ORD-2022-018-Regulation of gathering on and near school property and public playgrounds

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1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date : June 21 , 2022 Action Agenda Item No . 8 - s SUBJECT . Regulation of Gatherings on and near School Property and Public Playgrounds DEPARTMENT : Board of Commissioners ATTACHMENT ( S ) N. INFORMATION CONTACT . Draft Ordinance John Roberts , County Attorney , 245 - Resolution 2318 PURPOSE : To present for second reading an ordinance regulating picketing on or within 1 , 000 feet of school property and public playgrounds . BACKGROUND : The Board of Commissioners requested information on how the County may regulate protests or large gatherings in Orange County . The Board initially received information on this subject at its February 1 , 2022 Business meeting . At that meeting the Board discussed many aspects of this type of regulation including prohibiting large gatherings on certain public school properties . The Board further discussed this topic at its May 10 , 2022 work session . At that work session the Board determined parades would not be regulated and provided further direction to the County Attorney to be brought back to the Board for future consideration . At the June 2 , 2022 work session , the Board determined to move forward with an ordinance prohibiting picketing on School Property . The agenda materials for each prior discussion may be viewed at the links above . Pursuant to the Board ' s prior discussions and input , the County Attorney revised the draft ordinance which generally provides as follows : • Only covers Picketing conducted on , or within 1 , 000 feet of, School Property and Public Playgrounds ; • Declares violations to be subject to a monetary fine , equitable relief , or trespass depending on the facts and circumstances . Recent changes to North Carolina law provide that when a local ordinance involves a potential criminal penalty , the ordinance may not be adopted at the meeting at which it is first introduced . Such an ordinance may only be adopted at the next regular meeting following its introduction . Because one potential penalty of this ordinance is trespass , which is a statutory misdemeanor , this ordinance may only be adopted at its second reading . First reading for this proposed ordinance occurred at the Board ' s June 7 , 2022 Business meeting . FINANCIAL IMPACT . There is no financial impact associated with this item .