[Amended 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
The purpose of this chapter is to regulate canvassing, soliciting, peddling and other forms of door-to-door and street-to-street activities within the Township. The licensure of persons engaged in the above-mentioned activities is required so that the identity of persons going door to door, street-to-street, or otherwise selling goods to Township residents may be established and that the general regulations may be more effectively enforced in order to prevent fraud as well as criminal, unethical and dishonest business practices within the Township and for the protection and maintenance of the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the Township.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
MERCHANDISE All goods, wares, foods, meat, fish, ice cream, fruits, vegetables, magazines, periodicals, printed matter, farm products, services and orders or contracts for services, home improvement or alterations and anything that may be sold or distributed on a door-to-door basis by canvassers, solicitors, peddlers, or mobile retail food establishment or at a multiple transient merchant facility as defined herein.
MERCHANT A mobile retail food establishment, multiple transient merchant facility, nonprofit vendor, peddler, solicitor and transient vendor as defined in this chapter.
MOBILE RETAIL FOOD ESTABLISHMENT Any movable truck, van, trailer, bicycle or other movable unit, including hand-carried, portable containers in or on which food or beverage is transported, stored or prepared for retail sale or given away at temporary locations.
[Amended 8-2-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-30; 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
MULTIPLE TRANSIENT MERCHANT FACILITY A facility in which groups of transient merchants conduct functions commonly known as trade shows, craft shows and similar functions within the facility for the same dates and times.
NONPROFIT VENDOR A bona fide charitable organization, person or entity possessing a tax-exempt status which shall be evidenced by furnishing to the Township of Robbinsville a tax exempt number provided by the State of New Jersey and/or the Government of the United States.
PEDDLER A person, commonly referred to as a "peddler" or "hawker" or "itinerant merchant" who goes from place to place or house to house by traveling on the streets and carries with him merchandise or services for the purpose of selling and delivering them to consumers.
PERSON Any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, organization, club or association or any principal or agent thereof.
PRIVATE STREET Any street, avenue, boulevard or road within the municipality which is not maintained by the Township but is rather the responsibility of a private homeowners' association and, as such, has not been dedicated to the Township.
SOLICITOR A person who goes from house to house selling or buying merchandise or service by sample or by taking orders for future delivery or selling a service, with or without acceptance of an advance payment for the merchandise or service.
TRANSIENT MERCHANT A person who engages in a temporary business within the Township of selling and delivering merchandise or services within the Township and who in furtherance of such purpose, hires, leases, uses or occupies any building, structure, motor vehicle, tent, public room in hotels, lodging houses, apartments or shops, parking lot, sidewalk, street, alley or other place within the Township, for the exhibition and sale of such merchandise or services, either privately or at public auction. Any activities conducted which are contrary to the permitted uses under Chapter
142, Land Use, are hereby prohibited.
[Amended 8-2-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-30; 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
Except as provided herein, it shall be unlawful for any merchant to sell, offer for sale, take orders for or distribute merchandise, services or engage in any activities as enumerated in §
182-2 within the Township, without first registering with, filing an application for registration with, paying a registration fee to and obtaining a license from the Municipal Clerk.
[Added 4-29-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-18; amended 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
No person shall sell, offer for sale, peddle, solicit or canvas in the Township of any of the items listed in the definition of the term "merchandise" in §
182-2 before 9:00 a.m. or after 5:00 p.m., or on Sundays or holidays, with the exception of mobile retail food establishments, which may operate on public property from 9:00 a.m. to dusk. Mobile retail food establishments associated with a special event may operate during the approved hours of the special event, during the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. when located on private residential property, and during the regular business hours of the commercial property upon which it is located pursuant to §
182-12I.
[Added 4-29-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-18]
A. It shall be unlawful for any merchant to sell, buy, dispose of or offer to sell or dispose of any merchandise or services or to solicit contributions, gifts, pledges or subscriptions of money or goods without first obtaining a license from the Municipal Clerk.
B. Nonprofit vendors.
(1) Any nonprofit vendor may acquire a single license for the sole purpose of conducting door-to-door solicitation upon submission of a list of all dates for such solicitation and the names and addresses of all solicitors and upon compliance with all other terms of this chapter. The license shall be valid for up to one year from date of issuance.
(2) Any nonprofit vendor may acquire a single license for the sole purpose of conducting canister drives at commercial establishments upon submission of a list of all dates and locations for such solicitation and the names and addresses of all solicitors and upon compliance with all other terms of this chapter. Such solicitation is limited to two persons per ingress and/or egress doorway and shall not involve any structures, displays or furniture. The license shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance. The commercial establishment must approve of the canister drive prior to issuance of license.
A transient merchant shall not be relieved from complying with the provisions of this chapter merely by reason of associating temporarily with any local dealer, trader, merchant or auctioneer or by conducting such transient business in connection with, as part of, or in the name of any local dealer, trader, merchant or auctioneer.
[Amended 8-30-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-29; 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
It shall be unlawful for any peddler, hawker, solicitor or merchant to sell, buy, dispose of or offer to sell or dispose of any merchandise or services in or on any portion of a public right-of-way or any municipal street. Exceptions would be mobile retail food vendors who have received permission from the Township to locate in the public right-of-way or municipal street and have obtained the necessary permits from the Board of Health.
[Added 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the following provisions shall apply to mobile retail food vendors:
A. Mobile retail food vendors shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter
270 to the extent such provisions do not conflict with the provisions of this chapter. In cases where a conflict does exist, the provisions of this chapter shall control.
B. Mobile retail food vendors subject to the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code or other applicable law shall be subject to the provisions of §
2-47.1 and Ch.
122 to the extent such provisions do not conflict with the provisions of this chapter. In cases where a conflict does exist, the provisions of this chapter shall control. The Chief of Fire and/or Fire Official shall prepare a checklist, which shall be publicly available, for the issuance of a Type 1 fire permit in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code.
C. Nothing in this chapter shall limit the Township or any of its entities from hiring mobile retail food vendors for Township events.
[Amended 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
A separate license must be obtained for every merchant soliciting, canvassing or peddling within the Township except as provided in §
182-4.
[Amended 3-30-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-9; 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
A. The Municipal Clerk shall forward the application to the following departments. These entities shall conduct such investigation as they deem necessary to protect safety, health and welfare of the residents of the Township.
(2) Board of Health (if the application involves a mobile food vendor or other activities within the jurisdiction of the Board of Health);
(3) Fire Department (if the application involves a mobile food vendor subject to the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code or other applicable law); and
B. No license shall be issued to any merchant where the location of any activity is within 25 feet of the right-of-way line of any street in the Township of Robbinsville, unless such activity is otherwise permitted by and pursuant to this chapter.
C. If, as a result of such investigation, the applicant's character and business integrity are found to be satisfactory, and do not create a safety hazard, the Chief of Police shall certify same to the Municipal Clerk. If, as a result of such investigation, the Health Officer shall determine that the activity does not pose a health or safety issue of any nature, they shall so certify to the Municipal Clerk. If, as a result of such investigation, the Chief of Fire and/or Fire Official shall determine that the activity does not pose a fire safety issue of any nature, they shall so certify to the Municipal Clerk. Finally, if as a result of such investigation, the Zoning Officer shall determine that the proposed activity complies with all applicable provisions of Chapter
142, Land Use, and §
182-14 of this chapter, they shall so certify to the Municipal Clerk. The Municipal Clerk, upon receipt of all such written certifications, shall then issue a license. The Municipal Clerk shall keep a full record of all licenses issued.
D. To facilitate background checks, an applicant shall be subject to fingerprinting pursuant to the instruction of the Police Department and shall execute an appropriate consent form. Fingerprinting shall only be required of applicants who will operate on public property; applicants operating solely on private property shall not be subject to fingerprinting.
E. The results of the background checks shall not be considered public information and shall be released only to the Township Council, the Township Administrator, Chief of Police or Township Attorney. The costs of background checks and fingerprinting shall be borne by the applicant.
[Amended 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
A. If an application is found unsatisfactory by the Chief of Police, Health Officer, Chief of Fire, Fire Official, and/or Zoning Officer, the Municipal Clerk shall notify the applicant that the application is denied. An applicant for a license hereunder shall have the right to appeal to the governing body from the denial of a license. Such appeal shall be filed within three days after the receipt of the notice of denial. Such appeal shall be taken by filing a written notice of appeal addressed to the governing body. The governing body shall act upon the appeal as soon as practicable after receiving the notice thereof and shall give the applicant reasonable opportunity to be heard before taking action. The governing body may affirm, reverse or modify the license.
B. If an applicant is found satisfactory by the Chief of Police, Health Officer, Chief of Fire and/or Fire Official, and Zoning Officer, a license shall be issued to the applicant upon payment of the proper fee and posting of bond. Such licensure shall contain the signature of the Municipal Clerk and shall show the name, address and recent photograph of the applicant, the type of business for which the applicant is registered, the kinds of goods or services to be sold thereunder, the date of issue, the length of time the license shall be operative, and the license number and other identifying description of any vehicle used in the activity licensed.
Every person to whom a license is issued under the terms of this chapter shall be governed by the following rules and regulations:
A. All circulars, samples, merchandise or other matter shall be handed to an occupant of the property or left in a secure place on the premises.
B. No merchant shall attempt to canvass, solicit or peddle merchandise or services without first having identified themself as a merchant licensed by the Township and without displaying their certificate.
[Amended 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
C. No merchant shall have exclusive rights to any location in the public streets or operate in any congested area where their operation might impede or inconvenience the public.
[Amended 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
D. No merchant shall make any solicitation within the Township limits where solicitors are notified by sign that soliciting is prohibited.
E. No merchant shall conduct themself in such a manner as to disturb the peace, become objectionable, or annoy any person while canvassing, soliciting or peddling within the Township limits.
[Amended 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
F. No merchant shall distribute obscene merchandise or printed material or that which advocates unlawful conduct.
G. No merchant shall litter the streets, public places or property within the Township with any merchandise or printed material.
H. No mobile retail food establishment shall operate at a stationary location on private or public property without prior written approval of the property owner, nor on any public street wherein an unsafe condition, as determined by the Township, is created by such operation.
[Added 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
I. A mobile retail food establishment shall only operate during the regular business hours of the commercial property upon which it is located.
[Added 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
J. No mobile retail food establishment shall remain at a stationary location for more than 12 hours on any given day.
[Added 11-30-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-60]
The Chief of Police shall report to the Municipal Clerk any complaints against any person licensed under the provisions of this chapter. The Municipal Clerk shall keep a record of all such licenses and of such complaints and violations.
Any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be liable to the penalty stated in Chapter
1, Article
II, General Penalty.