(a) Allowable Solicitation in General. It is lawful for persons to stand upon highways or other public streets within the City limits for the purpose of soliciting contributions from occupants of vehicles only upon strict compliance with the following express provisions:
(1) On highways. Solicitation on highways within the City limits shall be allowed only under the following conditions:
A. The soliciting agency shall be registered with the Attorney General of the State as a charitable organization, as provided by "An Act to Regulate Solicitation and Collection of Funds for Charitable Purposes, Providing for Violations Thereof, and Making an Appropriation Therefor," approved July 26, 1963, as amended;
B. The soliciting agency shall be engaged in a State-wide fund-raising activity.
(2) On public streets. Solicitation on public streets within the City limits shall be allowed only under the following conditions:
A. The soliciting agency shall be a recognized charitable organization either by:
1. Having registered with the Attorney General of the State as a charitable organization as provided in this section;
2. Having qualified as a tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501 of the United States Internal Revenue Code; or
3. Having obtained prior recognition as a charitable organization by the City Manager.
B. The soliciting agency shall be engaged in a City-wide fund-raising activity.
(3) Conditions under which solicitations are allowed on highways or streets. Solicitation on highways or other public streets within the City limits shall be allowed only under the following conditions:
A. The soliciting agency shall be liable for, and shall hold the City harmless and indemnify the City from, any injury to any person or property during the solicitation which is causally related to an act of the soliciting agent or to the solicitation itself. The soliciting agency shall, at the time of application for approval to solicit, furnish the City Clerk with proof that the agency has general liability insurance coverage in amounts of at least five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) to one million dollars ($1,000,000), and such proof of insurance shall include the City as an additional named insured.
B. All solicitation shall be restricted to intersections where all traffic is required to come to a full stop.
C. Solicitation shall be limited to the intersections with a limit from each intersection of 100 feet within which solicitation shall be permitted.
D. A solicitation area shall be clearly marked with safety cones.
E. All persons engaged in the solicitation shall be at least eighteen years of age and shall be wearing a high-visibility vest at all times during the solicitation.
F. The soliciting agency shall secure permission from either the Illinois Department of Transportation or the Public Works Director to have any traffic signals at the intersection changed to a flashing red signal during the solicitation period.
G. The soliciting agency shall obtain a permit from the office of the City Clerk and be approved for the solicitation activity by the City Manager.
(b) Permit Application. Any application for a permit to solicit on highways or other public streets within the City shall be made to the City Clerk at least thirty days prior to the requested solicitation day. The application shall be accompanied by proof of compliance with all of the requirements provided herein.
(c) Additional Restrictions. Restrictions may be made in the discretion of the City Manager with respect to the certainty of dates, times, locations, number of solicitors and such other restrictions as the City Manager determines to be necessary for the public health, safety and welfare. The following time restrictions may apply: not earlier than 9:00 a.m. and not later than 6:00 p.m.
(d) Number of Solicitations Permitted Per Month. Solicitation approval on any given intersection of a public street within the City limits shall be restricted to no more than two weekends per calendar month.
(Ord. 94-9. Passed 4-4-94; Ord. 2017-56. Passed 7-17-17.)