The city council unanimously approved on second and final reading last night an ordinance designed to discourage certain sex offenders from moving to Kyle by restricting where they may live.
The ordinance would prohibit certain sex offenders considering relocating here from establishing a permanent or temporary residence, or to be a recurring visitor at a residence located within 1,000 feet of premises where children commonly gather.
“The ordinance would not apply to (any current Kyle) homeowners or those with a rental/lease agreement in effect before the ordinance’s passing; or to individuals that were required to register as a sex offender as a minor but were not convicted as an adult; or to individuals living in a medical facility such as hospitals or inpatient facilities,” the city said today in a formal statement announcing the council’s vote.
“This ordinance wasn’t written to be punitive toward any part of our population,” the city’s statement quoted Kyle Chief of Police Jeff Barnett as saying.
The ordinance does, however, make it unlawful for certain sex offenders, including those already residing in the city, to leave decorations or exterior porch lights on or otherwise invite trick-or-treaters to their homes on Halloween.
Areas where certain individuals who are listed on the state’s sex offender database may live if they desire to move to Kyle sometime in the future are marked in blue on the map found on this website.
The item was part of Tuesday’s Consent Agenda and, as a result, was adopted on its second reading without comment or debate.
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