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Beaumont council adopts child safety zone ordinance with 1,500-foot limit
Summary
The council approved an ordinance creating child safety zones that restrict where certain registered offenders may live near schools, parks and childcare sites, adopting a 1,500-foot cap consistent with state limits and authorizing enforcement tools and fines.
Beaumont city council voted to adopt an ordinance establishing child safety zones that would limit certain registered offenders from residing within a set distance of locations where children commonly gather.
City staff described the proposal as a tool to protect schools, parks and day-care centers. “The proposed ordinance before you prohibits registered *** offenders from residing within 2,000 feet of a designated location where children commonly gather, including schools, parks, and day care center facilities,” the city manager reported during the meeting. The administration recommended a reduced distance of 1,500 feet to align with municipal authority.
During discussion Councilman Turner sought legal clarity on the penalty and the range of municipal authority. The city attorney explained the municipal cap for a class C misdemeanor is set by state law and that the city’s proposed enforcement footprint should reflect that limit: “That’s state law... that is the cap that you can do, for municipal ordinance,” the attorney said.
The ordinance also includes enforcement provisions and a potential fine capped at the class C misdemeanor level (up to $500), limited exceptions for pre-existing lawful residents, and a staff recommendation to procure geospatial software to support enforcement. Staff indicated the measure would require the police department to use software to track restricted distances and compliance.
Council approved the ordinance with the 1,500-foot distance after a motion and voice vote. Staff said the measure is intended to be consistent with state statutory limits and to provide local enforcement mechanisms while preserving narrowly defined exceptions.
The ordinance will be implemented by city staff and the police department; if the city determines additional technical or implementation steps are needed, staff said they would return with details.
