Ellsworth City Council Shoots Down John Linnehan’s Private Firing Range

John Linnehan has owned the property in Ellsworth for almost seven decades, but only recently had built a 150 foot-long firing range to practice his shooting in order to defend his property.

The guns went silent last night when the Ellsworth City Council voted 5-2 to deny his request to shoot guns on his property.

A city ordinance bans the shooting of firearms within 300 yards of any house within the City's Urban Compact Zone, the same zone that one cannot shoot off fireworks within.

The 34-acre Linnehan property complete with horse barn and pasture is located on Shore Road, the road that runs along the east side of the Union River. The propertylies within the urban compact zone. The quiet and sedate road is a very popular route for walkers and bikers.

Linnehan reportedly told the council he thought the rule was 300 feet when a neighbor called the police to complain about gunshots going off. Linnehan then told the Council that his nearest neighbor is 385 feet away from the newly built range complete with earthen beams to absorb the bullets being fired.

Even so, with so many homes in the area, the majority of councilors were concerned enough to not allow it.

The neighborhood, which has many homes, includes Brae Street, Holt Drive, Western Avenue, and Argonne Street. It is located to the southeast of the Linnehan property. The heavily traveled State Street along with Ellsworth High School is about a half-mile through the woods to the back of the property.

"I personally have some concerns about what is going on nationally. Our country’s in trouble. I am prepared to defend my family at my house," Mr. Linnehan told the Ellsworth City Council to no avail at City Hall.