The adoption of Megan's Law has increased public awareness of sexual
offenders by requiring them to become registered with authorities and making
such information available to the public. The Town Board of the Town of Cheektowaga
hereby enacts this chapter to prevent sex offenders from residing or living
near areas where children regularly meet and congregate. The Town Board of
the Town of Cheektowaga believes this legislation is necessary to further
protect the best interests of all children, and to protect the health, safety
and welfare of residents in the Town of Cheektowaga.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
DANCE HALL
Any place (whether inside or outside a building) where a public dance,
concert or related activity is permitted or conducted as part of the business
of such place.
PUBLIC DANCE
Any dance, concert or related activity to which persons under the
age of 18 years are admitted for which an attendance charge or donation is
imposed as a condition of attendance.
TEEN/COMMUNITY CENTER
Any building/structure where persons under the age of 18 years are
invited and congregate for the purpose of education, athletics and/or entertainment.
TOWN OF CHEEKTOWAGA
The Town of Cheektowaga, excluding the territory of the Villages
of Sloan and Depew.
No person over the age of 18 years, who has been convicted of a violation
of a sexual offense upon a child of the age of 16 years or under, as defined
by the New York State Penal Law, which would require that individual to register
as a sex offender under state and/or federal laws, shall be permitted to reside
or live within 1,500 feet of the real property of any: (1) school, (2) park,
(3) playground, (4) day-care center, (5) teen/community center, (6) teen facility,
(7) dance hall, or (8) skating rink in the Town of Cheektowaga, unless such
residence has been assigned by a supervised release program which provides
close supervision of the sex offender's daily activity, or the residency
of said offender was established prior to the enactment of this chapter.
Failure to comply with this chapter shall be considered a violation
punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,500 or imprisonment not to exceed 15
days, or both.