Mayor Farrell told the Federal Way City Council on Oct. 21 that the state has unconditionally released Kevin Coe and that Coe has registered an address in Federal Way near local elementary schools.

The mayor said the city does not have authority to block where Coe lives but will work with the King County Sheriff’s Office “to send notifications to all neighbors within a quarter mile radius of his listed address,” and that the notification will include “details about Mr. Coe, his current location and a current photo.”

The mayor called the release “deeply troubling” and said the city will press the state Legislature to re-examine laws that permit a Level-3 registrant to live near an elementary school. “We do not have a say in this matter,” the mayor said, “and … our legal options in this particular case are limited and somewhat non-existent.”

Why it matters: residents in neighborhoods around the address and parents of children at nearby schools voiced concern at the start of the meeting. City officials said they are constrained by state preemption of sex-offender residency rules and by the court’s decision to release Coe unconditionally after decades of confinement at McNeil Island.

What the city is doing: the mayor told council members the city will
- coordinate with the King County Sheriff’s Office on neighbor notifications within a quarter mile of the listed residence; and
- place changes to state law on the city’s top legislative agenda and “urge our state legislature to re-examine these laws.”

Legal limits and context: the mayor said Coe is classified as a Level 3 registrant and was released “unconditionally,” and that the judge’s release decision included consideration of his age and infirmity; the mayor said, based on file materials, Coe is “largely confined to a wheelchair” and is approximately 77 years old. The mayor told council members that local ordinances restricting where registered offenders can live are legally preempted by state law.

Council discussion: council members asked whether residents at the adult family home where Coe is expected to live could move before he arrives; staff said that information “is not known.” Council members expressed frustration with how the placement was handled by the state and said municipalities were notified via media coverage rather than direct agency notice.

What the city asked residents to expect: officials said the mailed or delivered neighborhood notifications will follow state registration rules, and the city will post updates as more information becomes available. The mayor invited public comment on the matter and said staff would “be vigilant about making sure the community is safe.”

Next steps: the mayor asked the council to elevate legislative changes to restrict proximity of Level-3 registrants to schools to the city’s top legislative priorities; staff said the city will continue coordination with King County law enforcement and will send the quarter-mile notifications as soon as possible.

Ending: City leaders emphasized they lack authority to bar residency but told residents they will take every action permitted under state law to notify neighbors and press lawmakers for changes.