This Chapter is intended to protect the residents and visitors of the City of Palm Springs against the health and safety menace and the expense and visual blight incident to the littering of the streets and public places by the indiscriminate and uncontrolled distribution of handbills, and the posting of handbills on the public infrastructure, and to protect private residential property against distribution of handbills of any kind when the property has been posted with a "No Solicitors" sign or equivalent notice stating that solicitation is unwelcome.
(Prior code §§ 203.1—203.14; Ord. 1616 § 2, 2002; Ord. 1773 § 1, 2010)
The following words, terms and phrases when used in this Chapter have the meanings ascribed to them in this section except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
"Handbill distributor"
means and includes any person engaging or engaged in the distribution of handbills, and any person receiving compensation directly or indirectly for the distribution of such handbills;
"Handbill"
means and includes any printed or written matter, any sample or device, dodger, circular, leaflet, pamphlet, newspaper, magazine, paper booklet, or any other printed or otherwise reproduced original or copies of any matter or literature;
"Person"
means and includes any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, or organization of any kind;
"Private premises"
means and includes any dwelling, house, building, or other structure, designed or used either wholly or in part for private residential purpose, whether inhabited or temporarily or continuously uninhabited or vacant, and shall include any yard, grounds, walk, driveway, porch steps, vestibule, building or other structure; and
"Public place"
means and includes any and all streets, boulevards, avenues, lanes, alleys, or other public ways, and any and all public parks, squares, spaces, plazas, grounds and buildings.
(Prior code §§ 203.2—203.28; Ord. 1616 § 3, 2002; Ord. 1773 § 1, 2010)
No person shall post, stick, stamp, paint or otherwise fix, or cause the same to be done by any person, any notice, placard, bill, card, poster advertisement or other paper or device or upon any sidewalk, crosswalk, curb or curbstone, flagstone or any other portion or part of any public way or public place, or any lamp post, electric light, telegraph, telephone or trolley line pole, traffic control device, or railway structure, hydrant, tree or tree-box, or upon the piers, columns, trusses, girders, railings, gates or other parts of any public bridge or viaduct or other public structure or building, or upon any pole, box, or fixture of the fire alarm or police telegraph system, except such as may be authorized or required by the laws of the United States, or state and the ordinances of the city.
(Prior code § 203.3; Ord. 1616 § 4, 2002; Ord. 1773 § 1, 2010)
It is unlawful for any person to leave by depositing, placing, throwing, scattering or casting any handbill in or upon any public place within this city; provided however, that it is not unlawful for any person to hand out or distribute handbills to members of the public, providing there is compliance with other applicable provisions of the Municipal Code.
(Prior code § 203.31; Ord. 1616 § 5, 2002; Ord. 1773 § 1, 2010)
No person shall deposit, place, throw, scatter, or cast any handbill in or upon any automobile or other vehicle if requested by anyone in possession thereof not to do so, either orally or via a sign on that automobile or other vehicle.
(Prior code § 203.32; Ord. 913 § 5, 1971; Ord. 1616 § 6, 2002; Ord. 1773 § 1, 2010)
It is unlawful for any person to distribute, deposit, place, throw, scatter or cast any handbill upon any private residential premises if there is placed on said premises in a conspicuous place or position near the entrance thereof, a sign bearing the words "NO SOLICITORS", or any similar notice indicating that the distribution of handbills is unwelcome.
(Prior code § 203.34; Ord. 1616 § 7, 2002; Ord. 1773 § 1, 2010)
In the case of private premises which are not posted as provided in this Chapter, a person may place or deposit any such handbill in or upon private residential premises, if such handbill is so placed or deposited as to secure or prevent such it from being blown or drifted about such premises or elsewhere. The deposit of handbills inside of mailboxes is prohibited.
(Prior code § 203.35; Ord. 1616 § 8, 2002; Ord. 1773 § 1, 2010)