Laserfiche WebLink
1 <br />t <br />' AN ORDINANCE OF THE CABARRU5 COUNTY BOARD OF <br />COMIVIISSIONERS PROHIBITING THE PRESENCE OF REGISTERED SEX <br />t OFFENDERS IN COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES <br />WHEREAS, Cabarrus County ("County") owns and mamtams its park system and <br />recreation facilities in a manner that is meant for the peaceful enjoyment of children and <br />' other citizens; and <br />WHEREAS, currently there are at least 187 registered sex offenders residing in Cabarrus <br />' County according to the data provided via the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public <br />Protection Registry database; and <br />' WHEREAS, there is a substantial rate of recidivism among sexual offenders; and <br />WHEREAS, the County park system consists of public spaces in which sexual predators <br />' may attempt to find victims; and <br />WHEREAS, sex offenders often pose a high risk of engaging in sex offenses even after <br />' being released from incarceration or commitment, and protection of the public from sex <br />offenders is of paramount governmental interest; and <br />' WHEREAS, it is in the interest of promoting general welfare and safety of the residents <br />of the County to reduce opportunities for sexual predators to make use of public spaces <br />for criminal intent; and <br />' WHEREAS, this ordinance prohibiting registered sex offenders from entering Parks and <br /> Recreation Facilities is rationally related to the legitimate government interest of <br /> protecting Parks and Recreation Facilities users from becoming victims of sexual crimes; <br />' and <br /> WHEREAS, the County has a legitimate governmental interest in desiring to decrease <br />' and eliminate sexual crimes in its Parks and Recreation Facilities, and prohibiting those <br /> most likely to commit criminal sexual acts, that is, persons previously convicted of such <br /> conduct and meeting the definition of a Registered Sex Offender, from entering the <br />' County's Parks and Recreation Facilities is a rational method of furthering that goal; and <br /> WHEREAS, the County Board of Commissioners finds it to be in the best interests of the <br /> residents of and visitors to the County to prohibit and ban registered sex offenders from <br />' the County's Parks and Recreation Facilities; and <br /> WHEREAS, North Carolina General Statute § 153A-169 provides that a County Board of <br />' Commissioners shall supervise the use of all County property and may adopt by <br /> ordinance regulations concerning the use of County property; <br />' NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CABARRUS COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS THAT THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE BE AND <br /> HEREBY IS ADOPTED: <br />' <br /> Item# 13 <br /> Attachment number 2 <br />' G _ 2 Page 182 of 253 <br />