Following protests by residents, the Burbank City Council is pausing new gun store permits in the city.
The council voted on Tuesday night to declare a 45-day moratorium, effective immediately, on new businesses that sell firearms or ammunition.
The vote comes on the heels of a protest last month at the grand opening of Gun World, a store that bills itself as serving "the Burbank community['s] 2nd amendment needs."
Demonstrators argued that with nearly a dozen gun stores, Burbank already has one of the highest concentrations of such shops in the nation.
They also suggested that the store is too close to nearby Roosevelt Elementary School, which is about four blocks away.
In a statement, city officials said that while the gun retailers haven't put an inordinate demand on public safety services, there is concern about their proliferation along commercial corridors and proximity to residential areas.
Mayor Jess Talamantes noted the need to address both safety concerns and constitutional protections.
“We hear and understand the community’s concerns regarding firearms and firearm retailers in Burbank," he said in the same statement, "which is why City Council advocates for measures that seek to keep our community safe while also protecting an individual’s right to lawfully bear arms under the Second Amendment."
During the 45-day moratorium, Burbank city staff will look into more permanent regulations — including zoning changes — to establish buffer zones around sensitive sites such as schools.
Staff will also examine the possibility of suspending new gun store licenses so existing shops can dwindle through attrition.
