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[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Sandyston 12-7-1966; amended in its entirety 10-8-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-09. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
MERCHANDISE
Includes all goods, wares, food, fruit, vegetables, farm products, magazines, periodicals, and all kinds of articles of personal property for domestic use and orders or contracts for a service home improvement or alterations shall be considered merchandise within the terms of this article.
PEDDLER
Any person who goes from place to place by traveling on the streets and roads or from house to house carrying, conveying or transporting goods, wares or merchandise for the purpose of selling and delivering them to customers. The term "peddler" shall include "huckster."
SOLICITOR
Any person who goes from place to place by traveling on the streets and roads or from house to house taking or attempting to take orders for the sale of goods, wares and merchandise or personal property of any nature whatsoever for future delivery, or for services to be furnished or performed in the future, whether or not such person has, carries or exposes for sale a sample of the object to be sold and whether or not he is collecting advance payments on such sales. The term "solicitor" shall include "canvasser" provided that this definition shall not include wholesale salesmen calling on retail merchants.
B. 
Purpose. The purpose of this article is to prevent dishonest business practices by providing for the registration and regulation of the conduct of peddlers and solicitors.
Except as otherwise provided in this article, it shall be unlawful for any solicitor or peddler to sell or dispose of, or to offer to sell or dispose of, any goods, wares or merchandise, or to solicit orders for the performance of any service within the corporate limits of the Township without first obtaining a license in compliance with the provisions of this article and chapter. A separate license shall be obtained by a licensed solicitor or peddler for every agent or employee working for him.
The requirements of this article shall not apply to the following:
A. 
Any public utility or its employees which is subject to regulation by the State Board of Public Utility Commissioners, provided that the employees shall display the identification badge or card issued by their employer.
B. 
Any service organization, charitable organization, lodge, veterans organization, firemen's organization, religious organization of any kind, sort or manner, boy scouts, girl scouts, YMCA, YWCA, and all other youth organizations or any of their auxiliaries.
C. 
Any person engaged in the delivery of goods, wares or merchandise or other articles or things in the regular course of business, to the premises of persons who had previously ordered the same or were entitled to receive the same by reasons of a prior agreement.
D. 
Any person honorably discharged from the military services of the United States possessing a peddler's license issued in conformity with N.J.S.A. 45:24-9 and 45:24-10.
E. 
Any person who is an exempt fireman of a volunteer fire department as defined by N.J.S.A. 45:24-9 and 45:24-10, possessing a license in conformity with the law.
F. 
Any person selling fruits and farm products grown by himself, with or without the help of others.
Every applicant for a license under this article shall file with the Township Clerk a sworn written application in duplicate on a form to be furnished by the Township Clerk. The form shall give the following information:
A. 
Name and description of the applicant (including age, height, weight).
B. 
Copy of valid driver's license.
C. 
Permanent home address and full address of applicant where residing during peddling and soliciting, if different, and contact phone numbers.
D. 
A brief statement of the nature of the business and a description of the merchandise or service to be sold.
E. 
If employed, the name and address and phone number of the employer, together with credentials establishing the exact relationship along with a letter from the firm or corporation for which applicant works, authorizing applicant to act as its representative.
F. 
The length of time for which the license is desired.
G. 
If a vehicle is to be used, a description of the vehicle and the license plate number.
H. 
The place where the goods or property to be sold or offered for sale are manufactured or produced, where the goods or property are located at the time such application is filed, and the proposed method of delivery.
I. 
Two (2) photographs of the applicant taken within 60 days immediately prior to the date of the application, which photograph clearly shows the head and shoulders of the applicant.
J. 
Two business references located in the County of Sussex, State of New Jersey, or in lieu thereof, such other evidence of the character and business responsibility of the applicant as will enable an investigator to properly evaluate his character and responsibility.
K. 
Details of any arrests or convictions for misdemeanors, crimes or violation of any municipal ordinance, including the nature of the offense for which arrested or convicted, the day and place of conviction and the penalty assessed therefor.
L. 
The applicant is responsible for providing a criminal background check report to the Clerk, based on results of fingerprinting, which shall be performed at the expense of the applicant and must be received by the Clerk with the written application.
The license fees under this article shall be as follows:
A. 
At the time the application is filed, a fee of $100 shall be paid to the Township Clerk to cover the cost of processing the application and investigating the facts stated therein.
A. 
When the application is properly filled out and signed by the applicant, the original and duplicate shall be filed with the Township Clerk who shall make or cause to be made an investigation of the applicant's business responsibility and moral character deemed necessary for protection of the public good.
(1) 
If as a result of the investigation the applicant's character or business responsibility is found to be unsatisfactory, the Township Clerk shall endorse on the application the disapproval and reasons therefor and notify the applicant that the application is disapproved and that no license shall be issued.
(a) 
Any determination by the Township Clerk that an application is unsatisfactory shall be based on one or more of the following findings with respect to the applicant:
[1] 
Conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude.
[2] 
Prior violation of a peddling or soliciting ordinance.
[3] 
Previous fraudulent acts or conduct.
[4] 
Record of breaches of solicited contracts.
[5] 
Concrete evidence of bad character.
(b) 
In the absence of any such finding, the Township Clerk shall find the application satisfactory.
(2) 
If as a result of the investigation the character and business responsibility of the applicant are found to be satisfactory, the Township Clerk shall endorse on the application the approval and issue the license to the applicant. The license issued to the licensee shall contain the signature of the Township Clerk and show the name, address and photograph of the licensee, the kind of goods or services to be sold, the date of issuance, the length of time the license shall be operative, the license number and other identifying description of any vehicle used in the peddling or soliciting activity licensed, along with a "Do Not Solicit List."
B. 
The license shall, during the time the licensee is engaged in peddling or soliciting, be worn constantly by the licensee on the front of his outer garment in such a way as to be visible to a person facing him.
Any holder of a peddlers or solicitors license issued by the Township under the authority of this article or by the Clerk of the county under the authority of N.J.S.A. 45:24-9 shall be required to carry the license with him while engaged in the business or activity licensed within the Township. He shall produce the license at the request of any official or resident of the Township with whom he wishes to conduct his business or activity. Every licensee, as well as every person referred to in § 112-3, shall restrict selling or soliciting activity within the Township to the hours between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and on each day of such activity shall notify the Township Clerk immediately before commencing selling or soliciting activity and immediately after completion. Notification shall include a statement as to the general area of the Township in which the licensee, as well as every person referred to in § 112-3, intends to conduct or has conducted the activity.
A. 
No peddler or solicitor shall call attention to his business or to his merchandise by crying out, blowing a horn, ringing a bell, other than the doorbell of a building, or by any other loud of unusual noise or by playing loud music.
B. 
No peddler or solicitor shall conduct or attempt to conduct his business at any residence or on any property on which is posted a sign expressly stating "No Solicitations."
C. 
It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to stop any motor truck or other types of vehicles on any street in the Township for the purpose of selling or offering for sale from said motor truck or other types of vehicle any goods, wares, or merchandise of any description.
D. 
No peddler or solicitor shall be permitted to peddle or solicit before 9:00 a.m. on any day or after 4:00 p.m. on any day. No one shall be permitted to peddle, solicit or canvass on Sunday.
E. 
No license or badge issued under the provision of this article shall be used or worn by any person other than the one to whom it was issued, nor shall it be transferred in any way or manner.
F. 
No peddler or solicitor shall have any exclusive right to any location in the public streets, nor shall any be permitted a stationary location, nor be permitted to operate in any congested area where the operations might impede or inconvenience the public.
It shall be the duty of the Code Enforcement Officer of the Township to enforce the provisions of this article and to require any persons seen peddling or soliciting, who is not known by the officer to be duly licensed, to produce his peddler's or solicitor's license.
A. 
Licenses issued under the provisions of this article may be suspended by the Township Clerk for any of the following causes:
(1) 
Fraud, misrepresentation or false statements contained in the application for license.
(2) 
Fraud, misrepresentation or false statements by the licensee in the course of conducting the business licensed.
(3) 
Any violation of this article.
(4) 
Conviction of any crime involving moral turpitude.
(5) 
Conducting the business licensed in an unlawful manner or in such a manner as to constitute a breach of the peace or a menace to the health, safety and general welfare of the public.
B. 
Upon suspension, the Township Clerk will notify the licensee of the suspension and provide the licensee with a notice of hearing. The notice shall set forth the specific grounds of the complaint and the time and place of hearing and the notice shall be sent by certified mail to the licensee at his last known address at least five days prior to the date set for the hearing.
C. 
The peddler or solicitor shall cease operations until the outcome of the hearing.
D. 
The decision of the Township Committee on the revocation of the license shall be final.
Any person aggrieved by the action of the Township Clerk in the denial of a license shall have the right of appeal to the Township Committee. The appeal shall be filed by the applicant with the Township Clerk within 14 days of the notification the application has been denied and shall include a written statement setting forth the grounds for the appeal. The Township Clerk shall set a time and place for hearing of the appeal, and notice of the hearing shall be given to the applicant in the same manner as provided in § 112-11B. The decision of the Township Committee shall be final.
All licenses issued under the provisions of this article shall expire 60 days after issuance. Any license may be renewed upon payment of the registration fee and upon submission by the licensee of a new application in conformity with the requirements of § 112-4 or, in lieu thereof, a sworn statement in writing setting forth all changes in the information contained in the original application for the expired license which are necessary to bring the new application completely up-to-date. A new application or statement in lieu thereof shall be subject to the provisions and standards set forth in § 112-4.
Township residents may contact the municipal building and be placed on a "Do Not Solicit List." The "Do Not Solicit" list will be distributed to a peddler or solicitor, upon granting of license, which list will bear the address of the resident that has requested the peddler or solicitor not solicit.
If any provision of this article or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the remainder of this article shall not be affected thereby and shall remain in full force and effect.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances or resolutions inconsistent or in opposition to the provisions of this article are hereby repealed in their entirety.