ORDINANCE NO. 289

AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF CHEYENNE WELLS, COLORADO,ENACTING RESIDENCY DISTANCE RESTRICTIONS UPON SEX OFFENDERS FROM DESIGNATED LOCATIONS WITHIN THE TOWN OF CHEYENNE WELLS.

WHEREAS, in accordance with the 2023 Annual Report of Colorado Department of Corrections LifetimeSupervision of Sex Offenders the agency expressed concern that there is an increasing risk to the public as thenumber of sex offenders both incarcerated and in communities is rising while the number of approved treatment providers is decreasing; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Corrections Sex Offender Management Board's February 1, 2024, Treatment Solutions Work Group Report, notes that there are insufficient resources for treatment of convicted sex offenders due to the volume of admissions and staffing shortages which creates significant community and public safety concerns and given that crimes of sex offenders often involve sexual assault of children there is aheightened community safety interest; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees is concerned that the issues brought forward by the State agencies and theincreasing number of sex offenders present a risk to the public, particularly the youth in the community; and

WHEREAS, to reduce such risk the Board of Trustees desires to impose residency restrictions upon sexoffenders' proximity to locations frequented by the Town's youth,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF CHEYENNE WELLS, COLORADO:

Section 9 of the Cheyenne Wells Municipal Code is hereby amended to include Section

9.50 entitled "Prohibited Residency of Sex Offenders" to read as follows;

Section 9.050 Findings and Intent.

1. The Town Board hereby finds that sexual predators and the specified sex offenders that use physical violence or who prey on children present an extreme threat to the public safety. Sexual predators and the specified sex offenders have a high rate of recidivism, making the cost of sex offender victimization to societyat large extremely high. Removing such offenders from regular proximity to places where children are located and limiting the frequency of contact is likely to reduce the risk of an offense.
2. This Ordinance 289 is intended to serve the Town's compelling interest to promote, protect and improve thepublic health, safety and welfare by creating areas, around locations where children regularly congregate inconcentrated numbers, where sexual predators and specified sexual offenders are prohibited from establishing temporary or permanent residence.

Section 9.051 Definitions.

For purposes of this Ordinance 289, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

1. Permanent Residence: A place where a person abides, lodges, or resides for five

(5) or more consecutive days.

2. Temporary Residence: A place where a person abides, lodges, or resides for a period of five (5) or moredays in the aggregate during any calendar year and which is not the person's permanent residence, or aplace where a person routinely abides, lodges, or resides for a period of five (5) or more consecutive or nonconsecutive days in any month and which is not the person's permanent address.
   1. Registered Sex Offender: Any person who has been found to be a sexually violent predator pursuant toC.R.S. Section 18-3-414.5; or any person required to register under the Colorado Sex Offender Registration Act, C.R.S. Section 16-22-101, et seq. who has been:
      1. Convicted of a felony for an offense requiring registration;
      2. Has multiple convictions for offenses requiring registration; or
      3. Whose offense(s) requiring registration involved multiple victims

Section 9.052 Prohibitions.

A. It shall be unlawful for any Registered Sex Offender to establish a permanent residence or temporary residence within one thousand feet (1,000') of any school, park, or playground or within one thousand feet (1,000') of any licensed day care center, recreation center or swimming pool (other than pools located atprivate, single-family residences), or any property located adjacent to any designated public or private school bus stop or recreational trail.

B. Persons otherwise subject to this Ordinance who had established a residence which would be in violation ofthe distance requirements set forth in subsection (A) above on or before the effective date of the Ordinance from which this Section derives, are hereby exempted from the provisions set forth herein in relation to such residence.

C. It is unlawful to let or rent any portion of any property, place, structure, trailer or other vehicle with theknowledge that it will be used as a permanent or temporary residence by any person prohibited fromestablishing such permanent or temporary residence pursuant to this Ordinance 289.

Section 9.053 Exceptions.

A person is not guilty of a violation of this Ordinance if:

A. The person established the permanent or temporary residence prior to the effective date of this Ordinance provided, however, that this exception shall not apply if the person committed the offense, for which registration under the Colorado Sex Offender Registration Act is required, after the effective date of this Ordinance;

B. The person is placed in the residence pursuant to a State of Colorado foster care program; or

C. The school, designated public or private school bus stop, licensed day care center, park, playground,swimming pool, recreational trail or recreation center was opened after the person established the permanent or temporary residence, and is not replacing an existing school, designated public or private school bus stop, licensed

day care center, park, playground, swimming pool, recreational trail or recreation center.

Section 9.054 Measurement.

A. For purposes .of determining the minimum distance separation required herein, the measurement shall bemade by following a straight line from the outer property line or boundary of the property on which the school, designated public or private school bus stop, licensed day care center, park, playground, swimming pool, recreational trail or recreation center is located to the nearest 'point on the outer property line of the property on which the permanent or temporary residence of the sex offender is located. Geographic Information System (GIS) data regarding the locations shall be prima facie evidence of the actual distance.

Section 9.055 If any article, section, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Ordinance is held to be unconstitutional or invalid for any reason, such decision shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of theremaining portions of this Ordinance. The Board of Trustees hereby declare it would have passed this Ordinance and each part or parts hereof irrespective of the fact that any one part or parts be declared unconstitutional or invalid.

Section 9.056 Violations of this Ordinance shall be punishable in accordance with

C.R.S. 31-16-101, the Municipal Code of the Town of Cheyenne Wells, Colorado.

Section 9.057. All other ordinances or portions thereof inconsistent or conflicting with this Ordinance or anyportion hereof are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency or conflict.

INTRODUCED, READ, ADOPTED, AND APPROVED AND ORDERED PUBLISHED THIS 10th DAY March, 2026.

Carleton Pelton

Carleton Pelton Mayor Pro-tern

Deborah G Knudsen

Deborah G Knudsen MMC Town Clerk Administrator

Published March 20, 2026

In the Kiowa County Press