[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Saratoga Springs as Ch. 55 of the 1970 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
General penalty — See Ch. 1, Art. III.
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
Includes any printed or written advertising matter, any sample or device, dodger, circular, leaflet, pamphlet, newspaper, paper, booklet or any other printed matter or literature.
PERSON
Includes any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
It shall be unlawful for any person, either directly or indirectly, to deposit, place, throw, scatter or cast any handbill in or on any public thoroughfare, park, ground or other public place within the City of Saratoga Springs. The provisions of this section shall not be deemed to prohibit the handing, transmitting or distributing of any handbill to any person willing to accept such handbill.
It shall be unlawful for any person, either directly or indirectly, to distribute, deposit, place, throw, scatter or cast any handbill in or upon any automobile or other vehicle. The provisions of this section shall not be deemed to prohibit the handing, transmitting or distributing of any handbill to the owner or other occupant of any automobile or other vehicle who is willing to accept such handbill.
It shall be unlawful for any person, either directly or indirectly, to distribute, deposit, place, throw, scatter or cast any handbill in or upon any private yard, grounds, walk, porch, steps, mailbox, vestibule, house, residence, building or any other private property. The provisions of this section shall not be deemed to prohibit the handing, transmitting or distributing of any handbill to the owner or other occupant of said private yard, grounds, walk, porch, mailbox, vestibule, house, residence, building or other private property who is willing to accept such handbill.
It shall be unlawful for any person, either directly or indirectly, to distribute, deposit, place, throw, scatter or cast any handbill in or upon any private yard, grounds, walk, porch, steps, mailbox, vestibule, house, residence, building or any other private property. The provisions of this section shall not be deemed to prohibit the handing, transmitting or distributing of any handbill to the owner or other occupant of said private yard, grounds, walk, porch, mailbox, vestibule, house, residence, building or other private property who is willing to accept such handbill.
It shall be lawful for the owner or the occupant of any property to place a sign in a conspicuous place near the entrance thereof indicating that no handbills are desired, and it shall be unlawful for any person to go upon said premises so posted and distribute, deposit, place, throw, scatter or cast any handbill.
The provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed to apply to messenger service nor to the distribution of the United States mail or telegrams nor to the delivery of any handbill to any person who has requested delivery of the same.
It shall be unlawful for any person to distribute handbills in such a manner as to impede the free flow of traffic upon any street or sidewalk; neither shall any such person distributing handbills molest or annoy any individual, group or gathering.
It shall be unlawful to tack, nail, paste, paint or otherwise affix any handbill upon any bridge, fence, sidewalk, building, monument, pole or post, provided that handbills may be affixed upon private buildings or billboards if the consent of the owner shall have first been obtained and provided, further, that this shall not prohibit lawfully posted legal notices.
[Amended 4-4-1994 by L.L. No. 1-1994]
Any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to the penalties set forth in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article III, of this Code.
[Added 5-1-1989]
The Commissioner of Public Works shall have the authority to immediately remove or cause to be removed any handbill posted on public property in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter.