Law would further restrict sex offenders in Sparta

Sparta — Sparta wants to put more distance between sex offenders and those places in the township with a considerable child population. The Sparta Township Council instructed township attorney Thomas Ryan to draft an ordinance to coincide with the state regulations provided under Megan’s Law, which assesses the risk of sex offenders committing another attack based on a three-tier rating. The law restricts offenders from living near schools, parks, playgrounds, child care facilities, churches, and municipal and government buildings. The township ordinance will also include open space zones. Ryan said approximately 50 other townships within the state have approved such an ordinance, increasing buffer zones from 500 feet up to 2,500 feet from children’s areas. How the new law will affect new residents or those currently residing within the township has yet to be determined. Under Megan’s law, a sex offender must register with the local police department to confirm residency. The third-tier offender — an offender with the highest assessed risk to re-offend — must register and check in with the police department several times a year. A first-tier offender need only register and check in once a year. This is the tool the township would use to ensure enforcement of the ordinance. Only one borough, Franklin in Gloucester County, has a lawsuit filed against such an ordinance in the state, said Ryan. There have been lawsuits in other states, such as Illinois, he said, but state and federal governments have yet to settle them. The council can review the ordinance once drafted and make the necessary adjustments once a state or federal judgment is issued, Ryan said. The township engineer will provide a map depicting the various buffer zones from predetermined zones established by Ryan. Such maps will be made available to the public to deter sex offenders from purchasing property within the restricted areas. “It would be their unfortunate situation if they purchase property within the limits,” said council member Brian Brady. Ryan said that the wording of the ordinance could be broad enough to include a large area of town. Brady said the municipality consists of 38 square miles. Areas within the town would not be affected by the ordinance, he said. But council member Scott Seelagy asked what residents in those neighborhoods would have to say about sex offenders permitted to live near them. “You’re forcing sex offenders to other parts of town,” he said. “Residents could say ‘Now they are stuck in my neighborhood.’ What do you think the prospects are for a townwide ban?” Seelagy said a lawsuit could be filed either way for approving such an ordinance. “I would like to see if the township attorney can draft an ordinance that can be upheld by a court and would restrict the most areas around town,” he said.