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Highlands approves consolidated solicitation ordinance; new penalties take effect immediately
Summary
The Highlands Town Board approved a revised solicitation ordinance that consolidates existing rules, defines aggressive solicitation, extends enforcement authority to companies as well as individuals, and raises civil penalties to the state-allowed maximum. The ordinance takes effect immediately upon adoption.
The Highlands Town Board of Commissioners approved a consolidated solicitation ordinance on Oct. 16, 2025, that the town attorney said formalizes rules for solicitors, peddlers and transient vendors and raises civil penalties to the $500-per-violation maximum allowed by state law.
Town Attorney Nick (town attorney) told commissioners the draft pulls existing provisions together from Chapter 6, Article 3 of the town code, clarifies that both companies and individuals may be cited, and adds language defining solicitation in an “aggressive manner.” Nick said the ordinance applies to solicitation on public property and to solicitation on private property without the property owner’s permission.
The revision was prepared after a workshop and sample language from other North Carolina jurisdictions. Commissioners moved to approve the ordinance as revised; a motion passed and, as noted during the discussion, the ordinance “shall take effect immediately upon adoption.” The board did not record a roll-call tally on the record; the meeting used the standard voice vote procedure.
Supporters said the revised language gives law enforcement flexibility to address repeat or aggressive solicitation. During public comment earlier in the meeting, a resident identified only as Steve urged immediate implementation of changes to outside sales practices, saying local businesses lost sales after Hurricane Helene and asking that any ordinance be implemented promptly so the town does not lose another season.
The town attorney said the consolidated ordinance was drafted to avoid First Amendment conflicts while providing stricter civil penalties and clearer enforcement authority. Commissioners did not identify any changes to the ordinance’s geographic scope beyond the public-property/private-property-without-permission distinction discussed in the work session.
The board approved the measure and confirmed it will be enforced immediately. The town provided no additional specifics during the meeting about enforcement procedures, a schedule for signage, or an implementation timetable for enforcement training.
