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Commission advances door-to-door solicitation ordinance after public-safety concerns; staff to add vendor ID and hours
Summary
After multiple complaints about aggressive, late-evening door-to-door vendors, the commission advanced a first reading of a new ordinance requiring permits and vendor identification for door-to-door sales and asked staff to include time-of-day limits and public outreach.
The Rio Grande City Commission advanced on first reading a proposed ordinance that would require permits for door-to-door sales inside city limits and asked staff to add vendor-identification requirements and time-of-day limits before final adoption.
Commissioners, police and members of the public described repeated complaints about aggressive door-to-door vendors who knocked on doors late in the evening. Mayor Falcon and several commissioners said incidents included pushy sales tactics and interactions that alarmed residents, including households with children.
What the ordinance will do - Require vendors engaging in door-to-door sales to register with the planning department and carry city-issued identification while vending. - Permit the city to set and enforce permitted hours for solicitation and set penalties (fines, possible towing for associated vehicles) for repeat violations; exact fine schedule to be drafted by legal and finance. - Provide for public outreach via the city's communications office to inform residents about how to verify permitted vendors and how to report suspicious behavior.
Discussion vs. decision - Discussion: Police and commissioners described recent calls for service related to door-to-door vendors, including late-evening solicitations and reports of pressure on residents to open doors. Commissioners asked whether permits could include photo IDs, vehicle descriptions and local contact information. - Decision: The commission approved the ordinance on first reading and directed staff to draft permit forms, identification requirements and outreach materials; those items will return for second reading with suggested enforcement language and a proposed fine schedule.
Ending Commissioners said they favored a policy that permits legitimate local vendors while protecting residents from intrusive or potentially criminal behavior; they instructed staff to coordinate the ordinance language with the police department and the planning office and to prepare a public-awareness campaign.
