Feb 17, 2011 By Amy Revak 3 min read

An outdoor target-shooting range on private property situated close to an elementary school, airport and historic home in Dunbar Township is in violation of the county zoning ordinance.

Property owners Joseph Cellurale Sr. and Joseph Cellurale Jr. were sent an enforcement notice letter from the Fayette County Office of Planning, Zoning and Community Development last month notifying them that a shooting range violates the ordinance because the Cellurales did not obtain a special exception to operate the range.

The property is zoned A-1 agricultural rural.

In the letter, the Cellurales were given five days from the date of the letter (Jan. 28) to begin the process of coming into compliance with the ordinance and must be in compliance by Feb. 28. Compliance with the ordinance includes seeking a special exception from the county zoning hearing board, and if approved, seeking a permit.

If nothing is filed by Feb. 28, the planning office will file a civil enforcement proceeding at the office of Magisterial District Judge Dwight Shaner.

The issue came to light last month when Diane Kriss approached the county commissioners with complaints that the Cellurales were violating the zoning ordinance and nothing was being done about it.

She and her husband, Terry Kriss, own the Isaac Meason House, a historic landmark in Dunbar Township.

Diane Kriss said the Washington Security Group, which leases a hangar at the nearby Joseph A. Hardy-Connellsville Airport, was operating an outdoor shooting range on property owned by the Cellurales and the gunshots were going in the direction of Dunbar Elementary School, homes including her own, and the flight path of planes at the airport.

At that meeting, Kriss presented the commissioners and media with a photograph of the shooting range that showed nine targets lined up in front of a hillside.

In response to Kriss’ statements at the meeting, Tanya Cellurale, office manager of Joey’s Auto Body located near the Meason House, responded that a zoning officer was on Cellurale property that morning. She added that the “target shooting range” is on private property and is allowed because it is private property.

Sara Rosiek, director of the planning office, confirmed that a letter was sent notifying the Cellurales of the violation.

The Krisses recently sued Commissioners Vincent Zapotosky and Vincent A. Vicites, the county, the planning office, Rosiek, the county’s airport authority and its chairman, Terry “Tuffy” Shallenberger.

The suit claimed that the Krisses have been the victims of a 15-year campaign to devalue the Meason House. The couple claimed that county officials have ignored complaints they’ve made about the Cellurales’ alleged zoning violations, and targeted the Krisses in retaliation.

Rosiek previously said she only became aware of the issues Jan. 21.