Herndon Gun Ban Public Hearing Set For Tuesday Council Meeting

HERNDON, VA — The Town Council will be hosting a public hearing Tuesday night about a proposed ordinance to prohibit firearms in Herndon government buildings and town-owned properties.

If passed, it would be illegal for anyone to possess, carry, or transport firearms, ammunition, or their components on town properties, according to a town release.

In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation enabling localities to adopt ordinances to prohibit the possession of firearms in certain cases. The law went into effect on July 1, 2020.

Following the passing of the legislation, a number of Northern Virginia jurisdictions passed ordinances limiting the possession of firearms on public property, including Arlington County, the City of Falls Church, the City of Fairfax, and Fairfax County.

Councilmembers began discussing the possibility of enacting a gun ban on town properties during work sessions back in April and May. At a June 1 work session, the council voted to schedule public hearings on the proposed ordinance for Sept. 14 and Sept. 28.

Members of the public are invited to provide input on the proposal in-person at the meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Each speaker will have up to 3 minutes to address the council. Pre-registration is not required, but attendees can sign up to speak when they arrive.

Related: Herndon Gun Ban Ordinance: Status Update

The meeting will take place in Herndon Council Chambers at 765 Lynn St. All attendees will be required to wear a mask and practice social distancing in the chambers.

The full agenda including the draft ordinance will be available on the town's website by 3 p.m. on Friday.