MILAN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Just over this tree line boarding the Cosner family property, the sound of gun fire echoes through the air. And it's coming from a federal firearms and SWAT training center that is used by law enforcement from around the state, and also the FBI.
"It's overwhelming for me on many of those days," said Eileen Cosner.
"I can see you're getting emotional," I responded.
"I get very emotional when I think about it," Cosner said. "Simply because we built this for our families. We brought our kids up here. My husband grew up here. And to think that they can go in and put a gun range in our backyard without any concern with how it was going to affect the people around, up and down this road."
Those guns are going off just 600 yards away.
"There have been many days where I have just gone inside and cried, because to think we have spent all of these years building up a place we could enjoy in our retirement, and we can't," Cosner said.
The property has been in the Cosner family for over 100 years. Eileen and her husband have lived here for 40+ years. They have 11 grandchildren, ages 12 and under, and two of their three daughters have built houses on the property. She says her grandchildren won't even go outside.
"The effect that it will have on them long term," Cosner said of her concerns. "To listen to gunfire as you're playing outside in the summer should not be apart of children's everyday life.
The Cosner property and the shooting range are both in Augusta Township. But a few years ago, the City of Milan entered into agreement with the FBI to build this training center. The Cosners and others say there were not noticed.
Eileen says she has reached out and voiced her concerns to the police chief of Milan, the Mayor of Milan, and state and federal lawmakers for help.
"I would love a sound barrier of some sort," Cosner said.
The FBU said in a statement they're declining to comment, saying any and all questions to be referred to the City of Milan, who owns the facility.
I also reached out to Mayor of Milan Ed Kolar, who sent us this statement.
"The City of Milan is a tremendous supporter of law enforcement, both locally and nationwide. Our Milan Police department has been training and coordinating with federal law enforcement for decades. In 2018 the FBI approached the City of Milan regarding expanding their training from the current FCI facility located in Milan, to a new high-tech facility they wanted to construct, across the street from the current FCI property, on city owned property located in York and Augusta Townships. This 139-acre property was donated to the City of Milan from the federal government in the 1980s. It was unanimously approved by the 2018 city council to work with our FBI friends to allow them to use a small piece of property for their world class training facility since the land was originally donated to us in the first place from the federal government. It felt right to give something back as a thank you for the 139-acre gift.
After Phase 1, which is an outdoor shooting range, city officials have been in many conversations with neighbors concerned about the noise from the range. Although the training has simply been moved 1/2 mile east of the decades long firearms training once located at the FCI Milan facility, it has encroached on a new set of township residents once accustomed to much lower noise levels from the firearms training. City officials are concerned for our friends in the neighboring townships and continue to seek help in potentially building an earthen barrier on the south side of the outdoor range to absorb some of the noise from the firearms training at the new facility.
This new facility is a federally funded project with two separate funding phases. The City of Milan does not use city funds to build this facility. Phase 1 was completed, and we are told the FBI is currently waiting on federal funding for Phase 2. The taxpayers for the City of Milan are not responsible for any financial obligations for this new facility. Any additional phases for this facility, like an earthen noise barrier, would need to be appropriated from the federal government and not the City of Milan. The City of Milan is actively talking with our elected officials at the state and federal levels to bring attention to the need for additional federal funding to not only complete Phase 2 of the project, but to secure additional funding to protect the quality of life of the residents bordering the new FBI facility that we are proud to host as a regional asset."
And for Eileen, she just wants to be able to enjoy her property with her family, including her husband and grandchildren.
"I don't want my grandkids growing up in that environment, and I myself don't know how long I can just maintain," Eileen said.
