Davis Municipal Code Art. 35.06 Picketing of Private Residences

In enacting this article, the city council finds and declares as follows:

(a) Protecting the well-being, tranquility, and privacy of the home is a significant government interest;

(b) A special benefit of the privacy all citizens enjoy within their residences is an ability to avoid intrusions and unwanted speech;

(c) Picketers who focus upon a particular residence or dwelling generally do not seek to disseminate a message to the general public, but instead seek to harass and intrude upon the targeted resident, and to do so in an especially offensive way;

(d) Even if such picketers have a broader communicative purpose, their activity and medium of expression inherently and offensively intrude on residential privacy;

(e) Such picketing also obstructs and interferes with the free and safe use of public sidewalks and public ways of travel;

(f) Without resort to picketing before or about the residence or dwelling of an individual, ample alternative channels of communication exist, and will continue to exist under the terms and provisions of this article, for the exercise of constitutional rights of speech and assembly;

(g) The purpose of this article is to protect and preserve the home by insuring that residents of the city can enjoy in their homes and dwellings a feeling of well-being, tranquility and privacy. It is also the purpose of this article to protect the free and safe use of public sidewalks and public ways of travel.

(Ord. 1668 § 1)

(a) It is unlawful for any person to engage in picketing before or about the residence or dwelling of any individual, where such picketing is focused on that particular residence or dwelling.

(b) Violations of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor punishable by a fine or imprisonment, or both. A fine shall not exceed one thousand dollars. Imprisonment shall not exceed six months.

(Ord. 1668 § 1)