REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (KRON) – The debate on gun shops started when applications were submitted by companies wanting to open up a few locations in Redwood City, including one at Roosevelt Plaza which is one block from Roosevelt Elementary.

Last night the city council in Redwood City unanimously approved a 10.5 month extension of a ban on gun shops that has been in effect the last 45 days.

Council members made it clear this is not a ban on guns, or them trying to infringe on the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Council members and the mayor want to make sure gun shops operate safely and are in appropriate areas.

The city council plans to spend the next four months doing extensive research and discussing ideas.

Mayor Giselle Hale explained why this is so important.

Councilmembers will be deciding how far a gun shop should be located from any school, park, church, daycare or similar facility.

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The debate on gun shops kept being compared to the debate on cannabis shops held in previous years.

Gun rights advocacy groups want to make sure gun shops don’t get banned indefinitely. 

Hale said city leaders want to make sure they are not locating the gun shops in only low-income neighborhoods and that they are leading with equity as a guiding principle. 

The manager of Roosevelt Plaza, Maria Rutenburg, said the local government is overreaching. 

Hale said these kinds of ordinances are is fairly standard because they give local government time to research.

The city council will be evaluating a letter sent to the mayor by the Second Amendment Foundation.