Dedham Gun Store Near Playground Allowed To Open

DEDHAM, MA — Town officials have granted the permits allowing J&J Arms to open in east Dedham. The gun store has been a controversial issue in town. Thousands of residents objected to the proposed shop's opening because it will be about 500 feet away from a playground at Condon Park and less than a mile away from three schools.

Last week, J&J Arms, located at 224 Bussey St., was granted the two required permits it needed before opening. Police Chief Michael D'entremont approved the store's license to sell fire arms Wednesday. Then last Friday, the Building Department issued the shop a building permit.

Dedham doesn't have any zoning laws specific to gun shops, so despite objections from residents, town officials said there was nothing that could legally stop the store from opening.

The Planning Board held a public hearing two weeks ago to draft a warrant article for November's Town Meeting to prevent such shops from opening near parks and schools in the future. Residents disagreed on what should and shouldn't be allowed under a new zoning law.

After the permits were granted, the Dedham Board of Selectmen in a statement said it reviewed the concerns of residents, and the issue was also discussed by several of the town's other boards. The Selectmen said the town will continue discussions with J&J Arms and will work towards a solution that is "satisfactory" for the community. The statement read:

As many people know, the Town received various applications relating to the opening of a firearms business at 224 Bussey Street. These applications have triggered numerous actions by Town officials and boards. The Board of Selectmen discussed the matter, referred the health issue to the Board of Health for further study and a comprehensive zoning amendment to the Planning Board for consideration, as well as sponsoring a well-attended community listening session. The Zoning Board of Appeals has held a hearing to review this matter and the Planning Board discussed the issue at a meeting and conducted a public hearing to review possible zoning changes.

In order to open, the business owner was required to satisfy two outstanding approvals: a license to sell firearms (issued by the Police Chief) and a building permit (issued by the Building Department). Both permitting procedures leave little discretion to the granting authority provided that statutory qualifications are met.

The police chief, as recommended by the Massachusetts Firearms Records Bureau, required the applicant to develop a safety plan. After several revisions, the Chief has determined the safety plan is now satisfactory. The chief authorized the issuance of the license to sell firearms on September 18, 2019.

The Assistant Building Commissioner, consistent with Dedham’s practice, will only issue a building permit after all other licenses and approvals are granted. He issued the building permit, therefore, after the chief issued the license to sell firearms. The building permit was issued on September 20, 2019.

Now that the licenses have been granted, and assuming that the applicant meets all other code requirements, the business will have a legal right to open. Be advised that the Town is continuing to talk with the applicant and exploring options to resolve this issue in a manner satisfactory to the entire community.

J&J Arms plans to open sometime in September. Patch has called J&J Arms for the exact date and for comment and will update when the owner responds.