On March 2, 2010, The City Council for the City of Emeryville passed on first reading two regulatory items concerning firearms and ammunition vendors.

The first is an "urgency interim ordinance" to establish "a temporary moratorium on the establishment of any retail sales use engaged in selling leasing or otherwise transferring any firearm or ammunition within the City of Emeryville" for 45 days, according to the records from the City Council meeting. This means that no firearm or ammunition vendors may go into business in Emeryville until April 16, 2010.

The second is an ordinance requiring firearm and ammunition vendors to obtain licenses from the Chief of Police in order to operate, which have dozens of draconian conditions, thereby making it unappealing and unprofitable for a potential vendor to establish itself within the City of Emeryville. This ordinance is essentially the same as those pushed in San Mateo and Oakland in the past couple months. This, like those ordinances, is an adaptation of one of the Legal Community Against Violence ("LCAV")’s "Model Ordinances" that it pushes on local governments in the Bay Area.

It appears that these ordinances were prompted by someone expressing interest in opening a firearm store in Emeryville. Hence the moratorium and the sudden desire to adopt LCAV’s ordinance that makes running a profitable firearm or ammunition store nearly impossible. This is a blatant attempt by the City of Emeryville to make lawful gun ownership difficult. (See Emeryville’s response to a Michel & Associates, PC Public Record Act request regarding these ordinances here).

There is still time to help defeat the adoption of LCAV’s model dealer ordinance in Emeryville. Second reading of this ordinance is scheduled for 7:05p.m. on Tuesday, March 16 at Emeryville City Hall.

As with the similar ordinances in San Mateo and Oakland, attorneys from Michel & Associates, PC, on behalf of the NRA and CRPA, have prepared and submitted an opposition letter to this unlawful ordinance. (See NRA/CRPA Letter.) The National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. (“NSSF”) has also submitted a letter to the Emeryville City Council in opposition to the proposed ordinance, citing the multiple, impractical burdens it will place on legitimate firearm and ammunition vendors. (See NSSF Letter). Also, as with those similar ordinances, a public campaign to voice opposition to this ordinance will be necessary. If you are able to attend the meeting, please do and voice your opposition to these attacks on lawful gun owners.

If you are not able to attend, please at least visit the Cal-NRA website and utilize the "ONE-CLICK" feature to send e-mails to all the members of the Emeryville City Council. You can also call the Emeryville City Council at (510) 596-4300. Please be respectful but firm in your comments. The more people that voice their outrage, the more difficult it is for them to ignore us. LCAV must be stopped!

For those who can attend, the City Council meeting will be held at:

Emeryville City Hall
1333 Park Avenue
Emeryville, CA 94608