Anti-Picketing Measure Tabled

In the face of continued criticism, Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone today temporarily tabled his proposal to amend an anti-picketing ordinance to make it less restrictive, leaving the current restrictions in place.

Early last month, the Board of Supervisors tentatively agreed to revise
Ordinance 884, which prohibits "targeted residential picketing'' closer than 30 feet from a person's home. Stone sought to drop the distance to three feet.

The board was scheduled to formally adopt the change today. But after hearing from Norco resident Julie Waltz -- a vocal opponent of 884 from the beginning -- Stone pulled the proposed amended ordinance from the board's agenda, indicating that he would further consider what to do about the measure.

Ordinance 884 was approved roughly two years ago, following a string of contentious board meetings in which Waltz and others blasted the measure's provisions.

Supervisor Bob Buster was the only board member to oppose the law,
saying it was unnecessary and imposed restrictions on people's ability to exercise their constitutional right to peaceably assemble and protest.

Stone cited instances of harassment of Church of Scientology members at their 700-acre Golden Era compound near Hemet as the impetus for the ordinance, as well as threats against supporters of Proposition 8, which confers legal recognition of marriage between only a man and woman in California.

Waltz has remained a constant presence at the board meetings, addressing her concerns about 884 on numerous occasions when the public has been invited to speak on any topic at the end of a meeting.

The retiree has called the ordinance "unconstitutional'' and "an
instrument to restrain the people.''

According to Stone, his staff met with Walls before he decided to propose changing the 30-foot buffer zone to three feet.

Waltz remained steadfast in calling for the measure's repeal in total.
She appealed to each of the supervisors today to "study'' whether Ordinance 884 had proved beneficial to the public, prompting Stone to pull the amendment.

Undersheriff Colleen Walker told the board last month that she could not recall a single instance in the last two years when the anti-picketing ordinance had to be enforced.

According to Riverside County Counsel Pamela Walls, the language of the ordinance, which was modeled on targeted picketing restrictions in the cities of Riverside and San Diego, as well as San Diego County, had passed muster with the U.S. Supreme Court. --City News Service