[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Freehold by Ord.
No. O-02-2 (§ 6-23 of the Revised General
Ordinances), as amended through Ord. No. O-02-15. Subsequent amendments
noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Firearm purchaser identification cards — See Ch. 150.
A parcel of land containing at least five acres which is
used for the raising of agricultural products, livestock, horses,
poultry and dairy products and which is vacant land or upon which
is located only a principal dwelling and related outbuildings.
Any handgun, rifle, shotgun, machine gun, automatic or semiautomatic
rifle, or any gun, device or instrument in the nature of a weapon
from which may be fired or ejected any solid projectible ball, slug,
pellet, missile, or bullet, or any gas, vapor or other noxious thing,
by means of a cartridge, or shell or by the action of an explosive
or the ignition of flammable or explosive substances. It shall also
include, without limitation, any firearm which is in the nature of
an air gun, spring gun or pistol or other weapon of a similar nature
in which the propelling force is a spring, elastic band, carbon dioxide,
compressed or other gas or vapor, air or compressed air, or is ignited
by compressed air and ejecting a bullet or missile smaller than 3/8
of an inch in diameter, with sufficient force to injure a person.
Any pistol, revolver or other firearm originally designed
or manufactured to be fired by the use of a single hand.
Any firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder and using
the energy of the explosive in a fixed metallic cartridge to fire
a single projectile through a rifled bore for each single pull of
the trigger.
Any firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder and using
the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire either
a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each pull of the
trigger, or any firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder which
does not fire fixed ammunition.
No person shall discharge a handgun, rifle,
shotgun, weapon or any firearm within the Township of Freehold except
as set forth hereinafter.
[Amended 5-24-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-8]
The provisions of § 154-2 of this chapter shall not be applicable to the discharge of any handgun, rifle, shotgun, weapon or firearm in the following places and/or under the following circumstances, provided that the firearm is legal to be possessed in the State of New Jersey and its use is permitted by state and federal laws:
A.Â
Upon a firearm range which is under the supervision
of the Township. Township Police Department, the County of Monmouth
or the New Jersey State Police, or other authorized agency as approved
by the Township Committee.
B.Â
By members of the Township Police Department, any
law enforcement officer of any municipal, county or state or federal
government or any representative of the Division of Fish and Wildlife,
the Department of Environmental Protection, State of New Jersey, while
in the performance of their official duties.
C.Â
On a farm, duly recognized and registered by the Monmouth
County Agricultural Development Board, for the discharge of firearms,
provided that such discharge meets the following: 1) the closest outbound
property line is at least 200 feet from the proposed target; and 2)
the closest outbound property line, as measured in the direction of
fire, is at least a distance of 200 feet; and 3) the firearm, while
loaded, and the proposed target are at least 450 feet from any occupied
building other than that of the owner, except that 1) and 2) above
will not apply if the intended target is an animal that is detrimental
to the farmer's crops or property.
D.Â
By any person in protection of himself/herself, members
of his/her family or his/her guests or in protection of his/her property.
E.Â
On any properties within the Township which are zoned
R-R (Rural Residential) or R-E (Rural Environmental) pursuant to the
latest official Zoning Map of the Township, so long as either Subsection
F(1) or (2) below applies:
(1)Â
The closest outbound property line is at least 200
feet from the proposed target; the closest outbound property line
from the firearm, as measured in the direction of fire, is at least
a distance of 200 feet; and both the firearm, while loaded, and the
proposed target are at least 450 feet from any occupied building other
than that of the owner, tenant or lessee; or
(2)Â
Upon a supervised firearm range operated by a duly
organized and established gun club which has at least two years' experience
operating and supervising a firearm range.
F.Â
By a duly licensed hunter, so long as he/she is in
full compliance with all laws, rules and regulations governing hunting
in the State of New Jersey.
G.Â
By a person to whom has been issued a permit by an
agency of the State of New Jersey permitting the killing of a bird,
animal, vermin or pest with the type of firearm permitted thereby,
so long as he/she is in full compliance with all laws, rules and regulations
applicable to such permit holder.
The prohibited areas affected by this chapter
are intended to be supplemental to those areas described in N.J.S.A.
23:4-16, as amended from time to time.
