[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Geneva 5-27-1972
as Ch. 17 of the 1972 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
A building or store in or where the person transacts business and
deals in the goods, wares and merchandise he or she hawks, peddles or solicits
for during regular business hours.
Any person, either as principal or agent, who from any public street
or public place or by going from house to house or place of business to place
of business, on foot or on or from any vehicle, sells or barters, offers for
sale or barters or carries or exposes for sale or barter any goods, wares
or merchandise, books, magazines, periodicals or any other item or items of
value, except milk, newspapers and food distributed on regular customer routes.
Any person who goes from place to place or house to house or stands
in any street or public place taking or offering to take orders for goods,
wares or merchandise, books, magazines, periodicals or any other item or items
of value (except newspapers or milk) or for services to be performed in the
future or for making, manufacturing or repairing any article or thing whatsoever
for future delivery. The term "solicitor" shall, however, also mean and include
any person taking or offering to take orders for goods, wares or merchandise,
books, magazines, periodicals or any other item or items of value (except
newspapers or milk) or for services to be performed in the future or for making,
manufacturing or repairing any article or thing whatsoever for future delivery
at the home or residence of any person who has been solicited prior thereto
by telephone or has responded to any type of advertising media requiring an
appointment or consultation or sales presentation in the home or place of
residence of such person.
A.
Nothing in this chapter shall be held to apply to any
sales:
(1)
Conducted pursuant to statute or by order of any court.
(2)
To any person selling personal property at wholesale
to dealers in such articles.
(3)
To merchants having an established place of business
within the county or their employees for soliciting orders from customers
and delivering the same.
(4)
To persons under the age of 18 years of age.
(5)
To the peddling of meats, fish, fruit and farm produce
by farmers and persons who produce such commodities.
(6)
To any honorably discharged member of the armed forces
or any other person who has procured a license issued by the County Clerk
as provided by § 32 of the General Business Law of the State of
New York.
B.
Nonprofit and eleemosynary organizations and persons
working for such organizations shall also be exempt. However, such organizations
shall register annually with the Town Clerk in the event that they plan to
engage in vending, hawking, peddling or soliciting and shall indicate the
type of activities are to be undertaken and the time when they will be performed
and also the method or means used to identify the persons so engaged as representing
such organizations, which shall be subject to the approval of the Town Clerk.
It shall be unlawful for any person within the corporate limits of the
town to act as a hawker, peddler or solicitor as herein defined or assist
the same without first having obtained and paid for and having in force and
effect a license therefor.
A.
Any person desiring to procure a license as herein provided
shall file with the Town Clerk a written application upon a form furnished
by the Town Clerk and shall file at the same time satisfactory proof of good
character. Such application shall give:
(1)
The number and kind of vehicle to be used by the applicant
in carrying on the business for which the license is desired.
(2)
The kind of goods, wares and merchandise he or she desires
to sell or the kind of service he or she desires to perform.
(3)
The method of distribution.
(4)
The name, address and age of the applicant.
(5)
Whether or not the applicant has been convicted of a
misdemeanor or felony and, if so, the date of conviction, nature of offense,
penalty imposed and the name and address of the court.
(6)
The name and address of the person, firm or corporation
he or she represents.
(7)
The length of time the applicant desires the license.
(8)
Such other information as may be required by the Town
Board.
A.
Upon the filing of the application, the Town Clerk shall, upon approval of such application, issue to the applicant a license as provided in § 110-3. A license may be refused if the applicant shall have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony which, in the judgment of the Town Clerk, renders the applicant unfit or undesirable to carry on the trade or occupation for which the license is sought. The Town Clerk may also refuse a license to any person who in his or her judgment shall be an undesirable person or incapable of properly conducting the trade or business for which a license is sought.[1]
B.
Any applicant who has been refused a license by the Town
Clerk may apply to the Town Board therefor, and the same may be granted or
refused by the Town Board, except as prohibited by Town Law § 137.
Any holder of any license who permits it to be used by any other person,
and any person who uses such license granted to any other person, shall each
be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Whenever a license shall be lost or destroyed on the part of the holder
or his or her agent or employee, a duplicate in lieu thereof, under the original
application may be issued by the Town Clerk upon the filing with him or her
by the licensee of an affidavit setting forth the circumstances of the loss
and what, if any, search has been made for its recovery.
All licenses shall be issued from a properly bound book with proper
reference stubs kept for that purpose, numbered in the order in which they
are issued, and shall state clearly the kind of vehicle to be used, the kind
of goods, wares and merchandise to be sold or service to be rendered, the
number of his or her license, the date of issuance and expiration of the license,
fee paid and the name and address of the licensee.
Such license shall be for such term as requested by the applicant but
shall expire not later than the first day of January next succeeding.
Every licensee, while exercising his or her license, shall carry the
license with him or her and shall exhibit the same upon demand.
C.
For the purpose of this chapter, a person who assists
a hawker, peddler or solicitor shall be deemed to be any person who participates
in delivering merchandise or any other items sold, performs any services in
or about the customer's premises or otherwise generally renders aid or assistance,
except participation in selling or soliciting orders.
A license issued pursuant to this chapter may be revoked after a public
hearing as provided in Article 9 of the Town Law.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person to enter upon private
property for the purpose of peddling or soliciting before the hour of 9:00
a.m. of any day or after the hour of 7:00 p.m. of any day except upon the
invitation of the householder or occupant.
B.
It shall be unlawful for any peddler or solicitor in
plying his or her trade to ring the bell or knock upon or enter any building
whereon there is painted or otherwise affixed or displayed to public view
any sign containing any or all of the following words: "No Peddlers," "No
Solicitors," "No Agents" or other wording, the purpose of which purports to
prohibit peddling or soliciting on the premises.
C.
No peddler or solicitor shall peddle, vend or sell his
or her goods or wares within 200 feet of any place occupied exclusively as
a public or private school or for school purposes, nor shall he or she permit
his or her cart, wagon or vehicle to stand on any public highway within said
distance of such school property.
D.
No peddler or solicitor shall falsely or fraudulently
misrepresent the quantity, character or quality of any article offered for
sale. No person shall by any trick or device or by any false representation
obtain or attempt to obtain admission to the house or garage of any person
or corporation in the town.
E.
No peddler or solicitor shall blow a horn, ring a bell
or use any other noisy device to attract public attention to his or her wares,
or shout or cry out his or her wares.
F.
It shall be unlawful to create or maintain any booth
or stand or place any barrels, boxes, crates or other obstructions upon any
street or public place for the purpose of selling or exposing for sale any
goods, wares or merchandise.
G.
No peddler or solicitor shall represent or state or otherwise
indicate that he or she is not intending to sell or otherwise enter into a
contract with any person in the household.
H.
No peddler or solicitor shall, in order to effectuate
or assist in any sale or solicitation, represent that he or she is engaged
in any contest or in any way attempt to induce a sale or solicitation by appealing
to the sympathies of the person so solicited.
I.
Any contract or sale made in violation of Subsection D, G or H shall be null and void and of no effect as to the person solicited, and the merchandise delivered shall be forfeited, and any sums paid by the person so solicited shall become immediately due and payable jointly and severally by the peddler or solicitor and his or her principal.
All orders taken by licensed solicitors who demand, accept or receive
payment or deposit of money in advance of final delivery shall be in writing,
made in duplicate, stating the terms thereof and the amount paid in advance,
and one copy shall be given to the purchaser at the time the deposit is paid
to the solicitor.
It shall be the duty of the Town Clerk to keep a record of all applications
and of all licenses granted under the provisions of this chapter giving the
number and date of each license, the fee paid and the date or revocation of
all licenses revoked.