[Adopted 12-31-1975 as § 5-1
of the 1975 Code; amended in its entirety 11-2-1992 by Ord. No. 1059]
The purpose of this article is to provide a
uniform set of procedures for administering the issuance, renewal
and revocation of all licenses issued by the Borough, except alcoholic
beverage licenses and dog and cat licenses and except as may be specified
otherwise or provided elsewhere in this article. [NOTE: The general
power to license and to prescribe license fees is contained in N.J.S.A.
40:55-1 and 40:55-2. Licensing is also a part of the general police power granted
by N.J.S.A. 40:72-3 and N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.]
All applications for licenses shall be accompanied
by the required fee and shall be made to or through the Borough Clerk,
unless otherwise specified herein, upon forms provided by the Borough
Clerk, at least 10 days prior to the desired issuance of the license.
Applications shall contain the information as specified in this article
and may include the following, along with any other information deemed
necessary or specifically called:
A. The name, description and permanent and local address
of the applicant. If the applicant is a corporation, the name and
address of its registered agent.
B. The date of birth, driver's license number and social
security number or tax identification number of the applicant.
C. If the licensed activity is to be carried on at a
fixed location, the address and description of the premises.
D. If a vehicle is to be used, its description, including
the license number.
E. If the applicant is employed by another, the name
and address of the employer, together with credentials establishing
the exact relationship.
F. The days of the week and hours of the day during which
the licensed activity will be conducted.
G. A description of the nature of the activity or business
and the goods, property or services to be sold, supplied or solicited.
H. A statement as to whether the applicant has been convicted
of any crime or the violation of any municipal ordinance of the Borough
of River Edge other than traffic offenses and, if so, the date and
place of conviction, the nature of the offense and the punishment
or penalty imposed.
I. Appropriate evidence as to the good character and
business responsibility of the applicant so that an investigator may
properly evaluate his character and responsibility.
J. Applications by partnerships shall be signed by all
partners with the information required by this subsection supplied
in detail as to each partner, and applications of corporations shall
have attached individual statements containing all of the information
required by this subsection relating to each employee or agent who
shall engage in the licensed activity and shall be signed by each
employee or agent.
K. The length of time for which the license is required.
L. The place where the merchandise to be sold or offered
for sale is manufactured or produced, the place where such merchandise
is located at the time such application is filed and the proposed
method of delivery.
M. A photograph of the applicant taken 60 days immediately
prior to the date of the application, which photograph shall clearly
show the head and shoulders of the applicant and shall measure two
inches by two inches.
A. Each applicant shall be referred to the Chief of Police
or a police officer designated by the Chief of Police who shall immediately
institute whatever investigation of the applicant's business responsibility,
moral character and ability to properly conduct the licensed activity
the Chief of Police considers necessary for the protection of the
public. As part of such investigation, the Chief of Police may conduct
a criminal history background check, for which each applicant shall
submit the required form. The Chief of Police shall communicate his
findings, in writing, to the Borough Clerk within a reasonable time
after the application has been filed. If the Chief of Police decides
that the applicant's character, ability or business responsibility
is unsatisfactory, or the products, services or activity are not free
from fraud, the Chief of Police shall disapprove the application,
and the Clerk shall refuse to issue the license and shall so notify
the applicant. Any determination by the Chief of Police that an application
is unsatisfactory shall be based upon one or more of the following
findings with respect to the applicant:
(1) Conviction of a crime relating adversely to the occupation
of peddling, canvassing or soliciting, which shall be determined in
accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 2A:168A-2 and set forth
in a written explanation provided to the applicant based upon consideration
of the following factors or any other factors:
(a)
The nature and duties of the business for which
a license is sought;
(b)
The nature and seriousness of the crime;
(c)
Circumstances under which the crime occurred;
(e)
The age of the person when the crime was committed;
(f)
Whether the crime was an isolated or repeated
incident;
(g)
Social conditions which may have contributed
to the crime; and
(h)
Any evidence of rehabilitation, including good
conduct in prison or in the community, counseling or psychiatric treatment
received, acquisition of additional academic or vocational schooling,
successful participation in correctional work release programs or
the recommendations of persons who have or have had the applicant
under their supervision.
(2) Prior violation of a peddling, hawking, canvassing
or soliciting ordinance.
(3) Previous fraudulent acts or conduct.
(4) Record of breaches of soliciting contracts.
(5) Misrepresentation or false statements contained in
the application for the license.
(6) Concrete evidence of bad moral character.
B. If the Chief of Police approves the application, the
Clerk shall issue the license immediately, provided that the required
license fees have been paid, except in cases where approval of the
Borough Council is required. In the case of an application for a solicitor's,
peddler's or canvasser's license, the license may be issued immediately,
subject to investigation. In the event of the refusal of the issuance
of a license, the applicant may appeal to the Borough Council for
a hearing. The appeal shall be filed, in writing, with the Borough
Clerk within 14 days after notification of the refusal. Council shall
hold its hearing within 10 days thereafter, and its decision shall
be final.
The license shall be in a form which the Borough
Council shall prescribe by resolution, shall be consecutively numbered
and shall contain the following information:
A. The name, address and photograph of the licensee. The applicant shall furnish a photograph to the Borough in accordance with the size requirements indicated under §
268-2M.
B. The number and type of the license and the nature
of the licensed activity.
C. The address at which the licensed activity is conducted,
if the activity is carried on at a fixed location.
D. If the licensed activity is conducted from a vehicle,
the make, model and license number of the vehicle.
E. The date of issue of the license.
F. The length of time the license shall be operative.
G. Any other appropriate information which the Chief
of Police may request and the Borough Council may require by resolution.
The Borough Clerk shall keep a record of all licenses issued under this article. The record shall be in a form prescribed by resolution of the Borough Council and shall contain the same information as is required by §
268-4. It shall also indicate the amount of the fee paid for the license, the date upon which payment was received, the date of the issuance of the license, whether the license is new or a renewal and any other information which the Council may require by resolution. The Chief of Police shall also keep a record of all licenses issued under the provisions of this article and shall record therein all convictions for violations of this article and other pertinent circumstances and instances reported to the Chief of Police.
A. Every licensee shall restrict his selling or other
activity within the Borough to the hours between 9:00 a.m. prevailing
time and 5:00 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays, except for the holder
of a canvasser's license, which shall restrict his activity within
the Borough to the hours between 9:00 a.m. prevailing time and 9:00
p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays, and 1:00 p.m. through 5:00 p.m.
prevailing time on Sundays, and shall notify the police officer on
duty at least once in every week in which he plans to conduct said
activity before commencing his selling, soliciting, canvassing or
distributing activity. Such notification shall include a statement
of the general area of the Borough in which the licensee intends to
conduct said activity and a schedule of dates and times when said
activity shall be conducted. The licensee shall notify the police
officer on duty of any change in the area or time of solicitation
should such changes be made during the week.
B. When parked on a time-regulated parking street, a
peddler, canvasser or solicitor must obey all existing parking ordinances.
C. Vehicles moved or parked on public streets in connection
with a canvassing, peddling or soliciting operation must comply with
all state and motor vehicle laws.
D. No signs are to be erected or displayed without the
approval of the zoning code official except for signs on vehicles
that stipulate prices on food offered.
E. Peddlers, canvassers and solicitors are prohibited
from serving drivers or passengers of vehicles and are only allowed
to serve pedestrian customers.
F. No peddler, canvasser or solicitor nor any person
on their behalf shall shout, cry out, blow a horn or use any sound
device, including any loud-speaking radio or sound amplification system,
upon any of the streets, alley, parks or other public or private places
in the Borough to call attention to his business or to his merchandise.
It shall be the duty of any police officer of
the Borough of River Edge to enforce provisions of this article and
to require any persons seen peddling, canvassing or soliciting who
is not known by such officer to be duly licensed to produce his license.
When the licensed activity is conducted at a
fixed location or from a vehicle, the license shall be prominently
displayed at the location or on the vehicle. In all other cases, the
licensee have the license in his possession at all times and shall
display it upon the request of any police officer or any person with
whom he is doing business.
[Amended 12-16-1996 by Ord. No. 1172]
Except as otherwise provided, a license shall
apply only to the person to whom it was issued and shall not be transferable
to another person. In cases where the licensed activity is conducted
at a fixed location, licenses may be transferred from place to place,
but only with approval of the Council by resolution. The fee for the
transfer of a license from place to place shall be as set forth in
the Borough Fee Schedule, adopted by resolution of the Borough Council,
on file in the office of the Borough Clerk.
Except where expressly provided otherwise, all
licenses shall expire on December 31 of the year of issue at 12:00
midnight. Applications for the renewal of licenses shall be made not
later than December 1 of the year of issue.
Any license or permit issued by the Borough
may be revoked by the Borough Council after notice and hearing for
any of the following causes:
A. Fraud or misrepresentation in any application for
a permit or license.
B. Fraud, misrepresentation or other dishonesty in the
conduct of the licensed activity.
C. A violation of any provision of this article.
D. A conviction of the licensee for any felony or high
misdemeanor or a misdemeanor or disorderly persons offense involving
moral turpitude.
E. Conduct of the licensed activity, whether by the licensee
himself or his agents or employees, in an unlawful manner or in a
manner that constitutes a breach of the peace or a menace to the public
health, safety or general welfare.
F. Whenever a license has been issued immediately upon
an application pending the results of the investigation provided for
by this article, such license may be summarily revoked if the result
of the investigation is such that would have resulted in denial of
the application.
Notice of a hearing for the revocation of a
license or permit shall be given, in writing, by the Borough Clerk.
The notice shall specifically set forth the grounds upon which the
proposed revocation is based and the time and place of hearing. It
shall be served by mailing a copy to the licensee at his last known
address by certified mail, return receipt requested, at least five
days prior to the date set for the hearing.
At the hearing, the licensee shall have the
right to appear and be heard, to be represented by an attorney, to
present witnesses on his own behalf, to cross-examine opposing witnesses
and to have a permanent record made of the proceedings at his own
expense. The Borough Council shall revoke or suspend a license if
it is satisfied by a preponderance of the evidence that the licensee
is guilty of the acts charged.
The Council may issue another license to a person
whose license has been revoked or denied as provided in this section
if, after a hearing, it is satisfied by clear and convincing evidence
that the acts which led to the revocation or denial will not occur
again; otherwise, no person whose license has been revoked or denied,
nor any person acting for him, directly or indirectly, shall be issued
another license to carry on the same activity.
The Council may by resolution make rules and
regulations which interpret or amplify any provision of this article
or for the purpose of administering the provisions of this article
or making them more effective. No regulations shall be inconsistent
with or alter or amend any provision of this article, and no regulation
shall impose any requirement which is in addition to or greater than
the requirements that are expressly or by implication imposed by any
provision of this article.
[Amended 3-21-1988 by Ord. No. 955; 12-16-1996 by Ord. No. 1172]
For a violation of any provision of this article,
the maximum penalty, upon conviction thereof, shall be a fine not
exceeding $1,000, or imprisonment for up to 90 days, or a period of
community service not exceeding 90 days, or any combination thereof.