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Council advances 'Do Not Knock' registration with NOPEC partnership; students ask about coverage
Summary
Council read for first time an ordinance to establish a NOPEC-backed 'Do Not Knock' registration and related enforcement measures; questions from a student asked whether multiunit landlords could register multiple units through property managers.
Athens City Council advanced for first reading an ordinance to create a city-administered “Do Not Knock” registration program in partnership with the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC).
Council Member Alan Swank described Ordinance 106-25 as an opt-in registry limiting door-to-door commercial solicitations by companies that solicit energy and related services. Swank said the program will allow residents to register, receive a NOPEC-branded “Do Not Knock” sticker, and have the list provided to solicitors when they obtain a permit to solicit in Athens.
Swank said the program is intended to protect residents from unwanted commercial solicitations while preserving legitimate nonprofit and civic outreach: “Nonprofits, religious organizations, Girl Scout cookies, that's all still fine and dandy, but these are for commercial entities.” The ordinance that accompanies the registry (Ordinance 107-25) adds a trespassing provision to the city’s vending and soliciting code, enabling revocation or suspension of a solicitor’s license if they knock at a registered address.
A student who identified himself as Mitchell (Ohio University student) asked whether rental companies or landlords could register all units in a multiunit property or whether each unit must register individually. Mayor Patterson replied individual units can be registered but said he and staff would work with the university off-campus housing office and property managers to facilitate adding multiunit properties to the registry.
Council read both ordinances for the first time; no adoption vote occurred at this meeting. Staff said they will work with code enforcement and the university to publicize the program and incorporate multiunit registration procedures where appropriate.
The record shows NOPEC already operates similar programs in about 25–30 Ohio municipalities, and council members framed the measure as a consumer-protection and quality-of-life improvement.
