For the purpose of this article, the following definitions shall apply, unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning:
Business.
The business carried on by any person who is an itinerant merchant, peddler, or solicitor as defined in this section.
Goods.
Merchandise of any description whatsoever, and includes, but is not restricted to, wares and foodstuffs.
Itinerant merchant.
Any person, whether as owner, agent, or consignee, who engages in a temporary business of selling goods within the city and who, in the furtherance of such business, uses any building, structure, vehicle, or any place within the city.
Peddler.
Any person, not an itinerant merchant, who:
(1) 
Travels from place to place by any means carrying goods for sale, or making sales, or making deliveries; or
(2) 
Without traveling from place to place, sells or offers goods for sale from any public place within the city.
Solicitor.
Any person who travels by any means from place to place, taking or attempting to take orders for sale of goods to be delivered in the future or for services to be performed in the future. A person who is a solicitor is not a peddler.
(2004 Code, sec. 114.01)
(a) 
Policy.
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the city that the occupants of the residences in the city shall make the determination of whether solicitors shall be, or shall not be, invited to their respective residences.
(b) 
Posting of notice.
(1) 
Notice of the refusal of invitation to solicitors to any residence shall be given on a weatherproof card, approximately three inches by four inches in size, exhibited upon or near the main entrance door to the residence, indicating the determination by the occupant, containing the applicable words as follows: “NO SOLICITORS INVITED.”
(2) 
The letters shall be at least 1/3 inch in height. For the purpose of uniformity, the cards shall be provided by the chief of police to persons requesting, at the cost thereof.
(3) 
The card so exhibited shall constitute sufficient notice to any solicitor of the determination by the occupant of the residence of the information contained thereon.
(c) 
Obedience to notice; duty to leave premises upon request.
(1) 
It shall be the duty of every solicitor upon going onto any premises in the city upon which a residence is located to first examine the notice provided for in subsection (b) of this section, if any is attached, and be governed by the statement contained on the notice. If the notice states “no solicitors invited,” then the solicitor, whether registered or not, shall immediately and peacefully depart from the premises.
(2) 
Any solicitor who has gained entrance to any residence, whether invited or not, shall immediately and peacefully depart from the premises when requested to do so by the occupant.
(d) 
Prohibited acts.
It is hereby declared to be unlawful and shall constitute a nuisance for any person to go upon any premises and ring the doorbell upon or near any door, or create any sound in any manner calculated to attract the attention of the occupant of such residence, for the purpose of securing an audience with the occupant thereof and engage in soliciting in defiance of the notice exhibited at the residence in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section.
(2004 Code, secs. 114.09–114.12)
(a) 
Solicitation of persons in vehicles.
Except as permitted by state law, it shall be unlawful for any person to peddle, sell, offer, or exhibit for sale any merchandise or service, whether for profit, for a charitable purpose or otherwise to any person in a motor vehicle, truck, motorcycle, or other vehicle (collectively hereafter “vehicle”) while the vehicle is located within a public right-of-way.
(b) 
Solicitation in a public right-of-way.
Except as permitted by state law, it shall be unlawful for any person to solicit funds, donations, contributions, employment, business or a ride, whether for profit, for a charitable purpose or otherwise, upon any public street, street right-of-way, median, traffic island, parkway, or other public right-of-way, excluding sidewalks designed for pedestrian use, within the city.
(c) 
Acknowledgement of state law.
The city acknowledges that the state legislature has adopted V.T.C.A., Transportation Code, section 552.0071, which became effective on May 3, 2005.
(d) 
Selling or attempting to sell on sidewalk/right-of-way.
It shall be unlawful for any person to peddle, sell, offer, or exhibit for sale any merchandise or service, whether for profit, for a charitable purpose or otherwise on a public sidewalk or road without previous permission granted by the city manager, or his/her designee.
(Ordinance 2011-28 adopted 8/11/11)
(a) 
Any person who is an itinerant merchant, peddler, or solicitor shall obtain a license before engaging in such activity within the city.
(b) 
The fee for the license required by this article shall be as set from time to time by the city council.
(c) 
No license issued under this article shall be transferable.
(d) 
All licenses issued under this article shall expire 90 days after the date of issuance thereof.
(2004 Code, sec. 114.02)
(a) 
All applicants for licenses required by this article shall file an application with the clerk. This application shall be signed by the applicant if an individual, or by all partners if a partnership, or by the president if a corporation. The applicant may be requested to provide information concerning the following items:
(1) 
The name and address of the applicant;
(2) 
(A) 
The name of the individual having management authority or supervision of theapplicant’s business during the time that it is proposed to be carried on in the city;
(B) 
The local address of such individual;
(C) 
The permanent address of such individual;
(D) 
The capacity in which such individual will act;
(3) 
The name and address of the person, if any, for whose purpose the business will be carried on, and, if a corporation, the state of incorporation;
(4) 
The time period or periods during which it is proposed to carry on the applicant’s business;
(5) 
(A) The nature, character, and quality of the goods or services to be offered for sale or delivered;
(B) 
If goods, their invoice value and whether they are to be sold by sample as well as from stock;
(C) 
If goods, where and by whom such goods are manufactured or grown, and where such goods are at the time of application;
(6) 
The nature of the advertising proposed to be done for the business;
(7) 
Whether or not the applicant, or the individual identified in subsection (a)(2)(A) above, or the person identified in subsection (a)(3), has been convicted of any crime or misdemeanor and, if so, the nature of each offense and the penalty assessed for each offense.
(b) 
Applicants for peddler or solicitor licenses may be required to provide further information concerning the following items, in addition to that requested under subsection (a) above:
(1) 
A description of the applicant;
(2) 
A description of any vehicle proposed to be used in the business, including its registration number, if any.
(c) 
All applicants for licenses required by this article shall attach to their application, if required by the city, credentials from the person, if any, for which the applicant proposes to do business, authorizing the applicant to act as such representative.
(d) 
Applicants who propose to handle foodstuffs shall also attach to their application, in addition to any attachments required under subsection (c), a statement from a licensed physician, dated not more than ten days prior to the date of application, certifying the applicant to be free of contagious or communicable disease.
(2004 Code, sec. 114.03)
(a) 
Upon receipt of an application, an investigation of the applicant’s business reputation and moral character shall be made.
(b) 
The application shall be approved unless such investigation discloses tangible evidence that the conduct of the applicant’s business would pose a substantial threat to the public health, safety, morals, or general welfare. In particular, tangible evidence that the applicant has committed any of the following will constitute valid reasons for disapproval of an application:
(1) 
Has been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude;
(2) 
Has made willful misstatements in the application;
(3) 
Has committed prior violations of ordinances pertaining to itinerant merchants, peddlers, solicitors, and the like;
(4) 
Has committed prior fraudulent acts; or
(5) 
Has a record of continual breaches of solicited contracts.
(2004 Code, sec. 114.04)
Any license or permit granted under this article may be revoked by the clerk after notice and hearing, pursuant to the standards in section 4.05.035. Notice of hearing for revocation shall be given in writing, setting forth specifically the grounds of the complaint and the time and place of the hearing. Such notice shall be mailed to the licensee at his or her last known address, at least ten days prior to the date set for the hearing.
(2004 Code, sec. 114.05)
A license granted under this article may be revoked for any of the following reasons:
(1) 
Any fraud or misrepresentation contained in the license application;
(2) 
Any fraud, misrepresentation, or false statement made in connection with the business being conducted under the license;
(3) 
Any violation of this article;
(4) 
Conviction of the licensee of any felony, or conviction of the licensee of any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; or
(5) 
Conducting the business licensed in an unlawful manner or in such a way as to constitute a menace to the health, safety, morals, or general welfare of the public.
(2004 Code, sec. 114.06)
(a) 
Any person aggrieved by a decision under section 4.05.033 or 4.05.034 shall have the right to appeal to the city council. The appeal shall be taken by filing with the city council, within 14 days after notice of the decision has been mailed to such person’s last known address, a written statement setting forth the grounds for appeal. The city council shall set the time and place for a hearing, and notice for such hearing shall be given to such person in the same manner as provided in section 4.05.034.
(b) 
The order of the city council after the hearing shall be final.
(2004 Code, sec. 114.07)
(a) 
Any license issued to an itinerant merchant under this article shall be posted conspicuously in or at the place named therein. In the event more than one place within the city shall be used to conduct the business licensed, separate licenses shall be issued for each place.
(b) 
The clerk shall issue a license to each peddler or solicitor licensed under this article. The license shall contain the words “Licensed Peddler” or “Licensed Solicitor,” the expiration date of the license, and the number of the license. The license shall be kept with the licensee during such time as he or she is engaged in the business licensed.
(2004 Code, sec. 114.08)