Note: Prior ordinance history: 1953 Code §§ 2171—2178; Ords. 306, 593, 664, 666, 912, 931, 945, 1006.
"Charitable"
means and includes the words patriotic, philanthropic, social services, welfare, benevolent, educational, religious, civic or fraternal, either actual or purported.
"City manager"
means that person whose duties and responsibilities are described in Chapter 2.08 of this code and any person designated in writing by the city manager as the city manager's representative.
"Contributions"
means and includes the words alms, food, clothing, money, property, subscription or pledge, and also donations under the guise of loans of money or property.
"Person"
means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association or league and includes any trustee, receiver, assignee, agent or other similar representative thereof.
"Solicit" and "solicitation"
mean the request, directly or indirectly, of money, credit, property, financial assistance or other things of value on the plea or representation that such money, credit, property, financial assistance or other thing of value will be used for a charitable purpose as those purposes are defined in this section, conducted door to door, in any place of public accommodation, in any place of business open to the public generally, on the city streets and sidewalks, in the public parks, on the public beaches or in any public places. These words also mean and include the following methods of securing such money, credit, property, financial assistance or other thing of value, when conducted in the manner stated above:
(1) 
Any oral or written request;
(2) 
The local distribution, circulation, posting or publishing of any handbill, written advertisement or other local publication;
(3) 
The sale of any goods or services.
"Solicitation"
as defined herein shall be deemed to have taken place when the request is made, whether or not the person making the request receives any contribution referred to in this section.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
It is unlawful to solicit contributions for any charitable purpose within the city without a permit from the city manager authorizing such solicitation; provided, however, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to any person organized and operated wholly or partially for charitable purposes and not operated for the pecuniary profit of any person if the solicitations by such person are conducted only among the members thereof by other members or officers thereof, voluntarily and without remuneration for making such solicitations, or if the solicitations are in the form of collections or contributions at the regular assemblies or meetings of any such person; provided, further, that when a permit has been issued to any person as defined in Section 5.20.010, other than an individual, then the individual agents and solicitors for such person shall not be required to obtain individual permits.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
(a) 
An application for a permit to solicit shall be made to the city manager upon forms prescribed by him, together with a permit fee. The permit fee shall be as set by resolution of the city council and shall be revised periodically to reflect changes in the cost of investigation and processing. The application shall be sworn to or affirmed and filed with the city manager at least ten days prior to the time at which the permit applied for shall become effective; provided, however, that the city manager may for good cause shown, allow the filing of an application less than ten days prior to the effective date of the permit applied for. The city manager shall either grant or deny the requested permit within three working days of the date the application is made. In the event the city manager fails to act within the time prescribed herein, the permit shall be deemed granted.
(b) 
The application herein required shall contain the following information:
(1) 
The name, address or principal office of the person applying for the permit;
(2) 
If the applicant is not an individual, the names and addresses of the applicant's principal officers and executives;
(3) 
The purpose for which the solicitation is to be made, the total amount of funds proposed to be raised thereby and the use or disposition to be made of any receipts therefrom;
(4) 
The name and address of the person or persons who will be in direct charge of conducting the solicitation and the names of all fund raisers connected to or to be connected with the proposed solicitation;
(5) 
A short outline of the method or methods to be used in conducting the solicitations;
(6) 
The time when such solicitations will be made, giving the preferred dates and hour of day for the commencement and termination;
(7) 
A statement to the effect that if a permit is granted, it will not be used or represented in any way as an endorsement by the city or by any department or officer thereof;
(8) 
If, while any application is pending, or during the term of any permit granted thereon, there is any change in fact, policy or method that would alter the information given in the application, the applicant shall notify the city manager in writing thereof within twenty-four hours after such change.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
The city manager shall examine all applications filed under Section 5.20.030 and shall make, or cause to be made, such further investigation of the application and the applicant as the city manager shall deem necessary in order for him to perform his duties under this chapter.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
The city manager may deny a charitable solicitation permit whenever the application for permit is incomplete or when the applicant has not complied with the provisions of this chapter. In the event the city manager denies a permit to any applicant, the city manager shall within two business days give the applicant written notice in person or by registered mail of the denial, stating with specificity the reasons for such denial.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
Upon the expiration of any permit and if requested in writing to do so, the city manager must renew the permit within three days of such request if the factual information upon which the original application was granted remains unchanged. The city manager may require a new application subject to the provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
Permits issued under this chapter shall bear the name and address of the person to whom the permit is issued, the number of the permit, the date issued, the dates within which the permit holder may solicit, and a statement that the permit does not constitute an endorsement by the city or by any of its departments, officers or employees of the purpose of or of the person conducting the solicitation, and a brief written statement describing by approximate percentage and disbursement of all funds solicited under the permit. All permits must be signed by the city manager and presented to each and every contributor for inspection by the contributor upon his request.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
All permits issued under this chapter shall be valid for a period of thirty days unless renewed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
Any permit issued under this chapter shall not be transferable or assignable.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
All persons to whom permits have been issued under this chapter shall furnish proper credentials to their agents and solicitors for such solicitation. The credentials shall include the name of the permit holder, the date, a statement describing the holder's charitable activity, a description of the purpose of the solicitation, the signature of the permit holder or of the holder's chief executive officer and the name and signature of the solicitor to whom such credentials are issued and the specified period of time during which the solicitor is authorized to solicit on behalf of the permit holder. A copy of the credentials must be filed with the city manager at the time the application for a permit is filed and must be approved by him as conforming to the requirements of this section before the permit is issued. No person shall solicit under any permit granted under this chapter without the credentials required by this section. No agent or solicitor shall solicit contributions for any charitable purpose for any person in the city unless such person has been granted a permit under the provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
No person shall solicit charitable contributions for any charitable purpose without first obtaining an identification badge, produced at the permit holder's expense. The information on the badge shall include the permit holder's full name, address and telephone number, the full name of the solicitor or agent and the charitable solicitation permit number. The badge is to be worn in a conspicuous location on the solicitor's person while soliciting charitable contributions.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
(a) 
If an applicant or permit holder is aggrieved by any action to deny a permit by the city manager, such applicant or permit holder may appeal to the city council by filing with the city clerk a statement addressed to the city council setting forth the facts and circumstances regarding the action by city manager. The city clerk shall set a time and place for hearing on the appeal and notify the applicant or permit holder. The city council at its next regular meeting, held not more than fifteen days from the date on which the appeal shall have been filed with the city clerk, shall hear the applicant or permit holder, the city manager and all relevant evidence and shall determine the merits of the appeal and render a decision at that time.
(b) 
In the event the city council affirms the decision of the city manager to deny any permit under this chapter, the city council shall, within two business days thereof, give the aggrieved applicant or permit holder written notice in person or by registered mail of the city council's action, stating with specificity the reasons for its decision. The action of the city council shall be final and immediately subject to judicial review by the Superior Court of the state of California pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.5.
(c) 
The right to appeal to the city council from the denial of any permit granted under this chapter shall terminate upon the expiration of thirty days following written notice of the city manager's action.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
The chief of police shall be notified forthwith by the city manager of the denial of any permit issued under this chapter.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
Any person receiving five dollars or more in money or anything having a value of five dollars or more from any contributor under a solicitation made pursuant to a permit granted under this chapter shall give to each and every such contributor a written receipt signed by the solicitor showing plainly the name and permit number of the person under whose permit the solicitation is conducted, the date and the amount received, together with a brief written statement describing by approximate percentage the disbursement of all funds solicited under the permit issued hereunder; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to any contributions collected by means of a closed box or receptacle used in solicitation, where it is impractical to determine the amount of such contributions.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
Every permit holder soliciting charitable contributions shall file with the city manager within thirty days after the termination date of the solicitation a report which shall detail all receipts, expenses and distributions of proceeds.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
(a) 
No person shall directly or indirectly solicit contributions for any purpose by misrepresentation of his name, occupation, financial condition, social condition, residence or principal place of business, and no person shall make or cause to be made any misstatement of fact, deception, or fraud in connection with any solicitation of any contribution for any purpose in the city, or in any application or report filed under this chapter.
(b) 
No charitable organization or professional fund raiser soliciting contributions shall use a name, symbol or statement so closely related or similar to that used by another charitable organization or any governmental agency that the use thereof would tend to confuse or mislead the public.
(c) 
No charitable organization or professional fund raiser shall solicit funds by the use of statements or material that would indicate that such funds were being raised for an organization or agency from which organization or agency explicit permission for the raising of such funds has not been received in accordance with other provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
(a) 
No person to whom a permit has been issued under this chapter, nor any of the agents or solicitors of such person, shall affix any object to the person of any contributor, or member of the public, without first receiving express permission therefor from such contributor or member of the public.
(b) 
No person to whom a permit has been granted under this chapter, nor any of the agents or solicitors of such persons, shall persistently and importunately request any donation from any member of the public after such member of the public expresses his or her desire not to make a donation.
(c) 
No person to whom a permit has been granted under this chapter, nor any of the agents or solicitors of such person, shall intentionally and deliberately obstruct the free movement of any person on any street, sidewalk or other public place or in any place open to the public generally.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
Any person, as hereinbefore defined, or any agent, servant, employee or officer thereof violating any of the provisions of this chapter, or who aids or abets in the procuring of a violation of any provision, part or portion of this chapter, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars for each offense, or undergo imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. Each violation shall be deemed a separate offense and shall be punishable as such.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)
It is the intention of the city council that each separate provision of this chapter shall be deemed independent of all other provisions herein, and it is further the intention of the city council that if any provision of the ordinance codified in this chapter is declared invalid, other provisions thereof shall remain valid and enforceable.
(Ord. 1057 § 1, 1984)