Home based FFL in your neighborhood?

[OCD Solutions]

One of our new neighbors just posted a sign in their yard stating that they have requested a zoning change so they may run a home based business. We phoned the county and discovered that they are wanting to run an online gun brokerage business out of their home. I'm pretty sure the online part is BS and it will eventually be sales directly out of the home.

My wife is quite upset about the thought of this moving into our neighborhood but I feel it's going to depend on the individual running the business. Not knowing that detail has me leaning towards a generalized no.

What are some other thoughts on this?

 

[Big Kahuna]

If he is legit, depending on how much business he does, increased traffic............ This can be a good and bad thing, May keep lurkers from scoping out neighborhood in the middle of the day since there would be more car traffic coming in and out.................

 

[SXIPro]

What are the regulation differences between an online business and an actual brick and mortar? Is the online business considered by the county to be a stepping stone towards a walk in business, or does it open the door for that to happen?

I'm a gun owner, but would I want someone hawking guns next door be it via online transactions or otherwise? No, no I wouldn't.

 

[OCD Solutions]

We had the exact same question but I was unable to find a conclusive answer. One article said the permit was a bit ambiguous and that if they apply for a home based sales that they tend to get denied so they word it for "Online sales" and then transition over.

Hopefully somebody on here has been involved in the process before and has some insight. Apparently they are far more common than you would ever think and most people have no idea it's even going on in their neighborhood.

The public hearing is next Wednesday so the deadline for people to get their say is fast approaching but it's possible nobody else really even knows what the application is for.
Our neighborhood has a Facebook page but nobody has mentioned it yet and we don't want to be the ones to bring it up.

 

[jeepcreepcj]

If the situation was reversed, wouldn’t you want the same support from neighbors? Say you wanted to run ocd solutions out of your home, assuming you don’t already? At least to me, the guns part doesn’t make it any more intrusive than any tangible item or part being sold online. If it’s a walk in store (as u suspect it will become) I can see where traffic and other variables might make it depend on the neighborhood but I would still support it in my neighborhood.

 

[SteveC]

Is it the fact that it’s a business, or that it’s a firearm business that is causing concern? If you’re singling out firearms as a special point of concern, where does that concern stem from?

Regarding them opening any business:
1) Good for them! Could be a leech, but they are doing something for themselves.
2) Freedom! It’s their property, and provided there is no legal barrier (e.g., HOA agreement), neighborly goodwill is at their discretion, not their obligation.
3) If they were to move, the business would likely go with them, so it’s possibly temporary.
4) If you’re concerned it’ll affect property value, I agree with the earlier comment about not knowing how much similar activity is out there. It could be transparent.
5) In all dimensions I can think of, I’d be more concerned about Amazon delivery drivers than UPS/FedEx and potential customers of the kitchen table FFL people.

My $0.02, because you asked.

 

[waksk8]

I work in the Planning and Zoning department for a city. I would check your zoning ordinance, and talk with officials. Our ordinance list what can be applied to be in a specific zoning district.

Here is a list of uses that could be applied for in our city in district: A-3, single-family estate dwelling district .

Special uses authorized by separate permit.
(1)Churches.
(2)Day care center.
(3)Public or private school.
(4)Public park, playground or other public buildings or facilities.
For special use permit procedures, see article III, section 1.

 

[smoofers]

A home based FFL has to abide by the same federal regulations as a brick and mortar FFL. Same ATF accountability, same background check system, etc. etc. I would be as worried about a home based FFL in my neighborhood (which we have one in my neighborhood) as I would a home based CPA.

 

[OCD Solutions]

Well, our HOA does have rules about operating a business out of our houses but as long as it isn't a storefront and people aren't complaining, I don't think they really care.
Our neighborhood is still under construction so there is already so much traffic, you really can't distinguish what it's from and we get lot's of random people driving through already. They are also quite lenient on the rules since construction causes so many conflicts, it's hard to enforce them. How do you give somebody a citation for an un-mowed lawn when the lot beside them is torn up and doesn't even have a driveway yet, much less a lawn.

My wife is concerned that firearm sales will bring a certain "element" and risk into our nice quiet little neighborhood. Personally I'd be more upset about a daycare than a guy selling guns out of a spare room. We paid a lot of money to buy into a neighborhood with little to no kids but yet assume that nearly every household has multiple firearms.

FYI, almost all my current guns were purchased from a home based FFL and I had zero issues. I did question how his neighbors felt about all the activity though.

Home based businesses also improve package delivery and pickup so I actually see that as a plus.

 

[smoofers]

My wife is concerned that firearm sales will bring a certain "element" and risk into our nice quiet little neighborhood. Personally I'd be more upset about a daycare than a guy selling guns out of a spare room. We paid a lot of money to buy into a neighborhood with little to no kids.

This makes me sad. The stigma of legal, law abiding gun sales as an "element" and risk. People with criminal records aren't going to seek out an FFL to purchase their weapons. I know you know this, just frustrated with the way the media and the left have painted law abiding citizens exercising their rights.

 

[bird]

Maybe I'm not from your part of the world, but I loved having Gun stores near other common areas. It keeps people grounded. "OH MY GOD A GUN". I carry an air rifle with me walking the dog, to get the occasional squirrel or rabbit we come across in the woods. It's priceless the looks on people faces when you have a gun in hand. "What are you shooting?" I'm not shooting anything, I'm hunting squirrels. GO OUTSIDE folks.

My favoite place growing up was a Service Drug down the street. They had Candy, Magazines, Drugs, Guns, and Alcohol all in one store. There is still one old school gun store in town, otherwise Wal-Mart, Gander, Dick's, and the rest are all a mile or three away doing the same thing?

 

[Quinc]

I have purchased from a home based ffl a few times. Came across more like doing a craigslist deal with a neighbor then going to a store. On the positive maybe he will call you over anytime he has something "special" or rare go through his hands. Or hook you up with a discount on FFL fees on your next purchase?

 

[OCD Solutions]

Well I'm not from this part of the world either so it's certainly taken some adjustment for me.
It's astounding how much where you grew up influences your opinions on different topics.

Hence my support for the Electoral College. Big City has a completely different way of looking at things than people who grew up in small town or rural communities, and vice versa.

 

[OCD Solutions]

I have purchased from a home based ffl a few times. Came across more like doing a craigslist deal with a neighbor then going to a store. On the positive maybe he will call you over anytime he has something "special" or rare go through his hands. Or hook you up with a discount on FFL fees on your next purchase?

I would much rather purchase from a home based FFL than a pawn shop.

I've done a few Walmart parking lot deals too which my wife was totally not cool with, lol.

 

[Big Kahuna]

Look at it like this guys wife is selling Mary Kay, They all work out of their houses..........

 

[SXIPro]

Look at it like this guys wife is selling Mary Kay, They all work out of their houses..........

Yeah, but bitches be crazy! I'd opt for the gun shop over that.

 

[Big Kahuna]

Yeah, but bitches be crazy! I'd opt for the gun shop over that.

Lmao....... truth

 

[Storbeck]

I wouldn't care at all, but I grew up in an area where shooting is just another hobby.

I could see how somebody who just doesn't like guns in a general wouldn't like it. It still wouldn't matter because the guy is going to live there either way and probably going to have a lot of guns around either way, but I wouldn't really expect someone who simply didn't like guns to be thinking that objectively.

I can also see how somebody might be generally against having a business nearby in a residential area. I doubt a guy with an FFL is going to have much business traffic but I don't know.

 

[Mike W]

ATF has been (for years) cracking down on FFLs that don’t have a brick and mortar storefront. A local guy that lives not too far from me was shut down for this reason. I’m surprised that he is able to do this out of his home.

 

[OCD Solutions]

One of our neighbors is an ex-cop with zero filters so my wife approached her with the situation to see what her opinion was on the subject. She took my wife by the hand, walked right over to the guys door and introduced themselves.

The guy works for Homeland Security and dabbles in gun sales on the side. He’s been with HS for over 22 years so I’m guessing he’s pretty legit.

He admitted there would be the occasional on premise sale but only to friends and family and the transactions wouldn’t appear any different than a friend dropping by and saying hi.

He’s a big smoker so I’m invited over anytime to check out out his green egg and swap some recipes as well as any guns I may want to trade off or sell.

So, the wife is appeased and all is well again in our little world.