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Nacogdoches council adopts 1,000-foot residency restrictions around child-focused sites for registered offenders
Summary
The council unanimously adopted an ordinance amending chapter 70 to add article 4, creating a 1,000-foot restricted area around defined 'child safety zones' and directing police and legal staff to implement monitoring and registration clarifications for registered offenders.
The Nacogdoches City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance amending chapter 70 of the city code by adding a new article to restrict where certain registered *** offenders may reside.
City Attorney Jerry Baker presented the draft ordinance, explaining it would create a 1,000-foot restricted area around locations defined in the ordinance as "child safety zones," which include schools, daycares, playgrounds and youth centers. Baker said the ordinance text—not the map—defines the offense, and that the map provided at the meeting is informational and will be updated when new child-focused sites are added.
A police official who presented operational details said the city currently has roughly 78 registered offenders within city limits, and that 60 of those have child victims as part of their offense history. The official described steps the department has taken to improve monitoring, including increasing the number of officers certified to perform registrations and launching more proactive compliance checks.
On enforcement mechanics, staff said a registrant who moves into the city will provide an intended address when they register; staff will then determine whether that address falls inside a child safety zone. The ordinance does not allow reliance on the posted map as an absolute defense to the substantive restrictions: residents are expected to consult the ordinance language and registration process to determine compliance.
Council members asked for clarifications about map currency and how the registration process will work in practice; staff said the police department and legal office will publish guidance and will monitor compliance. The ordinance passed by unanimous vote. Staff was directed to publish the ordinance text and informational map and proceed with the registration and monitoring steps described in the presentation.
The council then moved to executive session and adjourned after returning with no reportable action.
