Sit together, travel together and do all sorts of other things together, but they can't live in close proximity to each other. In life we see all sorts of Ghettos' and some are considered more dangerous than this. STUPID law, 500 feet can be about every 4th or 5th house. Does anyone see a "Public Safety" context in this?1-12-2012 Florida:
TAVARES - County commissioners moved ahead on tightening restrictions on sex offenders this week, unanimously approving a "cluster buster" ordinance that will prohibit offenders from inundating an apartment complex, mobile-home park or neighborhood.
The new restrictions, which apply to sex offenders with victims under 16, will prevent "havens" from forming in Lake, commission Chairwoman Leslie Campione said. She said the clusters are becoming a problem across the U.S.
"We're on the cutting edge to protect our children and to protect our communities," Campione said. "Even if we have challenges, we're on good ground here."
The push for tighter regulations came after a Tampa woman suggested last year the Sorrento area could be an ideal place to establish a special neighborhood for sex offenders. Barbara Farris, president of the Apopka-based SO Housing Solutions, wanted to create the community to offer housing, transportation and other services to paroled sex offenders.
In October, commissioners passed an ordinance banning sex offenders from residing within 2,500 feet of day-care centers, public and private parks, playgrounds and schools and prohibited them from living with each other unless they were related.
However, commissioners felt that wasn't enough and pushed to add the more stringent restrictions. Under the new ordinance, offenders cannot live within 500 feet of another sex offender, which County Attorney Sandy Minkoff said will prevent clustering in any part of the county.
"This would spread them out fairly significantly and prohibit any one apartment building or development being used to congregate several," Minkoff said.
Like Seminole and Hillsborough, Lake set a 300-foot "safety zone" buffer around day-care centers, schools, parks and playgrounds. Offenders aren't allowed to cross except, for example, if they're going to see a doctor or meet with their attorney, Minkoff said. And they'll have to declare themselves as sex offenders when they walk into an emergency shelter during a hurricane or natural disaster.
However, under the ordinance, sex offenders may not be forced to move out if their current living arrangements violate the new restrictions. There are more than 400 registered sex offenders in Lake. Not all of them are listed as abusing children.
Nonetheless, the action will deter offenders from moving into Lake and setting up "sex-offender villages," Commissioner Jimmy Conner said after the meeting. The restrictions send a strong message, he said.
"That is: convicted sex offenders not welcomed," Conner said. "I'm not ashamed or afraid to send that message. You ought not to be scared or timid when it comes to protecting young people. You should be bold and aggressive. And, I think, that's what we're doing." ..Source.. by Eloísa Ruano González, Orlando Sentinel
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