Archery coach wants a shot at establishing private Columbia County shooting range
A Columbia County man is shooting for a chance to establish a private archery range near the McDuffie County line.
Jake Martin is asking the county to rezone about 4 acres at 7131 Bill Dorn Rd. to a special designation that allows several archery clubs to enjoy the property that he and his family have used for many years with the owner's permission.
"I am asking for this rezoning to ensure that the archery programs I have created and grown can continue to ensure that families have a place to enjoy the sport, with 4-H being the only other organized after-school archery program with a range in Columbia County, the choices are extremely limited," Martin said in a statement submitted to the county.
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Martin runs Top Nock Archery in Appling and manages archery clubs affiliated with four governing federations. He plans to keep the range private, offering a site to conduct lessons practices and coaching certifications. Visiting archers must be members of at least one of the four groups.
After the property's owner died in 2019, Martin agreed with the owner's daughter to maintain the property on the condition that the land continues to be used for outdoor recreation. Much of the property is used solely for hunting.
The Columbia County Planning Commission is scheduled to consider the request at its meeting May 2.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Coach proposes private archery range in rural Columbia County
