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City of Gem Lake, Ramsey County, Minnesota Targeted Picketing Ordinance No. 13.8 AN ORDINANCE DEFINING AND REGULATING TARGETED'RESIDENTIAL PICKETING Sect11on.1. Findings -and Purpose. The City Council finds.that: a. .The city of Gem*Lake has an interest in safeguarding the right of its residents to enjoy.,: in their home and :dwelling, a. feeling of well-being; lrsnquility; and privacy;. and b, Targeted residential picketing in front ofor about a residential dwelling causes emotional distress to: the dwelling occupants, obstructs and interferes with the free use of public rights=of w:ay and has as its object the harassment. .of the dwelling occupants; and c: Without resorting to. targeted residential picketing, ample opportunities existfor•ihose otherwise engaged i targeted residential picketing to exercise constitutionally protectetl freedom-ofspeech and expression; and d. The proteMign'snd preservation of the: home is the keystone of democratic government; the public health and welfare arid the.good order of the community require that members of the community enjoy, in their. homes and dwellings, a feeling of wellbeing, tranquility and privacy and, when absent from their homes and dwellings, carry with them the sense of security inherent.in the.assurance that.they.may return to the•enjoyment oftheir homes and.dw.ellings; the practice. of picketing before or about residences. and dwellings causes emotional disturbance and distress to the occupants, obstructs and interferes with the free use of public sidewalks and public ways of travel; such practice. has. as. its object the. harassing ofsuch occupants and, without resort to such ¢t'actice, full opportunity exists, and under the:terms and. provisions.of this section, will:contirnueto. exist for the exercise of freedom of speech and their constitutional rights; and that the .provisions hereinafter enacted are necessary for the public interest to avoid the detrimental results herein sct forth. Section 2.•D'efinitions. When used in this Ordinance, the following.words,. terms, and.phroses shall have the.followirig t*an-Wgs, unless the context. clearly :indicates vthcrwise. •a. Targeted Residcntial Picketing. Marching, standing, patrolling o other similar activities. by of% or more persons directed. at a. particular residential dwelling in a.tnanner that adversely affects the safety, security,or privacy of an.occupantof the dwelling; or 2. Marching, standing, patrolling or other.similar activities:by'one.or more: persons which'prevents.6r hinder&an.occupant of residential. dwelling from:gaimpg access. to or exiting from•the property on Which the residential dwelling is located; Section 3. Prohibition. No person shalI engage in targeted residential picketing:withiriAhe.eity. Section 4. Penalty. Every. person.convicted :of a violation of this :Ordinance shall be.goilty of a misdemeanor. Section 6. Severability. Should any section, subdWisiori, clause'orAher provision.of this Ordinance.be held. to..be invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not aflfect.the validity of tlu�.Ordinance as:.a.whole; or of �rry part thereof;.other than:the.part held to be invalid. Secttiou.7. Effective.Datr_ This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and publication: Dated: June 21, 2022 APPROVED. c;w_4� 41it4 -sego. Gretchen Artig-Swomley, Mayor ATTEST: 7&CZ" Melissa Lawrence, Acting City Clerk.