Firing ranges could soon be legal inside Chicago limits as Mayor Rahm Emanuel is fast-tracking a plan designed to head off a federal court decision that could force the city to welcome them.



A panel of aldermen Tuesday recommended approval of the ordinance, which would permit ranges, but with serious restrictions. The City Council is expected to follow suit at its Wednesday meeting.



The practice shooting venues could be built only in areas of Chicago zoned for manufacturing and would have to be more than 1,000 feet away from residential areas, schools, parks, liquor retailers, libraries, museums and hospitals.



The ranges also would have to be indoors, and a license to operate one would cost $4,000 every two years.



Aldermen are in a rush now after they pushed through gun control measures last summer following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision striking down Chicago's longstanding gun ban. Last year's quickly-approved ordinance passed under then-Mayor Richard Daley required gun owners to get firing range training, but prohibited ranges in Chicago.



Two federal lawsuits were promptly filed, calling it an undue burden on gun owners to have to travel outside the city for the training.



Walter Maksym, who sued the city on behalf of people who want to be able to sell guns in city limits, said the Emanuel administration's firing range proposal still seems too restrictive.



"It's a step in the right direction, a recognition that the original ordinance would not stand up to scrutiny, but it doesn't go far enough," Maksym said.



Despite the tight reins on ranges, Jeff Levine of the city's Law Department said he believes the new standards will pass legal muster.



Some aldermen at Tuesday's hearing expressed concern that the Emanuel administration is acting so quickly to allow the ranges.



Rather than introducing the ordinance to the full City Council, which would then assign it to a committee and schedule a hearing, Emanuel introduced it directly to the Public Safety Committee.



But Levine said the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals could rule on the lawsuits at any time, making it important for the city to get its own firing range rules on the books. The city hopes the appellate judges will opt not to intervene if Chicago has a firing range law in place, Levine said.