[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Lexington as §§ 26-1 to 26-6 of the 1958 Code (Ch. 27 of the 1970 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Licenses generally — See Ch. 255, Art. II.
Peace and good order — See Ch. 295.
[Amended 8-18-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-03]
A. 
Where prohibited.
(1) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to shoot any pistol, rifle, shotgun or other firearm within the City or to do so in the county within 1/4 mile of a public playground or public school which is situated in the City.
(2) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to shoot any BB gun or air rifle (pneumatic gun) in or on City property unless at a facility approved for shooting ranges.
(3) 
BB guns or air rifles may be discharged on private property with permission of the owner or legal possessor thereof when conducted with reasonable care to prevent a projectile from crossing the bounds of the property.
[1]
Editor's Note: For state law as to discharging firearms in streets and public places, see Code of Virginia, §§ 18.2-280 and 18.2-286.
[Amended 8-18-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-03]
Subject to Subsection A below, it shall be unlawful for any person to throw or discharge in or into any street or public place any stones, sticks, snowballs or other dangerous missiles, or to discharge arrows, nails or bullets from bows or crossbows or other devices.
A. 
Subject to the approval of the designated representative of the City Police Department and applicable state game regulations, bow hunting for deer within the limits of the City of Lexington on private property shall be permitted during regular state hunting seasons, including, if applicable, urban archery hunting seasons, provided that the owner of any approved property has given express written permission to hunt. Any such hunting activity shall be additionally governed by the following:
(1) 
Landowners seeking approval for inclusion in this deer hunting program shall provide written notice to adjacent landowners indicating that such approval has been requested. The City of Lexington shall provide information to the press concerning those parcels of land that are or will be considered for the program and subsequently those that have been approved.
(2) 
Hunters must abide by all applicable Virginia hunting regulations, including but not limited to bag limits and tagging/checking requirements.
(3) 
In addition to the urban archery season, archery hunting is also allowed during the early archery season, the general firearms season, and during the late archery season.
(4) 
The landowner must apply for an annual permit which is free from the Lexington Police Department Special Enforcement Officer and register the hunter for that property.
(5) 
When hunting, all hunters must have in their possession written permission from the landowner and a copy of the registration referenced in Subsection A(2).
(6) 
Hunting shall be from an elevated tree stand only with a minimum height of 12 feet.
(7) 
Hunting is restricted to land that is one or more acres which is either owned or leased with permission from the landlord. Property may be aggregated to meet the acreage requirement.
(8) 
There shall be no hunting within 100 yards of a dwelling on an adjacent property, street, sidewalk, alley, public land or public place.
[Amended 7-19-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-13]
(9) 
No hunter shall discharge a bow over any street, sidewalk, alley, public land or public place.
(10) 
Hunters shall be responsible for disposing of deer carcasses appropriately.
[Amended 7-19-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-13]
(11) 
The urban archery season is restricted to antlerless deer only.
(12) 
Deer must be checked either by calling 1-866-GOT-GAME, online, or at a big game check-in station.
(13) 
All hunters shall receive approval from adjacent landowners in the event that they need to retrieve a deer prior to going upon the land.
[Amended 7-19-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-13]
(14) 
Each hunter and landowner shall be jointly and severally liable for any damage caused by a deer injured by said hunter when hunting on the landowner's property.
(15) 
No person shall hunt deer within the City limits with a dog or dogs.
(16) 
Either the City Manager or the Chief of Police may add additional terms and conditions to the hunting rights enumerated herein as the situation warrants.
If any person sells, barters, gives or furnishes or causes to be sold, bartered, given or furnished to any minor under 18 years of age a gun, rifle, air rifle, pistol, cartridge, dirk, switchblade knife or bowie knife, having good cause to believe him to be a minor under 18 years of age, such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
[1]
Editor's Note: For state law as to furnishing weapons to minors, see Code of Virginia, § 18.2-309.
[Amended by Ord. No. 89-20; 5-17-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-16]
A. 
If any person carries about his person, hidden from common observation, (1) any pistol, revolver, or other weapon designed or intended to propel a missile of any kind by action of an explosion of any combustible material; (2) any dirk, bowie knife, switchblade knife, ballistic knife, machete, razor, slingshot, spring stick, metal knucks, or blackjack; (3) any flailing instrument consisting of two or more rigid parts connected in such a manner as to allow them to swing freely, which may be known as a nun chahka, nun chuck, nunchaku, shuriken, or fighting chain; (4) any disc, of whatever configuration, having at least two points or pointed blades which is designed to be thrown or propelled and which may be known as a throwing star or oriental dart; or (5) any weapon of like kind as those enumerated in this subsection, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. A second violation of this subsection or a conviction under this subsection subsequent to any conviction under any substantially similar ordinance of any county, city or town shall be punishable as a Class 6 felony, and a third or subsequent such violation shall be punishable as a Class 5 felony. For the purpose of this subsection, a weapon shall be deemed to be hidden from common observation when it is observable but is of such deceptive appearance as to disguise the weapon's true nature.
B. 
(Reserved)[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection B, regarding carrying loaded firearms, was repealed 8-6-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-07.
C. 
The foregoing provisions of this section shall not be construed to apply to any persons who are lawfully authorized to carry any of the weapons aforesaid as set forth in § 18.2-308 of the Code of Virginia, as amended.
[1]
Editor's Note: For state law as to carrying concealed weapons, see Code of Virginia, § 18.2-308.