As used in this article, the following words shall have the definitions ascribed to them by this section:
Canvasser
means any person who goes from house to house or from place to place in an effort to take orders for goods, wares, merchandise, services, newspapers, magazines, or subscriptions to newspapers or magazines for future delivery, whether or not payment is collected at the time of such sale, and such sales are taxable transactions under the provisions of the limited sales, excise and use tax of the state.
Charitable purpose
means philanthropic, religious or other nonprofit objectives, including the benefit of poor, needy, sick, refugee or handicapped persons; the benefit of any church or religious society, sect, group or order; the benefit of a patriotic or veterans’ association or organization; the benefit of any fraternal, social or civic organization; or the benefit of any education institution. Charitable purpose shall not be construed to include the direct benefit of the individual making the solicitation. Charitable purpose shall not be construed to include the benefit of any political group or political organization which is subject to financial disclosure under state or federal law.
Commercial traveler
means a traveling salesman who simply exhibits samples of goods kept for sale by his principal, and takes order from purchasers for such goods, which goods are afterwards to be delivered by the principal to the purchasers, and payment for the goods is to be made by the purchasers to the principal on such delivery.
Consumer
means any individual who seeks or acquires real or personal property, services, money, or credit for personal, family, or household purposes.
Consumer transaction
means any transaction in which one or more of the parties is a consumer.
Group exhibit
means an association of five (5) or more temporary vendors under the auspices of a promoter, which association is formed for the purpose of simultaneously conducting the business of the temporary vendors upon a common site or premises.
Handbill
means any printed or written matter, sample or device, dodger, circular, leaflet, pamphlet, paper, booklet, or other printed or otherwise reproduced original or copies of any matter or literature which solicits funds or advertises items for sale. All references herein to “handbill” shall include the term “information-only handbill” except where specifically stated otherwise.
Handbill distributor
means any person engaging or engaged in the business, whether or not for hire or gain, of distributing handbills, other than newspapers distributed to subscribers thereof, and any person receiving compensation directly or indirectly for the distribution of such handbills.
Handbill sponsor
means any person who, or firm or corporation that, utilizes handbills as a medium of advertising, spreading a message or disseminating information.
Hawk
means to peddle goods, wares or merchandise by hollering or otherwise calling out.
Home solicitation transaction
means a consumer transaction:
(1) 
For the purchase of goods, other than farm equipment, and insurance sales regulated by the state department of insurance, or services, payable in installments or in cash where the consideration exceeds twenty-five dollars ($25.00), in which the merchant or person acting for him engages in a personal solicitation of the sale to the consumer at a place other than the merchant’s place of business and the consumer’s agreement or offer to purchase is given at a place other than the merchant’s place of business to the merchant or person acting for him, but it does not include a sale made pursuant to a preexisting revolving charge account or retail charge agreement, or a sale made pursuant to prior negotiations between the parties at a business establishment at a fixed location where goods or services are offered or exhibited for sale; or
(2) 
For the purchase of realty, payable in installments or in cash where the consideration exceeds one hundred dollars ($100.00), in which the merchant or person acting for him engages in a solicitation of the sale to the consumer at a place other than the merchant’s place of business and the consumer’s agreement or offer to purchase is given at a place other than the merchant’s place of business; but it does not include a sale of realty in which transaction the purchaser is represented by a licensed attorney or in which the transaction is being negotiated by a licensed real estate broker or in which the transaction is being negotiated by the person who owns the realty not at the residence of the consumer.
Individual
means only a natural person.
Information-only handbill
means any printed or written matter, sample or device, dodger, circular, leaflet, pamphlet, paper, booklet, or other printed or otherwise reproduced original or copies of any matter or literature which provides only information and does not solicit funds or advertise items for sale.
Interstate commerce
means the soliciting, selling or taking of orders for, or offering to sell or take orders for, any goods, wares, merchandise or other personal property or services which, at the time the order is taken, are in a state other than Texas, or that will be produced in a state other than Texas and shipped and introduced into this city in the fulfillment of such order.
Itinerant vendor
means all persons, firms, corporations, as well as their agents and employees, who engage in the temporary or transient business of selling, or offering for sale, any goods and merchandise, or exhibiting the same for sale or exhibiting the same for the purpose of taking orders for the sale thereof, and who, for the purpose of carrying on such business or conducting such exhibits, either hire, rent, lease or occupy any room or space in any building, structure or other enclosure in the city, in, through or from which any goods or merchandise may be sold, offered for sale, exhibited for sale or exhibited for the purpose of taking orders for the sale thereof.
Merchant
means any party to a consumer transaction other than a consumer.
Peddle
means to travel about selling goods, wares or merchandise.
Peddler
includes the term “hawker” and means any person who makes retail sales of tangible property from house to house or in any public place, and such sales are not made from an established place and delivery is made at the time of the sale, whether or not payment is collected at the time of such sale.
Person
means an individual, corporation, trust, partnership, association, or any other legal entity.
Place of business
means a merchant’s main or permanent branch office of local address. In the case of a state or national bank or savings and loan association, “place of business” includes any approved branch and any registered loan production office.
Promoter
means the person, firm, corporation or organization responsible for conducting a group exhibit.
Public place
means any place to which the public, or a substantial group of the public, has access and includes, but is not limited to, streets, highways, and the common areas of schools, hospitals, apartments, office buildings, transport facilities and shops.
Residence
means any separate living unit occupied for residential purposes by one or more persons, contained within any type of building or structure.
Retail sale
means any sale other than a sale of tangible property to any purchaser who is purchasing the tangible property for the purpose of reselling it in the normal course of business either in the form or condition in which it is purchased or as an attachment to or an integral part of other tangible property.
Solicit funds or solicitation of funds
means any home solicitation transaction; any request for the donation of money, property, or anything of value, or the pledge of a future donation of money, property, or anything of value; or the selling or offering for sale of any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, whether of value or not, including, but not limited to, goods, books, pamphlets, tickets, publications or subscriptions to publications. Expressly excluded from the meaning of “solicit funds” or “solicitation of funds” is any offer of membership in any organization. A solicitation of funds is complete when the solicitation is communicated to any individual then located within the corporate limits of the city.
Solicitor
means any person who goes from house to house or place to place soliciting, selling, or taking orders for, or offering to sell or take orders for, any goods, merchandise or services. The term “solicitor” shall not include a person on property by invitation of the owner of the property.
Tangible property
means property which may be seen, weighed, measured, felt or touched or which is in any other manner perceptible to the senses.
Temporary vendor
means a person who is transacting or conducting business within the city at a site for which definite arrangements have not been made for the hire, rental or lease of such premises for at least one (1) month in or upon which such business is to be operated or conducted.
(Ordinance 96-029, sec. 1, adopted 5/13/96; Ordinance 96-036, sec. 1, adopted 6/10/96; 1988 Code, sec. 24-1)
(a) 
The provisions of this article shall not apply to the following:
(1) 
Public utility companies or others operating under franchises granted by the city, nor to insurance salesmen, real estate salesmen and others licensed by the state;
(2) 
The sale or soliciting of orders for the sale of milk or dairy products, bakery products, vegetables, poultry, eggs and other farm and garden products insofar as the sale of such commodities is authorized by law;
(3) 
Ordinary commercial travelers who sell or exhibit for sale goods or merchandise to parties engaged in the business of buying and selling and dealing in such goods or merchandise;
(4) 
Persons involved in interstate commerce;
(5) 
Sales of goods or merchandise donated by the owners thereof, the proceeds of which are to be applied to any charitable or philanthropic purpose;
(6) 
Group exhibits or persons exhibiting and selling agricultural products on Market Square in the city;
(7) 
Individuals operating under licenses granted by a state agency;
(8) 
The solicitation of funds for charitable purposes by any organization or association from its members;
(9) 
The solicitation of funds for charitable purposes by a person when such solicitation occurs on premises owned or controlled by the person soliciting funds or with the permission of the person who owns or controls the premises, when previously invited to the premises for solicitation;
(10) 
The issuance of any announcement or advertisement that charitable solicitation will occur or which announces or advertises an event at which unannounced charitable solicitation will occur; or
(11) 
The distribution of newspapers to the subscribers thereof.
(b) 
This article is not to be construed as prohibiting or limiting the distribution or sale of religious publications, newspapers, handbills or other written or printed matter sold or distributed for the purpose of disseminating information or news on sidewalks or in any public place.
(c) 
Any person who peddles any food or beverage for human consumption shall not be subject to the licensing provisions of this article, but must be licensed for such peddling by the Paris-Lamar County health department.
(Ordinance 96-029, sec. 1, adopted 5/13/96; Ordinance 96-036, sec. 1, adopted 6/10/96; 1988 Code, sec. 24-2)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to go from house to house or from place to place in the city soliciting, selling, or taking orders for, or offering to sell or take orders for, any goods, wares, merchandise, services, newspapers, magazines, or subscriptions to newspapers or magazines, soliciting funds for charitable purposes or distributing handbills, whether such person is permitted or has a certificate of registration under this article or not, between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. on any day of the week during the months of April, May, June, July, August, September and October, and between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. on any day of the week during the months of November, December, January, February and March, unless the hours are extended in his permit.
(b) 
No person, directly or through an agent, shall canvass or solicit from house to house or from place to place in the city to sell or attempt to sell goods, merchandise, wares, services or anything of value or to take or attempt to take orders for the future delivery of goods, merchandise, wares, or any personal property of any nature whatsoever, or take or attempt to take orders for services to be furnished or performed in the future, without first having a written permit therefor.
(c) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to transact or conduct business in the city at a site for which definite arrangements have not been made for the hire, rental or lease of such premises for at least one (1) month without first having procured a permit as a temporary vendor.
(d) 
It shall be unlawful for any person, directly or through an agent, to distribute or cause to be distributed, deposited or placed, thrown, scattered or cast any handbill in or upon any premises within the corporate limits of the city without first having a written permit or certificate of registration therefor.
(e) 
It shall be unlawful for any person, directly or through an agent or employee, to solicit funds for charitable purposes within the corporate limits of the city unless such person shall have first obtained a certificate of registration.
(f) 
It shall be unlawful for any individual, as the agent or employee of another, to solicit funds for charitable purposes in the city unless his principal or employer has received a certificate of registration.
(g) 
It shall be unlawful for any person, directly or through an agent or employee, to solicit funds or distribute handbills after the expiration of any permit or certificate of registration issued as hereinafter provided.
(h) 
It shall be unlawful for the person registering or applying, or the agents or employees thereof, to solicit funds or distribute handbills for a purpose other than that set out in the registration statement or application upon which the certificate of registration or permit was issued.
(i) 
It shall be unlawful for any person who shall solicit funds in the city to represent in connection with such solicitation of funds that the issuance of a certificate of registration or permit by the city constitutes an endorsement or approval of the purposes of such solicitation of funds by the city or any officer or employee thereof.
(j) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to distribute or cause to be distributed, deposited, placed, thrown, scattered or cast any handbill in or upon any private premises which are temporarily or continuously uninhabited or vacant.
(k) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to distribute or cause to be distributed, deposited, placed, thrown, scattered, or cast any handbill upon any private premises which are inhabited and which are not posted as provided by this article except by handing or transmitting such handbill directly to the owner, occupant, or any other person then present in or upon such private premises or by placing or depositing the same in a manner to secure to prevent such handbill from being blown or drifting about such premises, except that mailboxes may not be used when prohibited by federal postal laws or regulations.
(l) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to distribute or cause to be distributed, deposited, scattered, handed out or circulated any handbill in any place, under any circumstances, which does not have printed on the cover, front or back thereof the name, address and telephone number of the following: the handbill sponsor who caused the same to be distributed; provided, however, that in the case of a fictitious person or club, in addition to such fictitious name, the true names and addresses of the owners, manager, or agents for the persons sponsoring such handbill shall also appear thereon.
(Ordinance 96-029, sec. 1, adopted 5/13/96; Ordinance 96-036, sec. 1, adopted 6/10/96; 1988 Code, sec. 24-3)
(a) 
Generally.
It shall be unlawful for any person to conduct charitable solicitations or peddle, solicit, sell, offer for sale, or exhibit for sale any merchandise upon any public sidewalk, street, street right-of-way, parkway, or other public right-of-way without first obtaining a special event permit in accordance with the provisions of article 5.06; except that it shall be lawful for any person to engage in a mobile vending operation involving food products upon any street, public street, or street right-of-way, provided such person has previously obtained a solicitor’s permit and a health permit from the Paris-Lamar County health department and under the conditions set forth in this section.
(b) 
Exception for use of sidewalk by business adjacent to sidewalk.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, an owner or tenant whose primary place of business is adjacent to a sidewalk may utilize a portion of such sidewalk for the exhibition of his wares or merchandise so long as a reasonable amount of sidewalk is left for passage by the pedestrian public.
(c) 
Solicitor’s permit and health permit required for mobile vendors.
No person shall engage in or attempt to engage in any mobile vending operation involving food products unless such person has in his immediate possession a valid solicitor’s permit and health permit issued to him by the city.
(d) 
Prohibited locations for mobile vendors.
No person shall engage in or attempt to engage in any mobile vending operation involving food products on any public street which is not residential in character, on any street which includes four (4) or more marked traffic lanes, or within the limits of any city park.
(e) 
Operation in city park.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a person may sell or offer for sale any food, drinks, confections, merchandise or services within the limits of any city park if such person has a written agreement or permit issued by the city.
(f) 
Stops by mobile vendors.
Any person engaged in or who attempts to engage in mobile vending involving food products shall stop his motor vehicle only in immediate response to a direct request from a potential customer and for a period not to exceed fifteen (15) minutes.
(g) 
Traffic safety requirements for mobile vendors.
All persons engaged in mobile vending operations involving food products shall comply with all traffic laws and parking regulations. Sales and deliveries of products shall not be made from any part of the vehicle away from the curb.
(h) 
Interfering with persons in public place.
It shall be unlawful for any person engaged in soliciting customers, for any person engaged in the sale of goods, wares or merchandise of any kind, to stop or detain any person upon the street, sidewalk or public place, or in any manner to harass, disturb or importune any person, or to take hold of any person or any article belonging to or possessed by such person.
(i) 
Posting handbills on public property.
It shall be unlawful for any person to paste, stick, or place any advertisement, handbill, placard, printed, pictured or written matter or any device for advertising purposes upon any fence, railing, sidewalk, telephone, electric light or public utility pole, or other public property, or to knowingly permit the same to be done for his benefit.
(Ordinance 96-029, sec. 1, adopted 5/13/96; 1988 Code, sec. 24-4)
No merchant, including itinerant or temporary merchants, shall engage in or attempt to engage in any outdoor sales activity unless such sales activity is consistent with the zoning regulations prescribed for the district in which the activity takes place. It shall be unlawful for an itinerant or temporary merchant to solicit at a location other than the one specified on the application.
(Ordinance 96-029, sec. 1, adopted 5/13/96; 1988 Code, sec. 24-5)
It shall be unlawful for any person to use children under eighteen (18) years of age for any type of solicitation purposes unless said children are actively supervised by a permitted or registered adult individual at least eighteen (18) years of age or older within one hundred (100) yards of the child solicitor.
(Ordinance 96-029, sec. 1, adopted 5/13/96; 1988 Code, sec. 24-6)
No permit under this article shall be issued to any person who has been convicted of the commission of a felony in a court of competent jurisdiction within three (3) years of the date of the application, to any person who has been on probation or parole as a result of a felony within one (1) year of the date of the application, or to any person who has knowingly made any false, misleading or fraudulent statement of fact in the permit application. A permit shall not be issued to any person who has been convicted of a violation of any of the provisions of this article, or to any person whose permit has previously been revoked, if such conviction or revocation occurred within one (1) year of the date of the application. The provisions of this section shall, in no way, be construed as limiting the city’s discretion in refusing to grant permits to persons convicted of felonies.
(Ordinance 96-029, sec. 1, adopted 5/13/96; 1988 Code, sec. 24-7)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or solicit goods or funds without visibly displaying the permit or certificate of registration required by this article on his person while engaged in such solicitation or sale.
(b) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to solicit funds without visibly displaying on his person the permit or certificate of registration provided by the city, or to display a permit or registration issued in the name of another person.
(c) 
Any temporary vendor permit issued under this article shall be prominently displayed in a conspicuous place on the premises where the sale or exhibit is being conducted and shall remain so displayed so long as any goods or merchandise are being sold or exhibited.
(d) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to distribute information-only handbills without visibly displaying on his person a badge, not less than two (2) inches by three (3) inches in size, containing his name and the name of the individual to whom or organization to which a certification of registration was issued. The letters shall not be less than two-thirds (2/3) of an inch in height.
(Ordinance 96-029, sec. 1, adopted 5/13/96; Ordinance 96-036, sec. 1, adopted 6/10/96; 1988 Code, sec. 24-8)
(a) 
Grounds for revocation; notice.
Failure to comply with any of the provisions of this article, or failure to continue to possess any of the qualifications required under this article, shall constitute grounds for revocation of any permit or registration issued in accordance with the provisions of this article. Written notice of revocation shall be given to such person by either hand delivery or registered or certified mail.
(b) 
Appeals.
Should a person have a permit or registration revoked, he may appeal that action to the city manager, or his designated representative, by submitting a letter to the city manager within ten (10) days of the revocation. A hearing shall be held within fifteen (15) days of the appeal. The city manager, or his representative, shall render a decision on the appeal within one (1) day of the date of the hearing. Such hearing shall be an administrative hearing. The decision of the city manager, or his designated representative, shall be final.
(Ordinance 96-029, sec. 1, adopted 5/13/96; 1988 Code, sec. 24-9)
(a) 
A person desiring that no merchant or other person engage in any form of solicitation or place handbills or other advertisements at his business or residence shall exhibit, in a conspicuous place upon or near the main entrance to the business or residence, a weatherproof card, not less than three (3) inches by four (4) inches in size, containing the words, “NO SOLICITORS.” The letters shall not be less than two-thirds (2/3) of an inch in height.
(b) 
Every merchant going onto any premises upon which a business or residence is located shall first examine the business or residence to determine if any notice prohibiting soliciting is exhibited upon or near the main entrance to the business or residence. If notice prohibiting soliciting is exhibited, the merchant shall immediately depart from the premises without disturbing the occupant, unless the visit is the result of a request made by the occupant.
(c) 
No person shall engage in or attempt to engage in solicitation or place handbills or other advertisements if a card as described in subsection (a) above is exhibited in a conspicuous place upon or near the main entrance to the business or residence, unless the visit is a result of a request by the occupant.
(d) 
No person shall go upon any residential premises and ring the doorbell, rap or knock upon the door, or create any sound in a manner calculated to attract the attention of the occupant of the residence for the purpose of securing an audience with the occupant.
(Ordinance 96-029, sec. 1, adopted 5/13/96; 1988 Code, sec. 24-10)