Plano officials Jan. 7 denied a request to open an indoor shooting range in a shopping center northwest of 15th Street and Independence Parkway.

Plano planning officials on Jan. 7 denied a request to open an indoor shooting range in a shopping center near a Plano ISD high school after residents expressed concern over the safety of children in the area.Plano Planning and Zoning Commission by a 6-1 vote denied the request for a specific use permit to allow the firearms and ammunition store, Mister Guns, to add a recreational shooting range. The permit would have allowed an exception to the existing restrictions, which do not allow for this activity in the shopping center.The store and proposed shooting range is located northwest of the intersection of 15th Street and Independence Parkway.Some Plano residents spoke out against the project in the Jan. 7 public meeting, saying they were concerned about issues ranging from safety of people in nearby parking lots to the shopping center’s location less than a half-mile from Vines High School.Commissioners largely concurred with these concerns, despite Mister Guns owner Ro Carter’s arguments the parking lot would be shielded from accidents by the building layout. Carter said the staff would also screen potential customers before renting firearms to prevent possible misuses of the facility, including for suicide.Plano has two active indoor gun ranges, according to a document prepared by city staff. These include a training facility for Plano and Richardson police, and Bullet Trap, a recreational range and show room located northeast of Park Boulevard and K Avenue.A previous version of this story incorrectly identified members of the Plano Planning and Zoning Commission as elected officials. They are appointed by the Plano City Council, not elected.