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City of Gem Lake, Ramsey County, Minnesota <br />Targeted Picketing <br />Ordinance No. 138 <br />AN ORDINANCE DEFINING AND REGULATING TARGETED RESIDENTIAL PICKETING <br />Section 1. Findings and Purpose. The City Council finds that: <br />a. The city of Gem Lake has an interest in safeguarding the right of its residents to enjoy, in their home and <br />dwelling, a feeling of well-being, tranquility, and privacy; and <br />b. Targeted residential picketing in front of or about a residential dwelling causes emotional distress to the dwelling <br />occupants, obstructs and interferes with the free use of public rights -of -way and has as its object the harassment <br />of the dwelling occupants; and <br />c. Without resorting to targeted residential picketing, ample opportunities exist for those otherwise engaged in <br />targeted residential picketing to exercise constitutionally protected freedom of speech and expression; and <br />d. The protection and preservation of the home is the keystone of democratic government; the public health and <br />welfare and the good order of the community require that members of the community enjoy, in their homes and <br />dwellings, a feeling of wellbeing, tranquility and privacy and, when absent from their homes and dwellings, carry <br />with them the sense of security inherent in the assurance that they may return to the enjoyment of their homes <br />and dwellings; the practice of picketing before or about residences and dwellings causes emotional disturbance <br />and distress to the occupants, obstructs and interferes with the free use of public sidewalks and public ways of <br />travel; such practice has as its object the harassing of such occupants and, without resort to such practice, full <br />opportunity exists, and under the terms and provisions of this section, will continue to exist for the exercise of <br />freedom of speech and their constitutional rights; and that the provisions hereinafter enacted are necessary for the <br />public interest to avoid the detrimental results herein set forth. <br />Section 2. Definitions. When used in this Ordinance, the following words, terms, and phrases shall have the following <br />meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. <br />a. Targeted Residential Picketing. <br />1. Marching, standing, patrolling or other similar activities by one or more persons directed at a particular <br />residential dwelling in a manner that adversely affects the safety, security, or privacy of an occupant of <br />the dwelling; or <br />2. Marching, standing, patrolling or other similar activities by one or more persons which prevents or <br />hinders an occupant of a residential dwelling from gaining access to or exiting from the property on <br />which the residential dwelling is located. <br />Section 3. Prohibition. No person shall engage in targeted residential picketing within the city. <br />Section 4. Penalty. Every person convicted of a violation of this Ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. <br />Section 6. Severability. Should any section, subdivision, clause or other provision of this Ordinance be held to be invalid <br />by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the Ordinance as a whole, or of any <br />part thereof, other than the part held to be invalid. <br />Section 7. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and publication. <br />Dated: June 21, 2022 <br />APPROVED: ATTEST: <br />C� A&!� — smomeq -dVWµ'Vv: do <br />Gretchen Artig-Swomley, Mayor <br />Melissa Lawrence, Acting City Clerk <br />