: Lead contamination from ammunition can leach into soil and groundwater, threatening wells, wildlife, and nearby water systems. The long-term environmental effects of outdoor shooting activities are well documented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). There is no safe level of lead exposure, especially for children. While it is noteworthy that VSP has altered their proposal to avoid firing into wetlands, the lead dust will still settle in-situ and be carried by wind into neighboring properties.
-
Light Pollution and Night Sky Visibility: Significant light pollution will diminish our ability to enjoy the natural darkness of our rural area if lighting is installed at the parking lot, buildings, and/or clay stations.
-
Property Values: Studies show that proximity to shooting ranges negatively impacts property values and makes homes harder to sell.
-
Incompatibility with Conditional Use Permit Requirements: Goochland County Code requires that applications for conditional use permit must:
-
"not be detrimental to or endanger the public health, safety, morals, comfort or general welfare;"
-
"not be injurious to the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity for the purposes already permitted, nor substantially diminish and impair property values within the neighborhood;"
-
"not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of the surrounding property for uses permitted in the district;" (Sec. 15-60, CHAPTER 15 ZONING)
By its very nature, a shooting range with upward of 50 shooting stations will pose a detrimental devaluation of adjoining property owners' comfort, will be injurious of their use and enjoyment of their properties, and impair their property values.
-
-
Conflict of Interest: VSP's Board of Directors includes Tom Winfree, currently the Board of Supervisor member for Goochland County’s District 3. This conditional use permit requires a vote of approval by the Goochland Board of Supervisors. While Mr. Winfree would not be permitted a vote, his involvement with both VSP and the County raises serious questions regarding conflict of interest.
Updated June 13, 2026