SAYBROOK - The Saybrook Gun Club, which has been the focus in recent weeks of neighbors' complaints about noise, may be brought into the village of Saybrook.

Village Board members plan to have a special meeting in the next few weeks to consider annexation, which would solve the club's zoning problem with McLean County.

Board members were cautious about the idea, saying it needed more study.

"I don't know that I can sit here tonight and say I know the best solution to solve the problem," said Village Board member Chad Benjamin, "and because of that I would make a motion we assign members of the village board to work with members of the public and the sportsman's club to draft an annexation agreement to be voted on once parameters are set."

The board decided the entire board would review the matter with outside input coming as needed from special meetings.

More than 30 people packed the Village Hall Monday to express their opinions on the shooting range.

Linda Hagar said that while she comes from a family of gun supporters, the noise of the club is just too much.

"I came here to retire, but I would not have (moved here) had I known about the gun club," she said. "The noise pollution has ruined a peaceful condition (at her residence)."

Saying "I don't hate the gun club," Joy Moore suggested implementation of conditions such as limiting operating hours, erecting a berm and maybe even moving the club farther from town. She pleaded that the town not become divided over the issue.

"This is my home, this is your home," she said. "Can't we agree to disagree and work out an amicable solution void of hate?"

Craig Horsch defended the gun club, saying the members "make significant contributions to the village of Saybrook." He cited donations to the Freedom Festival, youth fishing tournament, Lions Club and the local Christmas fund.

He also said gun club hours are 9 a.m. to dusk every day but Tuesday, when range hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The range does not comply with McLean County zoning codes, which set a Dec. 31, 2007, deadline for owners of such noncompliant properties to apply for special-use permits. To solve zoning problem, the gun club has asked to be annexed into Saybrook.

It also would need the village to rezone the land from residential to agricultural and grant a special-use permit.

Board member Ross Reardon warned that, by village ordinance, any annexations would have to go through a local zoning board, but he could not find evidence that Saybrook even had a zoning board. A 1999 proposal would have shifted zoning responsibilities to the full Village Board, but Reardon said that ordinance was not formally adopted.

Mayor Ron Stauffer said these were issues that could be addressed at the upcoming special board meeting.