BERKLEY, Mich. (WXYZ) — A controversial plan to open a gun store near Berkley High School has been pulled by the store’s owner after dozens of parents sounded off against the proposal.
Many of those parents attended Monday's city council meeting to protest the plans and now, the city is looking at updating its zoning laws to prevent gun stores from opening near schools in the future.
"The business owner has recently withdrawn their application, which means these plans will not be moving forward at this time," Berkley Mayor Bridget Dean said to start the meeting. "I understand that this business owner's original plans caused worry and surprise in our community, especially given the proposed location's proximity to our high school facilities."
Dozens of Berkley parents like Bridget Mahrle have been sounding off to the city in recent days after learning of the proposal to put a gun shop near Berkley High School with a storefront on Coolidge Highway near Catalpa Drive.
“The news of a gun store opening within walking distance to our high school, it was sickening,” Mahrle said. “It was on the heels of the Georgia school shooting, and we just couldn't stomach it as parents, as residents."
Other Berkley parents like Marc Keast also spoke out against the location. Keast is an Oakland County prosecutor who tried the shooter and both parents in the Oxford High School shooting.
“Why give a troubled youth the opportunity to become fascinated with a deadly weapon," Keast said. "To me, it just made absolute sense to prevent having that firearm store within close proximity to where we know a thousand kids will be walking every day.”
Dean now says they’ll look at changing ordinances and could consider limiting gun shops to the area of 11 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, requiring they be at least 1,000 feet away from schools. As of now, they’re unrestricted.
“There's already (laws) in place for cannabis, it's already in place for selling alcohol, it's already in place for age-appropriate businesses," Mahrle said. "Guns needs to be in that discussion.”
Mahrle says they’ve also reached out to legislators in Lansing, hoping to change state law.
But not everyone in Berkley agrees.
“It is a legal business. It meets all the requirements for being in that space,” one Berkley resident said during public comment. "What are we teaching our children when a small, very vocal, very loud minority can bully someone to leave their plans behind.”
As these parents now focus on changing law, they feel the city is listening and thank the shop’s owner for changing plans.
“We are incredibly grateful. He didn't have to — he heard us,” Mahrle said. “We're fine with a gun store, just not there.”
