(a) Notice by the owners or occupants of any residence or place of business of their determination to refuse to receive any uninvited canvassers or solicitors shall be given by displaying a weatherproof card, decal or sign not less than three inches by four inches in size, nor more than one square foot in total surface area, upon or near the main entrance door to the residence or place of business, indicating such determination by the owner or occupant, containing the words "No Solicitors Invited" or words to that effect with the letters at least one-third of any inch in height. Any such sign which complies with the requirements of this section shall be exempt from any additional or different requirements contained in the Planning and Zoning Code.
(b) (1) No person shall engage in the activity of canvassing and/or soliciting at any residence whose owner or occupant has requested of the City or its designee, in writing, that such owner, occupant or resident desires the premises to be free from canvassing or soliciting of orders, donations, sales, subscriptions or business information at residences. The City Administrative Director or her or his designee shall keep a list for public inspection of all residences whose owners or occupants have requested, in writing, that they be kept free from canvassing and/or soliciting.
(2) Council and the Administration hereby designate Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council ("NOPEC") to compile and maintain this list for the City for as long as NOPEC shall agree to do so. NOPEC shall establish and maintain for the City a "Do Not Knock Registry" ("Registry") and is authorized to contact individuals on the Registry to distribute "Do Not Knock" stickers to them at no cost to the City or the individuals and contact individuals to update the list each year.
(3) Any person in lawful possession and occupancy of any residence, house, apartment or other dwelling in the City may request the City or NOPEC to place and maintain his or her residence, house, apartment or other dwelling on the Registry by submitting a request on form(s) supplied by the City, or by submitting a request online at www.blocktheknock.com or at a Block the Knock community event, which shall contain the following information:
A. The name and signature of the person completing the form(s), unless the submission is done electronically;
B. The complete address of the residence, house, apartment or other dwelling to be placed on the Registry;
C. A valid email address of the person completing the form(s);
D. The date the form was completed;
E. A statement that "No Solicitors or Peddlers" shall call at this address or words of similar import.
(4) A residence, house, apartment or other dwelling, after being lawfully placed on the Registry, shall remain on said registry until the earliest of any of the following:
A. The City or NOPEC receives notice of removal pursuant to division (e) of this section; or
B. The City or NOPEC receives formal notice that the person who submitted the form pursuant to division (c) of this section is not or is no longer a lawful possessor and occupant of the premises.
(5) Any person in lawful possession and occupancy of any residence, house, apartment or other dwelling may request the City or NOPEC to remove his or her residence, house, apartment or other dwelling from the Registry by submitting a "Notice of Removal" form(s) supplied by the Administrative Director, or by submitting a request online to www.blocktheknock.com which shall contain the following information:
A. The name and signature of the person completing the form;
B. The complete address of the residence, house, apartment or other dwelling to be removed from the registry;
C. The date the form was completed; and
D. A statement that the residence be removed from the Registry.
(6) A copy of the Registry shall be made available for public inspection at all times during normal business hours at the office of the Administrative Director of the City and shall be given to every solicitor and/or canvasser.
(c) As set forth above in division (b) of this section, each solicitor and/or canvasser shall be provided with a list of those residences whose owners or occupants have requested of the City, in writing, that such residence not be canvassed and/or solicited, and such solicitor or canvasser may not canvass and/or solicit at a residence on the list. This list shall be compiled and maintained by NOPEC so long as NOPEC agrees to do so and if NOPEC or another third party designated by the City no longer compiles this list, then the Administrative Director shall then continue to maintain and compile this list. The City shall post signs at its borders that notify solicitors and/or canvassers that such a list is on file with the Administrative Director and that solicitors and/or canvassers are prohibited from canvassing persons on the list.
(Ord. 2003-O-04. Passed 4-22-03; Ord. 2018-O-33. Passed 11-13-18.)