The city will consider an ordinance Tuesday that would restrict air guns to private property - an action spurred by concerns from the police department.

"We're getting 'man-with-gun' calls in neighborhoods," said Sgt. Jason Cadwalader, "and they're teenagers playing with these devices. And they look real, and we have to treat them as such until we evaluate they aren't real - and that can get scary."

Since January 2007, his department has received 15 complaints of air guns mistaken for the real thing. And during the same period, there were 30 cases of property damage caused by stray BBs and paintballs.

The proposed ordinance would restrict the use of replicas to private property, like the users' homes, licensed shooting ranges or businesses that specialize in those hobbies. Air-gun use would be prohibited on public streets and property, and gun toters would also be required to make sure BBs and paintballs don't land in people's homes or other restricted areas.

This ordinance is far more "private-property friendly" than one suggested earlier, said Councilwoman Aleta Taylor.

"As it was first presented, what was going to be restricted was too broad," she said. "It included private property as well as public property, and I didn't support that restriction on private property."

Some of those limitations are imposed by several other cities, Cadwalader said.

Salt Lake City, Bountiful, Clearfield and Centerville all prohibit firing fake guns within city limits unless it's in an approved shooting range or hunting area.

And that would be going too far, said South Jordan Mayor Kent Money.

The ordinance shouldn't reach into private homes, but he is concerned about the harm that could occur if air guns get confused with real firearms, or if people try to pass them off as real to intimidate others.

The proposal the City Council will vote on - "a common-sense compromise," Money said - would make firing an air gun in public or brandishing one as real to threaten others a misdemeanor.

mariav@sltrib.com

What's next:

The South Jordan City Council vote on whether to restrict the use of air guns is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 1600 W. Towne Center Drive.