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Oakland board restores residential solicitation permitting, board approves ordinance change
Summary
After public comment and board questions about ID badges and no-solicitation lists, the Board approved Ordinance 25-10 to allow permitted solicitors to visit dwellings; the vote was recorded in favor.
The Oakland Board of Aldermen voted to approve Ordinance 25-10 on Aug. 21, amending the town's peddler and solicitor rules by removing language that excluded dwellings from places a permitted solicitor may visit.
The change restores the ability for permitted solicitors and peddlers to go door-to-door in residential neighborhoods provided they obtain a town-issued permit, background check and identification badge. Town staff said the permit package includes a list of addresses that have signed up on a no-solicitation registry; solicitors are required to honor those addresses.
During public comment, a resident identified as Roy Neuhauser said he opposed removing the residential exclusion and urged the board to keep stricter limits. Neuhauser said requiring solicitors to obtain town permits is a public-safety step and said homeowners should not be forced to place “no soliciting” signs in their yards to avoid contact.
Board members asked several operational questions. Staff and the chief said the town’s ID-badge machine had been broken but a new machine had been purchased and would be operational the following week; staff said a permit packet is issued with the no-solicitation list so solicitors would receive it when they are permitted.
Questions also addressed permit timing and weekend activity. Staff said the ordinance does not change existing time limitations in the original ordinance (the transcript includes an exchange referencing a time limit tied to sundown) but did not provide a definitive permit-term duration on the record; one alderman asked staff to follow up with permit-duration details by email.
Board members discussed enforcement on weekends (when code enforcement is closed). Police said officers can check permits by phone and respond to complaints; the chief said the department would enforce if solicitors lacked permits.
After discussion, the board proceeded with a motion and roll-call on the ordinance; the transcript records the measure as approved on that vote.
