New Pioneer Gun Club (NPGC) is an Iowa-based shotgun sports organization with 100 years of history. NPGC is organized as a 501© (7) nonprofit social club, providing recreational and competitive opportunities for its members and the community in American and International trap, skeet, sporting clays and five-stand.

NPGC is committed to providing a safe, professionally managed and welcoming environment where individuals can learn, practice, compete and connect with others who share an interest in shooting sports.


Where is the club located?

NPGC operates at 2742 G76 Highway near New Virginia in Warren County, Iowa, a location selected after development expanded around the club’s former Waukee site. The club followed Warren County’s established process for recreational use of property and continues to seek clarity in the ordinance from Warren County.

What does the club offer?
NPGC offers:
- Trap and skeet fields
- Three sporting-clays courses
- International (Olympic) Trap and Skeet
- Five-stand building (Heated)
- Competitive leagues and tournaments
- Clinics, lessons and safety instruction
- Youth and collegiate training opportunities and team access to shooting ranges
- Corporate and private events
- Clubhouse and gathering space

Is NPGC a rifle or pistol range?
No, NPGC is a shotgun-sports facility. The club does not offer rifle or pistol ranges.

Is safety a priority?
Yes, safety is NPGC’s highest priority. Members and guests are expected to follow
established firearm-safety rules, complete required orientation and comply with all club
policies. Eye and ear protection are required in designated shooting areas, and unsafe
conduct is not tolerated.





NPGC supports youth development, training, firearm-safety education, organized shooting sports and competitive opportunities for Iowa athletes. Club activities and events also have the potential to benefit area restaurants, lodging providers, retailers and other local businesses. NPGC wants to be a responsible community partner and contribute positively to Warren County’s recreational and economic opportunities.

What are NPGC’s Youth &Collegiate Programs?
- NPGC supports I35 High School, Grand View University’s collegiate shooting sports program, DSM Clay Crushers, and other youth teams.

- The club hosts SCTP and collegiate league events, providing a safe, professionally managed environment for competition.
o Interstate 35 Roadrunners
o Des Moines Clay Crushers
o Warren County Shotgun Sports
o Dowling Catholic High School Trap & Skeet Team
o Ankeny Centennial Jaguars Shooting Sports
o Ankeny Hawks Shooting Sports
o Gilbert Clay Commanders
o Indianola Youth Trap Team
o Albia Clay Target Program
o Grandview Vikings Shotgun Sports
o William Penn University Shotgun Sports

Junior athletes at NPGC have earned thousands of dollars in scholarships through SCTP and collegiate programs.

Starting in 2027 NPGC will host SCTP and USA Shooting events for the international games. This will include an SCTP regional competition that will draw athletes in from around the Midwest.

Membership is open to the public and intentionally accessible — $225/year for adults and $100/year for juniors.

How do NPGCs programs impact the community? How do youth programs impact Warren County?
These activities bring families, students, and collegiate athletes into Warren County, supporting local businesses and contributing to regional economic activity. NPGC’s pollinator project and Iowa DNR conversation partnership further
demonstrates responsible land stewardship.

What is NPGC’s partnership with the Iowa DNR?
NPGC has a long-standing working relationship with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR awarded the club a significant grant to plant pollinator habitat at the new site, and that project has been fully implemented. The agency is wellacquainted with the club’s operations and youth programming, and DNR
representatives have previously spoken publicly in support of the range. The DNR also sponsors the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) in Iowa, which is the largest youth shooting sports program in the country. NPGC hosts SCTP events and provides training space for hundreds of young athletes statewide, reflecting the club’s commitment to
conservation, education, and responsible outdoor recreation.






The Iowa DNR awarded NPGC a major grant to plant pollinator mixes at the new site, and that habitat has been successfully established.

The Iowa DNR is familiar with the club’s operations and youth programs and has previously offered public support for the range.

The DNR sponsors Iowa’s SCTP program, the largest youth shooting sports program in the nation, and NPGC is a key host site for SCTP training and competitions.

NPGC recognizes its responsibility to manage the property responsibly and comply with applicable environmental requirements. Environmental practices may include monitoring shooting areas, managing vegetation and drainage, recovering and recycling lead shot when appropriate, and working with qualified professionals.

What the Iowa DNR Has Said to NPGC:
1. Lead shot at the Waukee site was expected and typical for a shotgun range. The DNR states plainly that lead deposition was a normal, anticipated impact of decades of clay target shooting: “The subject property has been used as a clay target shooting range for over 60 years and it is understood that lead shot is an impact associated with this activity.” This confirms the presence of lead was not a surprise, not a violation, and not evidence of mismanagement.

2. The DNR acknowledges that NPGC had reclaimed lead shot in the past. This is critical and directly counters narratives implying neglect. “It is apparent that the anticipated main shortfall area for the trap and skeet range was not sampled, though it is understood that this area has had shot reclaimed in the past.”

Did the Iowa DNR have to clean up lead at the club’s former Waukee site?

Yes, but this was a standard and expected part of redeveloping a former shooting range into residential housing, not the result of any violation or improper practices by NPGC. The Iowa DNR noted that lead deposition was a normal impact of clay target shooting and acknowledged that NPGC had reclaimed lead shot at the site during its operation. The additional cleanup requirements were triggered solely because the property is being converted to residential use, which requires stricter soil standards under state and federal regulations.

NPGC followed industry standard lead reclamation practices at the Waukee site and will continue responsible land stewardship practices at the New Virginia location.

What is NPGCs commitment to members and the community? NPGC remains committed to:
- Safe and responsible operations
- Compliance with applicable legal requirements
- A fair and transparent public process
-  Respectful engagement with neighbors and county officials
- Youth education and shooting-sports opportunities
- Environmental stewardship
-  Positive economic and community impact

NPGC has served Iowa shooters for almost 100 years. The club intends to approach the current matter responsibly while working toward a lawful, practical and lasting resolution.







The issue concerns how Warren County’s zoning ordinance applies to outdoor shooting ranges on agriculturally zoned property. The Warren County Board of Supervisors previously approved a rezoning of the NPGC property. Following a legal challenge by neighboring landowners, the Iowa District Court reversed that action and returned the
property to its A-1 agricultural zoning designation. The court’s decision addressed the County’s zoning action and process. It did not find that NPGC had operated improperly, nor did it indicate that NGPC needed to cease operations.

What process did NPGC follow?
NPGC worked through the public process established by Warren County. The club submitted information, participated in public hearings and relied on the decisions and approvals issued by county officials. NPGC acted in good faith throughout that process and continues to believe zoning matters should be addressed fairly, transparently and
consistently under the County’s ordinance.

What did the court decide?
The court reversed the Warren County Board of Supervisors’ rezoning decision. The ruling concluded that the County’s action did not comply with applicable zoning requirements and restored the property’s agricultural designation.

In the decision, the district court restored the parcels to A-1 (Agricultural) and noted that the ruling does NOT preclude NPGC from applying to the Warren County Board of Adjustment for a special use permit or the County from pursuing any lawful amendment of its ordinances or comprehensive plan. The district court also identified several lawful paths for the County to consider:
- Reclassify outdoor shooting ranges in the Agricultural District from conditional uses (“C”) to permitted uses (“P”).
- Add provisions to the Agricultural District that define outdoor shooting ranges as principal permitted uses, subject to applicable district regulations.
- Amend the supplemental standards to remove outdoor shooting ranges.

The district court did NOT order the club to close, did not enjoin operations, and did not rule on whether a shooting range may lawfully operate on the property going forward. It explicitly noted lawful paths (noted above) remain available including county ordinance amendment and the county’s own permitting processes. NPGC respects the judicial process. Because legal and administrative matters remain pending, the NPGC will not speculate about potential litigation or comment on specific legal arguments.

Is there state or federal law that has bearing on the county’s decision(s) or comprehensive land plan?

Iowa law has the most direct bearing on Warren County’s decisions. Federal constitutional and environmental requirements may also apply, but they do not automatically require the County to approve a shooting range. Warren County’s decisions are governed primarily by Iowa’s county-zoning statutes, the County’s adopted ordinance, required land-use procedures and constitutional standards requiring fair and consistent treatment. Iowa’s firearms-preemption statute, the state constitutional right to keep and bear arms and federal constitutional protections may also
be relevant, particularly if the County’s action operates as a firearms restriction or treats NPGC differently from comparable uses. These laws do not automatically guarantee approval of a particular site, but they require the County to use a lawful, transparent and generally applicable process supported by legitimate land-use considerations.






County zoning authority and the comprehensive plan: 
Iowa Code Chapter 335 authorizes counties to regulate land uses in unincorporated areas. County zoning decisions must follow the standards, classifications, procedures and public-hearing requirements contained in Chapter 335 and the County’s own ordinance.

The comprehensive plan guides land-use policy, but it does not replace the zoning ordinance or permit process. A decision that departs from the plan without a reasonable, documented land-use basis may support an argument that the
County acted arbitrarily, inconsistently or through impermissible “spot zoning.” Iowa’s 2026 legislation, HF 2618, repealed the state’s mandatory “smart planning” principles effective July 1, 2026. It did not eliminate county zoning
authority or allow counties to disregard their adopted ordinances and required procedures. Iowa Legislature—HF 2618

Uniform and nondiscriminatory application:
Iowa zoning law generally requires similarly situated properties and uses within a district to be treated consistently. A county cannot create a special rule for one parcel merely to approve or defeat a particular project without a legitimate
planning basis.

This is particularly important following the court’s decision involving NPGC. Whatever position the County takes next must be accomplished through a legally authorized process—such as a generally applicable ordinance amendment—and
not through an ad hoc exception designed for one property.

Iowa firearms preemption: 
Iowa Code §724.28 prohibits cities and counties from adopting local regulations concerning the ownership, possession, carrying, transfer, transportation, modification, registration or licensing of otherwise lawful firearms. However, §724.28 does not expressly prohibit ordinary zoning regulation of the location or physical operation of a shooting range. It could become relevant if the County’s action functions as a firearms restriction rather than a neutral land-use regulation, but it is not an automatic exemption from zoning.

Iowa constitutional right to keep and bear arms: 
Article I, §1A of the Iowa Constitution recognizes the right to keep and bear arms as a fundamental individual right and subjects’ restrictions on that right to strict scrutiny.

NPGC could argue that access to a safe, professionally operated training facility supports the practical exercise of that right. But Iowa appellate courts have notclearly established that the provision gives a shooting-range operator a right to
locate on a particular parcel. The County would likely argue that neutral zoning and safety rules regulate land use rather than the possession of firearms.

Iowa shooting-range protections: 
Iowa Code §657.9 provides certain nuisance protections for qualifying shooting ranges, particularly when surrounding development occurs after a range has been established. Those protections are relevant to noise and nuisance claims,
but they generally do not create an independent right to establish a new range contrary to applicable zoning.








On September 3, NPGC submitted a petition under Chapter 43.05 of the Warren County Zoning Ordinance requesting an amendment to the zoning text applicable to the Agricultural District. The petition seeks a clear, countywide framework for how outdoor shooting ranges are treated under the ordinance. It is not limited solely to the NPGC.

What happened at the September 14, Warren County Zoning Commission meeting?
The Warren County Zoning Commission is expected to seek guidance from the Warren County Attorney and outside legal counsel regarding the legal and procedural questions associated with NPGC’s petition. Once that guidance is received, the Commission has scheduled a public hearing on October 12, 2026. The Zoning Commission will then make a recommendation to the Warren County Board of Supervisors. NPGC will continue reviewing all lawful options and will communicate significant developments when information is confirmed.

How did NPGC respond to the postponement?
Based on our understanding of the purpose and intended outcome of the Zoning Commission’s meeting, NPGC was surprised by the postponement. That said NPGC respects the Commission’s desire to obtain legal guidance. The club is reviewing the situation and considering its next steps. NPGC remains willing to participate in an open,
orderly and transparent public process.

Is NPGC asking Warren County for special treatment?
No, NPGC is asking for clear and consistent zoning language that applies county and statewide. The petition is intended to clarify how outdoor shooting ranges may be considered in agricultural districts and which county body has authority over that process. The club believes applicants and property owners should be able to understand the requirements and rely on a predictable process.

Is the club currently operating?
Yes, the club continues to operate. The club continues to evaluate its operations, compliance obligations and available options in consultation with its legal and professional advisers. Legal council is working to determine next steps to keep the club operating through the upcoming Warren County Zoning Commission meeting now scheduled for October 12. Because the matter remains active, operational updates will be provided through official NPGC communications as appropriate.

What concerns have neighboring property owners raised?
Some neighboring property owners have raised concerns about noise, traffic, environmental stewardship, property values and compatibility with surrounding land uses.

NPGC takes those concerns seriously. The club believes they should be addressed through accurate information, appropriate studies, responsible operating practices and direct community engagement.

How will NPGC address noise?
The facility’s design and operating practices are intended to help manage sound through distance, property layout, natural terrain, vegetation and the placement and orientation of shooting areas. NPGC is committed to open communication and reviewing reasonable, fact-based measures that support both club operations and the interests of
surrounding property owners.






The Warren County Zoning Commission is expected to seek guidance from the County Attorney and outside legal counsel regarding the legal and procedural questions associated with NPGC’s petition. Once that guidance is received, the Commission has scheduled a public hearing on October 12, 2026. NPGC will continue reviewing all lawful
options and will communicate significant developments when information is confirmed.

Where can members and the public find updates?
Updates will be shared through NPGC’s official website, member communications and other official club channels. NPGC encourages members and community residents to rely on verified information and official public records rather than speculation or incomplete social-media reports.

Where can we direct questions or concerns?
manager@newpioneergunclub.com