For the purposes of this article only:
SOLICITATION or SOLICIT
The request, directly or indirectly, for money, credit, property,
financial assistance, or other thing of any kind or value. "Solicitation"
shall include, but not be limited to, the use or employment of canisters,
cards, receptacles or similar devices for the collection of money
or other thing of value. A solicitation shall take place whether or
not the person making the solicitation receives any contribution.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,
no person shall place, use, or employ a donation clothing bin within
the Township of Stafford for solicitation purposes without obtaining
a permit from the Zoning Officer, the form of which shall be approved
by the Township Administrator. Permits are renewable on an annual
basis during the month of January.
The annual permit fee is $25 per bin and will be used to offset
the costs involved in enforcing this article.
The application for obtaining a permit shall include:
A. The location where the bin would be situated, as precisely as possible;
B. The manner in which the person anticipates any clothing or other
donations collected via the bin would be used, sold, or dispersed,
and the method by which the proceeds of collected donations would
be allocated or spent;
C. The name and telephone number of the bona fide office of any person
or entity which may share or profit from any clothing or other donations
collected via the bin, at which such person can be reached during
normal business hours. For the purposes of this subsection, an answering
machine or service unrelated to the person does not constitute a bona
fide office; and
D. Written consent from the property owner to place the bin on his or
her property.
In addition to the above application requirements, renewal applications
must include:
A. A statement on the manner in which the person has used, sold, or
dispersed any clothing or other donation collected via the bin, the
method by which the proceeds of collected donations have been allocated
or spent, and any changes the person anticipates it may make in these
processes during the period covered by the renewal;
B. The name and telephone number of the bona fide office of any entity
which shared or profited from any clothing or other donations collected
via the bin, and of any entities which may do so during the period
covered by the renewal; and
C. If the location of the bin is to be moved, the new location where
the bin is to be situated, as precisely as possible, and written consent
from the property owner of the new location.
Stafford Township shall not grant an application for a permit
to place, use, or employ a donation clothing bin if it determines
that the placement of the bin could constitute a safety hazard. Such
hazards shall include, but not be limited to, the placement of a donation
clothing bin within 100 yards of any place which stores or sells large
amounts of fuel or other flammable liquids or gases or the placement
of a bin where it interferes with vehicular or pedestrian circulation.
The person placing, using or employing a donation clothing bin shall
maintain the bin and the area surrounding the bin such that there
shall be no accumulation of clothing or other donations outside the
bin.
The following information shall be clearly and conspicuously
displayed on the exterior of the donation clothing bin:
A. The permit number and its date of expiration;
B. The name and address of the registered person who owns the bin and
of any other entity which may share or profit from any clothing or
other donations collected via the bin;
C. The telephone number of the owner's bona fide office and, if applicable,
the telephone number of the bona fide office of any other entity which
may share or profit from any clothing or other donations collected
via the bin. For the purposes of this subsection, an answering machine
or service unrelated to the person does not constitute a bona fide
office;
D. In cases in which any entity other than the person who owns the bin
may share or profit from any clothing or other donations collected
via the bin, a notice, written in a clear and easily understandable
manner, indicating that clothing or other donations collected via
the bin, their proceeds, or both, may be shared, or given entirely
to, an entity other than the person who owns the bin, and identifying
all such entities which may share or profit from such donations; and
E. A statement, consistent with the information provided to the Township
in the most recent permit or renewal application, indicating the manner
in which the owner anticipates any clothing or other donations collected
via the bin would be used, sold, or dispersed, and the method by which
the proceeds of collected donations would be allocated or spent.
In addition to any other penalties or remedies authorized by
the laws of this state, any person who violates any provision of this
article or the provisions of P.L. 2007, c. 209 (N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.60
et seq.) which results in seizure of the donation clothing bin shall
be:
A. Subject to a penalty of up to $20,000 for each violation. The Township
may bring this action in the Stafford Township Municipal Court or
the Superior Court of New Jersey as a summary proceeding under the
Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999, P.L. 1999, c. 274 (N.J.S.A. 2A:58-10
et seq.), and any penalty monies collected shall be paid to the Chief
Financial Officer of the Township; and
B. Deemed ineligible to place, use, or employ a donation clothing bin
for solicitation purposes pursuant to this article and P.L. 2007,
c. 209 (N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.61). A person disqualified from placing,
using, or employing a donation clothing bin by violating the provisions
of P.L. 2007, c. 209 (N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.60 et seq.) may apply to the
governing body to have that person's eligibility restored. The governing
body may restore the eligibility of a person who:
(1) Acts within the public interest; and
(2) Demonstrates that he or she made a good faith effort to comply with
the provisions of this article and P.L. 2007, c. 209 (N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.60
et seq.), and all other applicable laws and regulations, or had no
fraudulent intentions.