City leaders in Council Bluffs are open to the possibility of having an indoor and outdoor firing range within the community, but they’re approaching the matter with safety foremost on their minds. The Council Bluffs City Council on Monday unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance, that would have a licensed engineer or architect determine the safety of indoor and outdoor firing ranges.

Currently, the issue is the city’s responsibility, City Attorney Richard Wade, who was contacted by another attorney, whose client is considering building an indoor firing range, said he believes the city doesn’t have the necessary expertise necessary to determine how safe such facilities should be.

Under the proposed, new ordinance, before any firing range can open, the owner or operator must submit plans that have been signed by a licensed engineer or architect certifying that the structure or outdoor site has been designed and built in a manner that permits the safe discharge of firearms. There are no specifics in the ordinance on how an indoor firing range is to be built.