Gun Sales Hearing Continues Tonight For Los Gatos Town Council

The Los Gatos Town Council meets at 7 p.m. tonight, Monday, Feb. 11, at Town Council Chambers, 110 E. Main St. to continue the discussion of firearms and ammunition sales following a Feb. 4 meeting where more 100 residents filled out speaker cards to share their opinions about the contentious issue.

The Feb. 4 meeting was scheduled after the December 2012 opening of Templar Sports, 611 University Ave., a business which sells handguns and some sporting goods equipment.

According to a staff report, the Council has the option to ask staff to research and prepare a potential ordinance and policy changes to:

• Designate which land-use zones may be appropriate for sale of firearms and ammunition;
• Require a conditional-use permit for the sale of firearms and ammunition;
• Restrict home occupation permits for sale of firearms and ammunition;
• Establish a police permit requirement for dealers of firearms and ammunition;
• Require identification checks for the sale of ammunition; and /or
• Require the reporting of lost or stolen firearms

Los Gatos Mayor Barbara Spector asked for the Feb. 4. After that hearing lasted until close to midnight last Monday, Council officials decided to continue the public hearing tonight.

Questions have been raised by the public regarding Templar Sports' opening without prior public review.

The town does not have any legal or policy restrictions on the sale of firearms or
ammunition, except for a prohibition on sales to minors, which generally reflects state law, the report stated.

See attached PDF for the most complete staff report related to the discussion of policy issues and direction regarding firearm sales in Los Gatos and consideration of regulations on the such sales.