The purpose of this article is to protect, maintain and enhance the public health, safety, and general welfare by regulating peddling and solicitation. The citizens and visitors to the City of Butler are subject to unregulated peddling and solicitation by sometimes questionable people and organizations in a hazardous manner and in vulnerable locations such as their own residence. It is the purpose of this article to regulate peddling and solicitation in the City of Butler to protect the public health, safety and welfare.
The following words, as used in this article, shall have the following meanings:
APPLICANT The person or organization seeking a permit.
CHIEF OF POLICE The Chief of the City of Butler Police Department or his designee.
ORGANIZER The person responsible for organizing the solicitation or peddling activity and whose name shall be on the application.
PEDDLING The act of going from residence to residence throughout the City of Butler to solicit votes or orders, to conduct a survey (public opinion) or poll, or to conduct an uninvited detailed discussion, whether on foot or by use of a vehicle.
PERMIT Written authorization dispensed by the Chief of Police or his designee which allows the solicitation and peddling activity and specifies the given solicitation and peddling period.
POLITICAL CANDIDATE A person seeking or wanting to be considered for a political office, including write-in candidates.
RECOGNIZED YOUTH ORGANIZATION A national, state or local youth group having a specific structure and responsibilities and united for a particular purpose.
RESIDENCE Includes every separate living unit occupied for residential purposes by one or more persons, contained within any type of building or structure.
SOLICITATION The act of going from residence to residence asking for donations of money, tickets for money and coupon books for money, or selling items for money, with or without the distribution by such solicitor, or canvassing of literature, samples, free gifts or other materials within the City of Butler, whether on foot or by use of a vehicle.
The fees as set forth in the City of Butler Fee Schedule, adopted from time to time by resolution of the City Council, shall be paid by the applicant upon filing the application.
It shall be the responsibility of every solicitor or peddler given a permit under this article to pay to the City Treasurer of the City of Butler the proper taxes, including business privilege and income taxes, for himself or any employee on income earned as a result of the soliciting or peddling.
This article shall not apply to recognized youth organizations, including school-sponsored clubs; peddling conducted by political candidates for public office, their workers or representatives from political parties; solicitation of donations by mail; either the solicitation of money or peddling, as otherwise defined herein, from personal acquaintances of the person engaging in the activity; and persons who solicit for or on behalf of religious organizations or in pursuit of religious beliefs and activities. A permit is not required by any solicitation or peddling activity sponsored or conducted by the City of Butler or its departments and agencies, nor by any municipality or government agency in the City, such as firefighter or Police Department fundraisers or other similar collections.