Coeur d'Alene City Council Minutes re Public's Concern About Registered Sex Offenders Living in Coeur d'Alene

PLEASE NOTE: The Coeur d'Alene City Council requests each person making public comment to provide his/her residence address. Given the personal safety concerns of the residents in the following comments, the Council should have redacted those residence addresses from the Minutes. I have made those redactions in the reproduction of the minutes from the City's website. My redactions are noted parenthetically.

DRAFT

Not Approved by Governing Board
MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO,
HELD AT COEUR D’ALENE CITY HALL,
APRIL 19, 2005

The Mayor and Council of the City of Coeur d’Alene met in a regular session of said Council at the Coeur d’Alene City Hall, April 19, 2005 at 6:00 p.m., there being present upon roll call the following members:

Sandi Bloem, Mayor

Loren Edinger, Councilman

Al Hassell, Councilman

Woody McEvers, Counclman

Ben Wolfinger, Councilman

Deanna Goodlander, Councilman

Dixie Reid, Councilman

CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Mayor Bloem.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

HALFWAY HOUSES WITH SEX OFFENDERS:
Sandra Snyder, (address redacted by Whitecaps), read a petition requesting the Council resolve an issue whereby two sex offenders are living at a halfway house within 3 blocks of Bryan School.

Sundae Siebert, (address redacted by Whitecaps), reported that within a 1/4 mile triangle of schools there are 23 sex offenders residing within that area and 74 sex offenders residing in the 83814 zip code.

Erin Snyder, (address redacted by Whitecaps), lives diagonally across from the house at 724 Hastings where 2 sex offenders reside and he feels unsafe for his children playing in his own yard. He also represented a petition signed by over 100 residents in the area.

Susan Snedaker, (address redacted by Whitecaps), stated that former City Attorney Bill McFarland has indicated that the City could establish zoning codes to rectify this situation. She also believes that half way houses are a commercial enterprise in a residential zone. She also cited a statement from City Attorney Mike Gridley regarding sex offenders residing together. Councilman Wolfinger believes that this is a State-wide issue that needs to be addressed by the State rather than a zoning issue. She also noted that Home Occupations do not require that residents be notified prior to issuance of a certificate.

Councilman Edinger asked when a halfway house comes into a neighborhood or when a house has sexual offenders residing, is the law the State law or County law that requires them to notify the neighborhood.

Councilman Wolfinger stated that there are two levels, sex offenders and sexual predator: Sexual Predator Classification require the Sheriff’s office to publish the name and location of sexual offenders.

Councilman Edinger noted that he has 2 half way houses within 1 ½ blocks from his residence and he feels that the neighborhood should know when a half-way house or sexual predator is in the neighborhood. Councilman Wolfinger noted that as for sex offenders, the Sheriff’s office has a list available for sexual offenders in the area. Housing of these types of offenders is a large issue for all cities. He suggested that the City look at regulating the housing of sex offenders around schools.

Council President Reid believes that if we wait for the State Legislator it will be 5-6 years before something is done. She believes that no one wants these people living next to them.

Councilman Hassell asked if the City has any authority as we do with drug free zones.

Carol Goetzman,(address redacted by Whitecaps), commented that it is the City’s responsibility to keep our children safe from such predators.

Teresa Weadick, (address redacted by Whitecaps), requested that the City pursue transitional housing for felons.

Motion by Reid, seconded by Edinger that the General Services Committee review the issue of sexual predators in residential areas. Motion carried. Councilman Wolfinger requested the City Clerk add this item to the General Services Committee for Monday, April 25th, and that the City Clerk invite the new Department of Corrections District Director to the meeting.

Mayor Bloem encouraged the residents to contact their legislators to address this issue on a State level.
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Addendum:

Here is the agenda for the Coeur d'Alene City Council's General Services Committee meeting on Monday, April 25:

General Services Committee Agenda
April 25, 2005

4:00 p.m.

Coeur d'Alene City Hall

COUNCIL CHAMBERS

710 E. Mullan Avenue

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83814

Note: This meeting is open to the public.

Agenda

Encroachment Agreement - Moose at Cafe Doma
Code Amendments - Gas Installers and Fitters Licensing
Fire Training Burn Agreement - 605/607 Appleway
Downtown Building Height - Moratorium on Construction
Request for Regulations - Sexual Offender Housing