[HISTORY Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Lower Salford 6-4-1958 by Ord. No. 11; amended in its entirety 7-20-1988 by Ord. No. 88-4. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PERSON
Any natural person, association, partnership, firm or corporation, and the singular shall include the plural.
SOLICITING AND PEDDLING
A. 
SOLICITINGCanvassing or taking surveys, the seeking or taking of contracts or orders for any goods, wares or merchandise for future delivery or for subscriptions or contributions, upon any of the streets or sidewalks of or from house to house within the Township of Lower Salford.
B. 
PEDDLINGThe selling or offering for sale of any goods, wares or merchandise for immediate delivery, which the person selling or offering for sale carries with him in traveling or has in his possession or control, upon any of the streets or sidewalks of or from house to house within the Township of Lower Salford.[1]
SOLICITOR AND PEDDLER
Any person who shall engage in soliciting or peddling, respectively, as hereinabove defined.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C, regarding applicability, was repealed 7-3-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-03.
[Amended 7-3-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-03]
A. 
No person shall engage in soliciting or peddling in the Township of Lower Salford without first registering with the Township Police Department. Persons so registered shall be permitted to conduct such soliciting and/or peddling within the Township of Lower Salford insofar as that activity does not violate private property statutes or normal community standards of behavior and personal conduct or such statutes governing public behavior or conduct.
B. 
A person advancing religious or political causes and proselytizing with regard thereto shall be exempt from registration requirements but shall otherwise be subject to the regulations set forth in this chapter.
A. 
Every person desiring to engage in soliciting or peddling in the Township of Lower Salford shall appear, in person, at the headquarters (offices) of the Lower Salford Township Police Department and complete an application form, which shall contain but not be limited to the following information:
(1) 
The full, legal name of the applicant.
(2) 
The current residence address; which shall include a house number and street name, not merely a post office box or rural route number.
(3) 
Commonly required identification data; i.e., date of birth, sex, race, height, weight, hair color, eye color, etc. The date of birth shall be verified via a photo driver's license or other similar identification card.
(4) 
Driver's license data; i.e., state of issue, driver's number, etc. If the applicant does not possess a driver's license, he/she shall provide his/her social security number.
(5) 
The name, business address and business phone of his/her employer.
(6) 
A brief description of the nature of the solicitation or the items to be sold.
(7) 
The time period during which the applicant will be soliciting or peddling within the jurisdiction of Lower Salford Township.
(8) 
A description of the vehicle, if any, that the applicant will be using during his/her soliciting or peddling. This information shall include the make, model, color, state of registration and the registration number (tag number) on the vehicle.
(9) 
A brief statement averring that all information provided in the application is true and correct, and that the applicant is aware that he/she is making the statement subject to Pennsylvania law as it pertains to unsworn falsification.
(10) 
The signature of the applicant.
(11) 
Application fee. Fees for the application for registration shall be established from time to time by the Board of Supervisors for Lower Salford Township.
[Added 7-3-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-03]
B. 
Each person desiring to solicit or peddle shall complete an application.
Upon completing registration as aforesaid, each solicitor or peddler shall be issued a receipt indicating he/she has complied with the requirements under this statute. The solicitor or peddler shall carry the receipt on his person while he/she is engaged in such soliciting or peddling and shall show the receipt to any resident of the Township or any police officer upon request. Receipts are not transferable.
A. 
Nature of solicitation or peddling. No solicitor or peddler shall be permitted to solicit or peddle beyond the scope of those items enumerated in his/her application.
B. 
Vehicles. No solicitor or peddler shall be permitted to engage in soliciting or peddling from a vehicle other than that which is described in his/her application.
C. 
Noise. No person engaged in soliciting or peddling shall hawk or cry his goods, wares, merchandise, offers, contracts or services upon any of the streets or sidewalks of the Township, nor shall he use any loudspeaker or horn or any other device for announcing his presence by which members of the public are annoyed.
D. 
Parking. No person engaged in soliciting or peddling may establish or keep a street or curbstone market or soliciting or peddling office by parking any vehicle upon any street or alley in the Township for longer than necessary in order to solicit or peddle to persons residing in the immediate vicinity.
E. 
Fixed locations. No person engaged in soliciting or peddling shall occupy any fixed location upon any of the streets, or sidewalks of the Township for the purpose of soliciting or peddling, with or without any stand or counter or other such temporary, outdoor equipment.
F. 
Time limitations. No person engaged in soliciting or peddling shall engage in any door-to-door solicitation, and no peddler shall enter upon the premises of another person prior to 10:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m. prevailing time.
[Added 7-3-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-03]
G. 
No solicitation signs. No person engaged in soliciting or peddling shall engage in any door-to-door solicitation, and no peddler shall enter upon any premises in the Township which has a "No Solicitation" sign.
[Added 7-3-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-03]
The Chief of Police or such Police Department personnel as he may designate shall keep a record of all registrations made under this chapter, and he or such designate shall supervise the activities of all holders of registration receipts.
[Amended 7-3-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-03]
Any owner or lawful occupant of any premises within the Township not desiring to have persons enter onto their premises may post on such premises a legible sign stating "No Solicitors," "No Solicitation," or words of similar meaning. Any solicitor and peddler who shall enter upon a premises in defiance of such sign shall be in violation of this chapter and shall be liable for the penalty provided in §§ 121-8 and 121-9.
The privilege to engage in the activities described in § 121-1 may be revoked, along with the registration receipt, by any member of the Police Department for:
A. 
Misconduct of the registered person.
B. 
Determination that the registered person made false statements on his/her application.
C. 
Violation of any restrictions contained in this chapter.
[Amended 9-19-1996 by Ord. No. 96-3; 6-3-1998 by Ord. No. 98-4; 11-18-1999 by Ord. No. 99-16; 7-3-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-03]
Any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a Magisterial District Judge in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of $1,000 per violation, plus court costs and imprisonment to the extent allowed by law for the punishment of summary offenses. Each day that a violation of this chapter continues shall constitute a separate offense.
Should any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this chapter be declared invalid by a court of competent junction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the chapter in its entirety or of any part thereof other than that declared to be invalid.