A plan for an indoor gun range for downtown Lubbock jumped a major hurdle Thursday night. The city council unanimously passed a proposal that allows for a second reading of the plan at the next meeting.

Businessman and former mayor Glen Robertson proposed the project, presenting it to the council on Thursday.

The range, which would include a retail gun store, and classrooms for training courses, would be a $2.5 million project, and would create 8 jobs, Robertson said.

“I was very excited about the council’s response. They were very receptive,” Robertson said.

Lubbock Police Chief Greg Stevens spoke in support of the former mayor’s plan, saying that a range more centrally-located would make it easier for officers to complete regular shooting certifications.

“One of the challenges is time-wise how to get all the way out to our range to do that, so facilities that are closer into town I see some opportunity here,” Stevens said.

“I’m glad the chief is supportive,” Robertson said. “I’m excited to hear they have some interest in maybe allowing his officers to use the facility.”

Though LPD may potentially back the proposal, the plan has also drawn criticism.

Former candidate for city council, Gordon Harris, spoke out against the gun range during the public comment portion of the meeting.

“I think it’s too close for comfort,” Harris said.

“It’s too close to the depot district,” he explained. “There’s a club right behind it and guns and alcohol does [sic] not mix.”

“We knew there’d be a little bit of opposition,” Robertson responded to EverythingLubbock.com after his presentation. “You expect those kind of things. you just go in and you prove them wrong and you run a very good organization.”

“Parents that are sending their kids to Texas Tech know that where their kids go to party there is a gun range less than a block away,” Harris said.

“I’m pretty sure people are going to come there with weapons like AR-15s,” Harris added.

Pope said Robertson explained his proposal in an effective way.

“Within its specific use, it fits in our master plan,” Pope said.

“If we get past the second reading, then we’ll have go to Zoning Board of Adjustments for the adjustment to the zone change. We really kind of have everything on hold until we get that final approval.  At that point, we’ll hit the ground running,” Robertson explained.

The council also approved an increase of the speed limit on Loop 289 between Interstate 27 and 34th Street. The change came at the recommendation of the Texas Department of Transportation, the City of Lubbock Traffic Engineering Department, and the Citizens Traffic Commission. The speed will be raised 5 miles per hour, from 60 to 65 mph.

“They do a lot of speed studies on that and safety studies, and the reality of it was that people drive the same speed on the loop pretty much all the way around,” Pope said. “So we felt like the recommendation from TxDOT, from [city] Staff, was to move it to 65.”