Santa Barbara County Municipal Code Ch. 14A Firearms—generally

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

Airgun. Includes any B-B gun, pellet gun or any other gun operated by compressed air or compressed gas, and shall include both rifles and pistols.

Firearm. Includes rifle, shotgun, pistol or revolver or other device from which any shot, bullet or projectile is discharged by force of gunpowder or other explosive, including projectiles which carry or contain their own fuel and are propelled by reaction.

Spring Gun. Includes any gun, rifle or pistol in which a spring or springs furnishes the power to propel the pellet, B-B, bullet or other projectile.

(Ord. No. 1793, §§ 1 to 3)

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, it is unlawful to shoot, fire or discharge, or permit or cause to be shot, fire or discharged, any firearm, airgun or spring gun in any area in the Los Padres National Forest in the county, which areas are posted against shooting by authorities of the National Forest.

(Ord. No. 1793, § 4)

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, it is unlawful to shoot, fire or discharge, or cause or permit to be shot, fired or discharged, any firearm, airgun or spring gun in or into any inhabited or developed place or established camps in the Los Padres National Forest in the county.

(Ord. No. 1793, § 5)

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, it is unlawful to shoot, fire or discharge, or cause to be shot, fired or discharged, any firearm, airgun or spring gun within one-quarter mile of any dwelling, habitation or other building or structure for human occupancy within the following areas; provided, however, that shooting may be done within one-quarter mile of a dwelling or building on agricultural parcels in excess of twenty acres if the prior consent of the owner or occupant of any such dwelling or building is first obtained, and if there is no other dwelling or building for human occupancy within one-quarter mile:

(a) District No. 1, South Coast Area. All that territory within the exterior boundaries described as follows:

The county boundary with Ventura at Rincon Creek on the east; the ridge line of the coastal range of the Santa Ynez Mountains on the north; the low tide line of the Pacific Ocean on the south and Tecolote Canyon on the west.

(Ord. No. 1793, § 7)

It is unlawful to shoot, fire or discharge, or cause or permit to be shot, fired or discharged, any firearm, airgun or spring gun within one hundred fifty yards of any house or place of human habitation without the express permission of the owner or person in possession of such house or place of human habitation.

(Ord. No. 1793, § 13)

It is unlawful to shoot, fire or discharge any firearm, airgun or spring gun while intoxicated. A blood alcohol reading of .05 percent or a refusal to submit to a blood alcohol test shall each be considered prima facie evidence of intoxication.

(Ord. No. 1793, § 14)

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, it is unlawful, without the consent of the owner or person lawfully in possession, to shoot, fire or discharge, or cause or permit to be shot, fired or discharged any firearm, airgun or spring gun on, at or into publicly owned structures, buildings or improvements, personal property or equipment, or on, at or into private property of any kind, real or personal, or to damage any such public or private property.

If any such private or public property is shot or damaged without the consent of the owner, the person causing such shooting or damage shall be liable to the owner for the amount of such damages.

Any person causing damage or injury to any person or to any property, public or private, as a result of a violation of this chapter is liable for damages to the person or persons injured or to the owner or owners of any property so damaged.

(Ord. No. 1793, §§ 6, 15)

This chapter does not apply to any peace officer or public officer acting in his official line of duty.

(Ord. No. 1793, § 8)

This chapter, except as otherwise provided, does not prohibit the discharge of any firearm, airgun or spring gun or shooting of any other missile when necessary so to do to protect life or property, or to destroy or kill any predatory or dangerous animal.

(Ord. No. 1793, § 9)

This chapter does not prohibit the discharge of any airgun or spring gun, or plastic or wax projectile propelled by primer only, entirely within the confines of any house or other building which is of such construction that no pellet, B-B or other missile so discharged can escape from the confines of such house or building and the shooting is done in such manner as not to endanger any person and is done with the consent of the owner or person in possession of such house or building.

(Ord. No. 1793, § 12)

The provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed or construed to prohibit, within any district or area created under the provisions of this chapter or elsewhere in the unincorporated area of the county, the establishment or maintenance of any pistol, rifle or target range approved by the board of supervisors or, in the National Forest, by the forest supervisor, nor to prohibit the discharge at any target thereon, by any person using such range, of any firearm, airgun or spring gun in or on such range, in the event that such range is so installed, constructed, safeguarded, equipped and used as to adequately prevent any bullet, shot or missile from being projected beyond the confines of such range.

(Ord. No. 1793, § 10)

No range for the shooting of any firearm, airgun or spring gun, or other similar weapon, may be established or maintained without a permit issued by the board of supervisors or, if the proposed range is in the National Forest, without a permit from the forest supervisor.

Before the board of supervisors shall issue any such permit, it shall require a report from the sheriff, the county fire chief and the planning director.

The board of supervisors may, in granting any such permit, impose any reasonable conditions to protect the public health, safety and welfare.

If a range for which a permit has been granted becomes unsafe, the permit may be revoked by the board of supervisors.

(Ord. No. 1793, § 11)

Any peace officer and the district ranger, officers and foresters of the United States government, the state forester, the state game warden, the county director of parks and any of their agents or deputies are hereby authorized to enforce the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. No. 1793, § 18)