Council Considers New Ordinance

FARMINGTON — The city of Prairie Grove already has an ordinance to regulate doorto-door solicitation, and now the Farmington City Council has decided to consider its own ordinance to address complaints that come every year about groups and individuals selling products and services door-to-door.

The council asked City Attorney Steven Tennant to come up with a proposed ordinance and aldermen looked over Springdale's solicitation ordinance at its May 14 meeting.

City Business Manager Melissa Mccarville said the city staff has looked into a solicitation ordinance in the past but not been able to come up with a viable solution.

In a memo to the council, Mccarville said Springdale's ordinance may give the council a “starting point.”

Basically, Springdale's ordinance allows residents to get a “No soliciting/no peddling” decal or sign that can be posted at the front of a private residence. The decal gives notice that soliciting or peddling at that address is prohibited by city ordinance.

The ordinance requires individuals or groups to apply for a $40 principal permit to solicit or peddle products or services in the community. Along with the permit, the principal must comply with the city's business license requirements and submit a written application that includes name, address of applicant, nature of business, proposed method of operation in the city and a list of all persons who will be soliciting door to door at private residences.

Each person employed by the principal must obtain a peddler/solicitor permit for $5. Applicants also have to submit signed statements under oath that they have not been convicted of any felonies or misdemeanors involving theft, sexual offenses or drug offenses and must turn in a criminal background check from the Arkansas State Police.

To solicit, applicants must have the Springdale ordinance in hand, along with a copy of their permit as well as a visible photo identification.

The ordinance prohibits door to door solicitation from 7 p.m. to 10 a.m. during regular standard time and from 8 p.m. to 10 a.m. during daylight savings time.

The ordinance exempts city, county, state and federal officers or employees from the ordinance, if they are conducting official business and also exempts charitable activities on behalf of a charitable organization or activities related to religious or political purposes.

Prairie Grove uses a “no knock” list and residents can request to be placed on the list.

Larry Oelrich, Prairie Grove's director of administrative services, said the city's ordinance has worked fairly well and for the most part, solicitors have not bothered those people on the list. Currently, about 100 people are on the “no knock” list and this list is given to people who apply for solicitation permits.

Groups or individuals who want to solicit door to door must apply for a business license and this requires a photo identification of everyone who will solicit for that group. The license varies in cost depending on the number of employees but usually is about $20-25. It is only valid for two weeks. The group or individual must apply for another license to continue to sell door to door beyond the initial two weeks.

Non- profit groups also have to register with the city but they do not have to apply for a business license.

Morelock said some of the solicitors have included people selling new roofs, security systems and investment services or insurance.

The Farmington City Council asked Tennant to come up with a draft ordinance for its June 10 meeting.