firing guns on one's property in cities and towns in Phoenix metro (Glendale: felony, houses)

[desert88]

Specifically how it applies to the Phoenix metro, according to ARS 13-3107, my understanding is within city limits, you can fire a gun if there is no structure in a 1-mile radius from you. Outside of city limits one can fire a gun if there is no occupiable structure within ¼ miles.

Anyone have any more insight on this, specifically, what is "city limit"? Do cities like Scottsdale, which I understand is a city, have an area "outside of city limits" that's still a mailing address of Scottsdale? Is Cave creek a city? Or is it a town? And if it's a town, does the 1 mile or 1/4 mile rule apply? Same thing for Cave Creek, is there inside and outside city limit areas of Cave Creek?

The reason I ask is we are looking to buy a property with nice land around us, 2-5 acres. I have nothing against gun ownership so don't want to get into nonsense about pro or anti gun topics but frankly want to make sure if we say buy a house with 2-5 acres in let's say Scottsdale or Cave Creek, we frankly don't want to have people legally being able to fire guns that can reach houses where people live for obvious reasons.

Any insight on facts on this matter would be appreciated. Again, please no pro or anti gun talk, thank you.

[exit2lef]

The law you're referring to is known as "Shannon's Law." It was enacted after a young girl named Shannon Smith died after being struck by a bullet in her Uptown Phoenix backyard. The bullet was fired into the air from an unknown location. The main impact of the law has been to reduce random, celebratory gunfire on occasions like New Year's Eve and the 4th of July.

In terms of the issue of city limits, municipal boundaries and mailing addresses often differ, especially in the northeastern part of the metropolitan area, which seems to your principal interest. Scottsdale is a city; Cave Creek is a town. Both are covered under the term "municipality" within the law. Nevertheless, there can be unincorporated areas that have mailing addresses associated with a city or town.

If this concerns you, my advice would be to check the boundary maps for relevant communities to understand where a house is actually located. The area where Cave Creek, Carefree, Scottsdale, and Phoenix meet is a particularly confusing nexus of intersecting jurisdictions. A friend who bought a house in the area once spent several week figuring out who was supposed to pick up his trash.

To see boundaries, try this map and make sure to click "municipal annexations" on the left:

https://gis.maricopa.gov/RoadInformationPublic/

[desert88]

Thanks for the reply exit2lef, appreciate all the details. Makes sense on mailing addresses of a town or city not reflecting where a place really is and being perhaps unincorporated, will check that out on the map you sent.

[JohnZ963]

Properties in "unincorporated Maricopa county" are "outside city limits." The unincorporated areas aren't necessarily in the middle of nowhere on the outskirts. There are what are known as "county islands" where the surrounding areas have been annexed by cities but the "county island" has not. You can determine what jurisdiction a property is in by viewing it in the county assessor's GIS site online. On the "information" tab there is a "jurisdiction" field, and
"no city/town" = unincorporated Maricopa county. You can't go by the city name in the mailing address, it's often meaningless for determining what jurisdiction a property is in. Besides properties being in unincorporated areas but having addresses with city names, you have properties with Glendale mailing addresses that are in Phoenix, properties with Scottsdale mailing addresses that are in Phoenix, properties with Sun City mailing addresses that aren't actually in Sun City, etc.

[desert88]

Fantastic, very useful info John, thank you. Didn't realize there were "islands" like that. We'll definitely keep that in mind while looking at listings and check out that info on the tab.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by desert88

Fantastic, very useful info John, thank you. Didn't realize there were "islands" like that. We'll definitely keep that in mind while looking at listings and check out that info on the tab.

Many county islands in the metro area are not vacant land, but have structures in them which would govern the applicability of the state law

[desert88]

observer, could you please clarify "which would govern the applicability of the state law"? Does that mean these islands must follow Shannon's law?

[KurtAZ]

This is really more of a question of state vs. city laws, I would think. I am 99.999% sure that most cities and towns have laws against firing any type of firearm within city/town limits. Some go as far as restricting air rifles as well. I would check the local jurisdiction's applicable laws for a particular property rather than just blanketing it with Arizona ARS laws...unless, like has been mentioned, the property sits on a county island. Then you will have more issues than firearm discharge...like who's fire department do you fall under, which police force has jurisdiction as well as waste management.

Generally, under ARS 13-3107 it’s illegal to discharge a firearm within the limits of any
municipality, except for persons discharging under the following circumstances:
• On a properly supervised range
• In areas recommended by AZ Dept. of Game and Fish
• For the control of nuisance wildlife (by permit only)
• By special permit of chief of police of municipality
• By an animal control officer discharging his duties
• Firing blank cartridges (disturbing the peace charges may still apply)
• More than 1 mile from any occupied structure
• In self defense/defense of others against an animal attack (reasonable persons standard
applies)
• In self defense/defense of others against criminal attack (according laws of deadly force)

The City of Cave Creek (for instance) limits that:

§ 130.13 WEAPONS AND ANIMAL TRAPS.
(A) The use of bows and arrows, spring- or CO2-operated BB or pellet guns, or slingshots is allowed for the purpose of target shooting if:
(1) The target area is enclosed in such manner and with materials that will stop the projectiles; and
(2) Such target shooting is supervised by an adult at all times.
(B) It is unlawful to discharge a firearm within the town, except:
(1) As allowed pursuant to the provisions of A.R.S. §§ 13-401 et seq. (Self Defense clause)
(2) On a properly supervised range.
(3) In an area recommended as a hunting area by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, approved and posted as required by the Town Marshal, but any such area may be closed when deemed unsafe by the Town Marshal or the Director of the Game and Fish Department.
(4) For the control of nuisance wildlife by permit from the Arizona Game and Fish Department or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(5) By special permit of the Town Marshal.
(6) As required by an animal control officer in the performance of duties as specified in A.R.S. § 9-499.04.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

There is no law that can stop people from firing weapons in the air on New Year's Eve. Every year we'd walk the parking lot at work and pick up all the empty projectiles. There have been dents in company trucks and holes in the roof of our out buildings.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

There is no law that can stop people from firing weapons in the air on New Year's Eve. Every year we'd walk the parking lot at work and pick up all the empty projectiles. There have been dents in company trucks and holes in the roof of our out buildings.

Actually, there is a law. Since year 2000 in AZ, it is a felony for celebratory gunfire.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannon%27s_law_(Arizona)

"Shannon's law refers to specific changes in Arizona statutes, enacted in 2000, making it a felony offense to discharge firearms randomly into the air.[2]"

But I suppose no law can prevent anyone from doing anything. Including murder.