Folsom Takes Another Look At Home Gun Sale Regulations

FOLSOM (CBS13) -- Folsom is taking another look at a two-decade-old ordinance that allows guns to be sold from inside someone's home.

The city's current zoning and home occupation ordinance, which has been in place for 25 years, allows for home sales of firearms — that's a shock to some residents.

"They belong in business centers away from our residences, away from our children," one resident said during a city council meeting.

Loyal Arms is not a traditional gun store.

"We have an online store, they can make the purchase there," explained co-owner Ricky Gan.

Gan streamlines his sales by customers ordering online and then picking up from his office space in Folsom. His hybrid model is one reason why he supports home-based gun sales in the city to provide products directly to customers.

"Those home-based FFLs, they are doing a great service to a lot of consumers up and down the country," he explained. "You can get the firearm, safely store in in your vehicle and go straight home."

Gan explained the process is just as safe as a traditional store.

"When it comes to home-based FFL their requirements of storing the paperwork, storing the firearms, is probably the same as mine, nothing lower," Gan said.

Mayor Kerri Howell explains the city is now re-evaluating guidelines and if guns and ammunition should be sold from homes — with three current residents permitted to do so.

"I'm also concerned about housing values and the danger to this is hard to ignore. If I'm aware that one of my neighbors has a gun store out of their home, then I have to disclose that when I'm selling my house and I personally would never buy a house near a gun store," Jennifer Jacobs said.

Howell said there has never been a complaint issued to code enforcement or the police department related to specific home gun sale business operations.

"At the highest point, there were five licensed gun salespeople working out of their homes in Folsom at the moment, and for the last eight or so years, there have only been three," Howell said.

Recommendations from the planning commission would redefine regulations including: allowing for four firearms at a time to be purchased, increasing the number of customers allowed but reducing times of operation to end at 8 p.m. instead of 10, requiring alarm systems, gun proof safe and inspection compliance

During the Tuesday city council meeting, the fire department brought up concerns of allowing ammunition of black powder and smokeless powder to be stored and reloaded in homes due to safety risk.

Current regulations require every gun sale within the city to be reported to the Police Department.

"I think people got very upset about it and maybe misunderstanding that the city was somehow trying to encourage people to do this and that is absolutely not the case, it's just simply a case of us taking a second look at what is currently allowed," explained Howell.

These recommendations, if approved, would be in addition to state and federal guidelines.

The city council has not voted on the recommendations. Instead, the council decided to send the changes to the Historic District Commission for review. From there, it will eventually go back to the council for a vote.