DYERSVILLE - Sex offenders have been banned from living in this northeastern Iowa city.

The City Council on Monday approved the state's strictest law on sex offender residency, the latest in a flurry of similar local ordinances passed across Iowa that has drawn both criticism and praise.

The measure passed 4-1, the lone dissenting vote cast by councilwoman Eileen Huberty, who asked the council whether it would also ban those convicted of other crimes, specifically methamphetamine users.

"Why don't we abolish them or go after those people?" Huberty said.

Dyersville's ordinance expands on a 2002 state law that bans registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or day care.

Other cities have essentially banned offenders by applying the 2,000-foot rule to enough public places to make the entire city off limits. This city's ordinance is shorter and simpler: Sex offenders "shall not reside within the corporate city limits of Dyersville."

Some expressed concern that the ordinance infringes on constitutional rights, but "as far as I'm concerned, those guys gave up their rights to live here," said councilman Ray Sauser.

The measure was submitted by Police Chief Martin Botts at the request of the city's Public Safety Committee.

Botts acknowledged that enforcing the law will be difficult. He said police will not do background checks on every new Dyersville resident, but will instead put the responsibility of following the city law on each sex offender.

"We can't sanitize the world," he said.

The ordinance has caught the attention of other cities, which Botts said have requested copies of Dyersville's law. He said he doesn't know if those councils will consider implementing similar bans.

Dubuque County Attorney Fred McCaw said the law would likely not stand if challenged in court. He said the domino effect of sex offender restrictions has created an enforcement dilemma and requires the state's attention.

"We're hoping that the Legislature will revisit this issue during the next session and reconsider it, especially in light of the effect it's had," McCaw said. "It's becoming sort of an unworkable situation."

Mayor Jim Heavens said the City Council waived the final reading after getting little public input on the law. "We had to go out and solicit opinions," Heavens said.

Under the state restrictions, Dyersville is 70 percent covered against sex offenders, and there are no registered offenders living in the city, Botts said.