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Lufkin council approves second-reading sex-offender residency restrictions, declines single-site exemption
Summary
The Lufkin City Council approved on second reading an ordinance creating 1,000-foot child-safety buffers that restrict certain registered sex offenders from residing near places where children gather; Godale Ministries sought a one-site exemption, but staff warned singling out one provider could prompt legal challenges.
The Lufkin City Council approved on second reading an ordinance amending Chapter 8 of the city code to restrict certain registered sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of locations where children commonly gather.
Martin Baker, president and executive director of Godale Ministries, urged council during public comment to exempt his homeless ministry from the restriction, saying Godale has housed and supervised people on the sex-offender registry since opening in 1983. "We have housed and fed many families with children," Baker said, and asked the council to allow Godale to continue its ministry to residents on the registry.
City staff told council the city currently lists 103 registered sex offenders inside the city limits, including 71 whose offenses involved victims under age 17. Assistant Chief Nick Malone was present to answer questions about enforcement and reporting. When a council member asked whether the ordinance could be broadened to cover all registered sex offenders, staff and legal counsel said making the prohibition that broad raises constitutional concerns and that the ordinance follows patterns other cities have used.
Council members pressed staff on whether a single exemption for Godale would be legally defensible. Staff advised that exempting one provider while leaving others subject to the restriction could create legal exposure and undermine the ordinance’s goal of protecting areas where children gather.
After discussion, a motion to approve the ordinance as drafted was made and seconded; the council voted to carry the motion on second reading. The transcript records the motion carried; the ordinance’s effective date and any final adoption vote were not specified in the recorded segments.
The ordinance as presented adds definitions, penalties, defenses, and exemptions and expands the definition of child-safety zones to include homeowner-association pools and public pools, along with youth rehabilitation centers. Staff said changes discussed at the May 19 meeting — including adding HOA pools at Crown Colony and another HOA pool in the Trailwood area — were incorporated into the version considered on second reading.
Council members noted the ordinance can be amended in the future if additional areas or concerns are identified. The council did not adopt a specific exemption for Godale at this meeting.
What's next: the ordinance was advanced on second reading; the transcript did not record a final adoption vote or an effective date, and staff indicated the council may amend the ordinance later if needed.
