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Council advances ‘do not knock’ registry and tightens penalties for commercial solicitors
Summary
Council members read for the first time ordinances to create a city-managed do-not-knock registration working with NOPEC and to make violations by commercial solicitors trespassing; a student asked how rental properties can register multiple units.
Athens City Council on Oct. 6 read two related ordinances aimed at limiting commercial door-to-door solicitation in the city and creating an opt-in ‘‘do not knock’’ registry.
Ordinance 106-25 would establish a do-not-knock registration program in partnership with NOPEC (the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council). Property owners or renters could register to have their address placed on a city-maintained list; registered addresses would also be eligible for a do-not-knock sticker to display at the residence so solicitors can identify nonparticipating properties. Swank said the registry is intended to target commercial solicitations, not nonprofit groups or door-to-door sales by charities or students.
Companion Ordinance 107-25 would amend the city’s vending, peddling and soliciting code to make it trespassing for commercial peddlers or solicitors to knock on properties that display a no-solicit sign or are on the city’s do-not-knock registry. Violators could face trespass charges and possible suspension or revocation of solicitation licenses at the director of code enforcement’s discretion.
A student in attendance, Mitch Mollison, asked whether rental companies could register entire multiunit properties; Mayor Patterson responded that individual units may register but managers of multiunit properties could register units collectively through the manager to cover every unit in an apartment complex. The ordinances were read for the first time; no final votes were taken.
Next steps: The measures will return for additional committee review and readings; staff said they will coordinate outreach to campus housing and property managers.
