Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, it shall be unlawful for any canvasser or solicitor to enter any premise and knock at the door or ring the doorbell of any residence, house, apartment, or other dwelling in the City that appears on the "Do Not Knock Registry" or upon which there is a “Do Not Knock” sticker conspicuously displayed on the premises.
(a) If requested by the City, and for as long as the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (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 of Wickliffe or the individuals and to contact individuals to update the list each year.
(b) The decision of whether to place a residence, house, apartment, or other dwelling on the "Do Not Knock Registry" shall be solely that of the lawful possessor and occupant thereof and no official, employee, or other agent of the City shall interfere with that decision.
(c) Any person in lawful possession and occupancy of any residence, house, apartment, or other dwelling in the City may request NOPEC to place and maintain his/her residence, house, apartment, or other dwelling on the "Do Not Knock Registry" by submitting a request on a 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:
(1) The name and signature of the person completing the forms(s);
(2) The complete address of the residence, house, apartment, or other dwelling to be placed on the "Do Not Knock Registry";
(3) The date the form was completed; and
(4) A statement that in regards to the subject address, 'no solicitors or canvassers shall knock, ring the doorbell, make noise or otherwise call for the attention of the subject address in any manner'.
(d) A residence, house, apartment, or other dwelling, after being lawfully placed on the "Do Not Knock Registry"; shall remain on said registry until the earliest of any of the following:
(1) The City or NOPEC receives notice of removal pursuant to subsection (e) hereof; or
(2) The City or NOPEC receives formal notice that the person who submitted the form pursuant to subsection (c) hereof is not or is no longer a lawful possessor and occupant of the premises.
(e) Any person in lawful possession and occupancy of any residence, house, apartment, or other dwelling in the City may require the City or NOPEC to remove his/her residence, house, apartment or other dwelling from the "Do Not Knock Registry" by submitting a 'Notice of Removal' form supplied by the City or NOPEC, or by submitting a request online to www.blocktheknock.com, which shall contain the following information:
(1) The name and signature of the person(s) completing the form;
(2) The complete address of the residence, house, apartment, or other dwelling to be removed from the Registry;
(3) The date the form was completed; and
(4) A statement that the residence, house, apartment, or other dwelling be removed from the "Do Not Knock Registry".
(f) A copy of the "Do Not Knock Registry" shall be made available to the public at all times during normal business hours of the City at the Wickliffe Police Department and shall be provided to every solicitor or canvasser that is required to obtain a permit from the City or required to register with the City pursuant to this Chapter.
(g) By enacting this Chapter, canvassers and solicitors are on notice that a canvassers and solicitors "Do Not Knock Registry" exists. Each is responsible for obtaining a copy of the Registry from the City prior to canvassing or soliciting in the City of Wickliffe, which Registry shall also be made available on the City's website.
(h) Provisions of the "Do Not Knock Registry" do not apply to persons invited onto the property by the occupant of the premises for the purposes of soliciting or canvassing. (Ord. 2018-14. Passed 4-23-18.)