This Section is not intended to in any way hinder, delay or interfere with legitimate business or organizational activities. The Council finds, however, that peddlers, solicitors, and transient merchants have used public streets and their direct contact with residents of the City for the illegitimate solicitation practices of harassment, nuisance, theft, deceit, or menacing, troublesome or unlawful activities. This Section is intended to ferret out and control: (1) businesses and organizations using solicitation as a means of concealing unlawful activities; and, (2) businesses and organizations which, though its activities be lawful or even commendable, use such illegitimate practices in solicitation; and, (3) individual natural persons who, though they represent lawful businesses and organizations, use such illegitimate solicitation practices. The Council further finds that a large number of the residents of the City are employed as their livelihood and means of support by manufacturing plants and other businesses on shifts rotating between night and day, and to disturb them during their sleeping hours for the purpose of solicitation is a source of nuisance or even harassment and should be subject to control. To protect the public’s health, safety, and welfare, the City deems it necessary to regulate these practices through a registration process.
(Ord. 2004-14; amd. Ord. 2021-05, 3-15-2021)