EDWARDSVILLE — There are two more home-based gun dealerships in Madison County, over the objections of two county board members.

The Madison County Board approved a zoning permit Wednesday for two applicants to sell firearms out of their homes as federal firearms licensees. That makes 12 FFL dealers in Madison County.

FFL dealers cannot keep an inventory in their homes or sell ammunition, according to state's attorney Tom Gibbons. They must conduct background checks, take orders off catalogs and must keep the firearms in a gun safe until the order is picked up.

"They're under much tighter restrictions than a private individual," Gibbons said. "It's a safer transaction than a private (transfer of ownership), because then they're not required to do a background check."

Thomas Hawkins, deputy adminstrator for planning and development, said the FFL dealers can't even discharge a firearm on their property, even though discharging firearms is allowed in unincorporated Madison County.

"I personally feel it's safer," Gibbons said.

But County Board members Brenda Roosevelt and Liz Dalton voted against the decision. Dalton said she did not feel more gun dealerships were needed in residential areas when there is a metropolitan area nearby for gun shopping.

Contact reporter Elizabeth Donald at edonald@bnd.com or 239-2501.