Requesting a “No Shooting” Area

The public may petition the County Council consider establishing additional “No Shooting” areas for unincorporated areas under a process in Chapter 10.12 SCC. This process can take from 6 to 9 months and requires a petitioner to work with council staff to identify an area that meets code requirements. Once that area has been identified, then the petitioner will need to gather signatures from 51% of the registered voters in the area on a petition that is substantially similar to the form provided in SCC 10.12.050. After obtaining signatures, the petitioner submits the petition to the Clerk of the County Council. The Council then decides if it wants to bring an ordinance forward to a public hearing to establish a new No Shooting area. If an ordinance passes (and the County Executive does not veto it), then the result is establishment of a new No Shooting area. 

Step 1. Check the current No Shooting Areas map for Snohomish County to make sure you are not already in a No Shooting area. If you are in a city, please check with your city council for requirements.

Step 2. Consider where you want to become a “No Shooting” area. It will need to meet the terms and conditions for new No Shooting areas in SCC 10.12.040. These are:

(a) The proposed area shall contain a minimum of 50 single family dwellings or, in the alternative, it shall contain a minimum area of one square mile.

(b) The proposed area shall have readily identifiable boundaries. If reasonably possible, the boundaries shall constitute a physical barrier, i.e., a river, freeway, roadway, etc.

(c) The petition for the proposed area shall be signed by a minimum of fifty-one percent of the area’s registered voters, except as provided in subsection (d) below.

(d) A request by a school district board of directors for a "no shooting" designation around a school site may substitute for the signatures referenced in (c) above.

Step 3. Contact council staff when you have an idea of where you want the No Shooting area to be (contact.council@snoco.org). A staff person will help you finalize the boundaries of the proposed No Shooting area, work with the County Auditor to get a list of registered voters in the area.

Step 4. You will need to gather signatures of at least 51% of the registered voters in the area on your petition.

Step 5. Submit the signed petition to the council to request consideration of the area as a No Shooting area. 

Step 6. The County Council will consider the request.