[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Douglass 11-8-1971 by Ord. No. 33 (Ch. 13, Part 1 of the 1986 Code of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 - Solicitation Permit Guidelines and Application
A. 
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PEDDLING
The selling or offering for sale of any goods, wares, services 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; or from house to house; or by visitation to private residences; or by entering in or upon private property; within the said Township, provided the words "soliciting" and "peddling" shall not apply:
(1) 
To farmers seeking or taking orders for the sale of their own products.
(2) 
To the seeking or taking of orders by any manufacturer or producer for the sale of bread and bakery products, meat and meat products, or milk or milk products.
(3) 
To the sale of goods, wares and merchandise donated by the owners thereof, the proceeds whereof are to be applied to any charitable or philanthropic purpose.
(4) 
To any honorably discharged member of any of the armed services.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(5) 
To the seeking or taking of orders, by insurance agents or brokers, licensed under the insurance laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for insurance.
(6) 
To persons, corporations, partnerships and associations, their agents or employees, who have complied with the provisions of the Solicitation of Funds for Charitable Purposes Act, 10 P.S. § 162.1 et seq., as amended, governing solicitations for charitable, benevolent, patriotic or other purposes.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(7) 
To any person taking orders for merchandise from dealers or merchants, for resale to an ultimate consumer.
PEDDLER
Any person who shall engage in peddling as hereinabove defined.
PERSON
Any natural person, association, partnership, firm, organization or corporation.
SOLICITING
The seeking or taking of contracts or orders for any goods, wares, services or merchandise for future delivery, or for subscriptions or contributions, upon any of the streets or sidewalks; or from house to house; or by visitation to private residence; or by entering in or upon private property within the Township of Douglass and shall further mean the seeking or taking of contracts or orders for home or other building repairs; improvement and alterations; and also orders or contracts for any mechanical, electrical, plumbing or heating device or equipment for house; or other building improvements or repairs, upon or from the places aforesaid within the said Township.
SOLICITOR
Any person who shall engage in soliciting as hereinabove defined.
B. 
In this chapter, the singular shall include the plural and the masculine shall include the feminine and the neuter.
No person shall engage in soliciting or peddling in the Township of Douglass without first having taken out a license as herein provided.
A. 
Every person desiring to engage in soliciting or peddling in the Township of Douglass shall first make application to the Secretary of the Board of Supervisors for a license. If such person shall also be required to obtain a license from any county officer he shall, on making such application, exhibit a valid county license. The said application shall be upon a blank provided by the Township Secretary and shall contain at least the following information verified by oath or affirmation.
(1) 
Full name of the applicant and local address, if any.
(2) 
Permanent address.
(3) 
Name of employer or a statement that such applicant is self-employed.
(4) 
The nature of the goods, wares, services or merchandise offered for sale.
(5) 
A statement as to whether or not the applicant has ever been convicted of any crime, and if the answer is in the affirmative, the nature of the offense or offenses and the punishment or punishments imposed there.
(6) 
The type of vehicle to be used, if any.
(7) 
Upon request, the applicant shall also submit to fingerprinting and furnish a photograph,
B. 
Provided, where a person makes application for himself and one or more helpers, all applicable personal information specified above shall be given for each helper and verified or affirmed by oath or affirmation by him and an individual license shall be required for each helper. No license under this chapter shall be transferable from one person to another.
[Amended 12-1-1986 by Ord. No. 86-10]
No license shall be issued under this chapter until the fee established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors shall be paid to the Township Secretary and it shall be for the use of the Township. A separate application shall be filed and a separate permit fee shall be paid by each person who shall actually conduct the soliciting or peddling and shall apply where an employer desires to secure licenses for his employees, agents or servants.
[Amended 12-1-1986 by Ord. No. 86-10]
The license granted pursuant to this chapter shall be valid for 30 days after the date of such license and upon the expiration of any license, if the person holding the same shall desire to continue or renew soliciting or peddling, he shall be required to file a new application for a permit and pay a new license fee. Such licenses may be issued, in advance, for consecutive thirty-day periods not exceeding 12 in number, upon payment, in advance, of the fee established by resolution of the Board, for each thirty-day period provided in § 187-4 hereof.
[Amended 1-5-1996 by Ord. No. 96-1]
Such license when issued shall state, inter alia, the products to be sold or services to be rendered by the licensee. Every solicitor or peddler shall at all times, when engaged in soliciting or peddling in the Township of Douglass, openly display such license upon his person to make it visible to all police officers, Township officials and citizens. No solicitor or peddler shall engage in selling any product or service not mentioned on such license.
No person licensed as a solicitor or peddler under this chapter shall engage in soliciting or peddling on any day of the week before 9:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m. During the time of the year when eastern standard time is effective, the aforesaid hours shall be eastern standard time, and during the time of the year when daylight saving time is effective, the aforesaid hours shall be daylight saving time.
No person licensed as a solicitor or peddler under this chapter shall park any vehicle upon any of the streets, highways, or alleys of the Township in order to sort, rearrange or clean any of his goods, wares, services or merchandise; nor shall any such person place or deposit any refuse on any such streets, highways or alleys; nor shall any such person maintain or keep a street or curbstone market by parking any vehicle upon any street or alley in the Township for longer than necessary in order to sell therefrom to persons residing in the immediate vicinity.
No person licensed as a solicitor or peddler under this chapter shall occupy any fixed location upon any of the sidewalks or the streets, highways, alleys or sidewalks of the Township for the purpose of soliciting or peddling with or without any stand or counter.
The Secretary shall keep a record of all licenses issued under this chapter and the Chief of Police shall apply daily for list of licenses issued hereunder since the previous day. The Chief of Police shall supervise the activities of all holders of such licenses.
Any license issued under this chapter may be suspended or revoked at any time by the Secretary of the Township of Douglass upon proof being furnished to him that the application for the license contained false information or that the applicant or licensee was convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude after the issuance of such license and that the licensee was convicted of disorderly conduct under any law of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or any ordinance of the Township of Douglass.
No person licensed as a solicitor or peddler under this chapter shall hawk or cry his wares or services upon any of the streets or sidewalks of the Township nor shall be use any loud speaker, bell, whistle or other device for announcing his presence by which the public is annoyed.
[Amended 12-1-1986 by Ord. No. 86-10; 1-5-1996 by Ord. No. 96-1; 11-4-1996 by Ord. No. 96-5; 7-7-1997 by Ord. No. 97-2]
Any person, firm or corporation 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 not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this chapter continues or each section of this chapter which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.
[Added 3-16-2026 by Ord. No. 2026-02]
A. 
The owners or lawful occupants of any premises within the Township not desiring to have persons enter onto their premises may post on such premises a legible sign stating either "No Solicitors" or "No Solicitations."
(1) 
Such sign shall be clearly visible and posted in a location where a reasonable person approaching the property can readily see and acknowledge the signage prior to making contact. The sign must be unobstructed and legible from the normal point of approach to the residence or business.
(2) 
To promote consistency and support fair and uniform enforcement, the Township may establish minimum standards for the color, size, wording, and placement of "No Solicitors" signs. The Township may also offer standardized signage to participating property owners at cost to reduce variations in appearance throughout the Township.
B. 
Any door-to-door solicitor or peddler who shall enter upon the premises in defiance of such signage described in § 187-14A shall be in violation of this section and shall be liable to the penalties as provided in § 187-13.
C. 
Do Not Solicit Registry.
(1) 
The Township shall hereby create and manage a "Do Not Solicit Registry" for those landowners and residents who do not wish to be contacted by non-exempt peddlers and solicitors at their properties.
(2) 
Any person in lawful possession and occupation of any business or residence in the Township may request to have their address placed on the Do Not Solicit Registry by submitting a request in writing to the Township Police Secretary, or registering online, as provided by the Township. The written or online submission shall include:
(a) 
The name and signature of the person completing the form;
(b) 
The address of the business or residence to be placed on the Do Not Solicit Registry;
(c) 
The date of completion of the form;
(d) 
A statement that the individual, being authorized to do so by all occupants of the property, requests that no solicitors or peddlers enter the above-referenced property or otherwise attempt to solicit, peddle or distribute thereon.
(3) 
A resident's listing on the Do Not Solicit Registry shall be effective 30 days from the date of submission to the Township. The listing shall remain on the Do Not Solicit Registry unless and until a request for removal is submitted to the Township in the same manner as provided in Subsection B(2) herein.
(4) 
The prohibition against non-exempt solicitors, peddlers or distributors entering properties on the Do Not Solicit Registry shall be in addition to, not in place of, the prohibition against such individuals soliciting, peddling or distributing on properties displaying "No Soliciting" or similar signs.
D. 
The provisions of this section shall be enforced by:
(1) 
The Police Department serving Douglass Township.
(2) 
The Douglass Township Public Works Superintendent.
(3) 
The Douglass Township Zoning Officer.
(4) 
The Douglass Township Building Code Officer.
(5) 
Any Pennsylvania State Police Officer or Constable.