[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Town of Snow Hill 6-13-1978
as Ord. No. 102. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Parks — See Ch. 124.
It shall be unlawful for any peddler, hawker, vendor, canvasser or solicitor,
as hereinafter defined, to engage in such activity within the Town of Snow
Hill without first obtaining a license therefor in accordance with the provisions
of this chapter.
When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
In the category of peddler, hawker, vendor, solicitor or canvasser,
as set forth below.
Includes any person, whether a resident of the Town of Snow Hill
or not, traveling either by foot, vehicle or any other type of conveyance,
who goes from house to house, from place to place or from street to street
conveying or transporting goods, wares or merchandise and offering or exposing
the same for sale or making sales and delivering articles to purchasers, or
who engages in any of the foregoing activities from a stationary location
on the street or other public places.
Includes any partnerships, partner, corporation or corporations or
persons.
Includes any person, whether a resident of the Town of Snow Hill
or not, who goes from house to house, from place to place or from street to
street soliciting or taking or attempting to take orders for the sale or services
to be performed in the future, whether or not such individual has, carries
or exposes for sale a sample of the subject for such order and whether or
not he is collecting advance payments on such orders, or who engages in any
of the foregoing activities from a stationary location on the street or other
public places.
Applicants for a license under this chapter shall file with the Town
Clerk a sworn application in writing on a form to be furnished by the Town
Clerk, which shall give the following information:
A.
The name and description of the applicant.
B.
The permanent home address and local mailing address,
if any, of the applicant.
C.
A brief description of the nature of the business and
the goods to be sold and the name and address of the principal office of their
manufacturer, as well as the name and address of the agent designated to receive
service of process in the State of Maryland.
D.
If employed, the name and address of the employer.
E.
The length of time for which the right to do business
is desired.
F.
A photograph of the applicant taken within sixty (60)
days immediately prior to the date of filing of the application.
G.
The applicant shall be fingerprinted at the request of
the Town Clerk.
H.
A statement as to whether or not the applicant has been
convicted of any crime, misdemeanor or violations of any municipal ordinance,
other than a traffic violation, and the nature of the offense and the punishment
or penalty assessed thereafter.
I.
Whether or not orders are to be solicited or taken for
future delivery of goods or performance of services.
The time of solicitation, peddling, hawking, vending and canvassing
shall be between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
A.
Upon receipt of such application, the original shall
be referred to the Town Clerk, who shall cause to be made such investigation
of the applicant's business and moral character as he deems necessary
for the protection of the public welfare.
B.
If, as a result of such investigation, the applicant's
character or business responsibility is found to be unsatisfactory, the Town
Clerk shall endorse on such application his disapproval and his reasons for
the same and return the application to the Mayor and Council of Snow Hill,
Maryland, who shall notify the applicant that his application is disapproved.
C.
If, as a result of such investigation, the applicant's
character or the business responsibility of the applicant are found to be
satisfactory, the Town Clerk shall endorse his approval on the application,
returning the application to the Mayor and Council of Snow Hill, who shall,
upon the payment of the prescribed license fee, execute and deliver to the
applicant his license. The Clerk shall keep a record of all licenses issued
and of all complaints received, if any, concerning each license.
A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.) shall be paid by each applicant
upon the issuance of each license, except as otherwise provided by law.
All licenses issued must be worn in such a manner as to be readily visible
when engaged in the activities regulated herein.
All licenses issued under this chapter shall expire at the end of the
calendar year in which they are issued. Licenses shall not be transferable
and must be surrendered after expiration before a renewal license can be issued.
A.
Licenses issued under this chapter may be revoked by
the Mayor and Council after reasonable notice and hearing for any of the following
causes:
(1)
Misrepresentation or false statement contained in the
application for the license.
(2)
Misrepresentation or false statement made in the course
of carrying on activities regulated herein.
(3)
Conviction of any crime or misdemeanor involving moral
turpitude.
(4)
Conducting the business of soliciting and canvassing
in an unlawful manner, in violation of this chapter or in such manner as to
constitute a menace to the health, safety or general welfare of the public.
B.
Notice of hearing for revocation of a license shall be given in writing, setting forth the grounds of complaint and the time and place of hearing. Such notice shall be served personally upon the licensee or mailed postage prepaid to the licensee at address given by the licensee in making application under § 128-3 herein, at least five (5) days prior to the date set for hearing.
Any person aggrieved by the action of the Mayor and Council of Snow Hill or the Town Clerk in the denial of an application for a permit or license as provided in § 128-5 of this chapter or in the decision with reference to the revocation of a license as provided in § 128-9 of this chapter shall have the right of appeal to the Mayor and Council of Snow Hill. Such appeal shall be taken by filing with the Mayor and Council, within fourteen (14) days after notice of the action complained of has been mailed to such person's last known address, a written statement setting forth fully the grounds for the appeal. The Mayor and Council shall set a time and place for a hearing on such appeal, and notice of such hearing shall be given to the appellant in the same manner as provided in § 128-9 of this chapter for notice of hearing on revocation. The decision and order of the Mayor and Council on such appeal shall be final and conclusive.
The equipment used or employed by peddlers, hawkers and vendors of ice
cream, foods, beverages, confections and other related commodities shall be
maintained in a clean and sanitary manner and be subject to inspection by
the Board of Health and fully comply with the laws of the State of Maryland,
the rules and regulations of the State Department of Health, the ordinances
of the Town of Snow Hill and the rules and regulations of the Board of Health.
A.
This chapter shall not be construed to include the selling
of any article at wholesale to dealers in such articles or the delivery of
milk, eggs, bread, newspapers or other such necessary and perishable articles
of food or merchandise of a type commonly delivered on a house-to-house basis
at intervals of less than one (1) week.
B.
Any veteran who holds a special license issued under
the laws of the State of Maryland shall be exempt from securing a license
or paying the fee as provided herein, but shall be required to comply with
all other applicable sections of this chapter and shall be required to register
with the Town Clerk and obtain a permit, which will be issued by the Clerk
upon proper identification and exhibition of such state license.
C.
Certain organizations.
(1)
Any nonprofit religious, charitable, educational, civic or veterans organization, society, association, service club, volunteer first aid or fire company, etc., desiring to solicit or have solicited in its name money, donations of money or property or financial assistance of any kind or desiring to sell or distribute any item of literature or merchandise for which a fee is charged or solicited from persons other than members of such organizations, at any place or places within the Town of Snow Hill for a charitable, religious, patriotic or philanthropic purpose, shall be exempt from the provisions of §§ 128-3, 128-4, 128-5 and 128-6 of this chapter, provided that there is filed a sworn application, in writing, with the Town Clerk which shall give the following information:
(a)
The name and purpose of the cause for which the permit
is sought.
(b)
The name and address of the organization.
(c)
The period during which solicitation is to be carried
on.
(d)
The name and address of such agent or representative
who will conduct solicitations and the length of time that said agent or representative
has been employed or affiliated with such organization, society, association
or corporation.
(2)
Upon being satisfied that such person, organization,
society, association, etc., is a bona fide nonprofit religious, charitable,
educational, patriotic or philanthropic organization and that the agents or
representatives who shall conduct the solicitations are of good moral character
and reputation, the Town Clerk shall furnish to all its members, agents or
representatives conducting solicitation credentials, in writing, stating the
name of the agent and the duration and purpose of solicitation.
D.
Any nonprofit religious, charitable, educational, civic
or veterans organization, society, association, service club, volunteer first
aid or fire company, etc., which is located in the Town of Snow
Hill is hereby exempt from the provisions of this chapter.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, be punished by
a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.) or imprisonment in
the county jail for a period not exceeding six (6) months, or both.
