Council to Talk Sex Offenders, Child 'Safety Zones'

Sex offenders will be a topic of conversation at an upcoming meeting.

Council has scheduled a general discussion on the topic of sex offenders following a referral and request from the Kent Planning Commission.

The idea of requiring convicted sex offenders to register with the — Ohio law requires sex offenders register with the county sheriff where they live — and limiting their residence proximity to parks, schools and other places where children gather came up at a recent planning commission meeting. So the commission referred the issue to council and asked for a discussion on the matter.

Kent Planning Commission member Anthony Catalano said the commission felt the issue was beyond its scope and thus referred it to council, along with a proposed ordinance for adoption.

"There has been an abundance of support for an ordinance of this nature, and I firmly believe we can increase the level of safety in the city if this ordinance were to pass," Catalano wrote council.

The ordinance proposed is a law already on the books in University City, TX. Among its limitations, the law prohibits sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of "where children gather" and includes locations such as schools, parks, bowling alleys, movie theaters, skate parks, day care and other facilities. The areas are dubbed "child safety zones" in the Texas ordinance.

The issue is scheduled for discussion at council's Wednesday, Dec. 7, meeting.