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Board reviews draft ordinances on solicitors, transient retail and mobile food vendors; asks for refinements
Summary
Harris Township reviewed draft regulations to separately address solicitors/peddlers, transient retail businesses and mobile food vendors; supervisors debated do-not-solicit registry rules, First Amendment exemptions, vendor limits in rural zones, farmers-market vendor lists and enforcement responsibilities and asked staff to return with edits and a proposed fee schedule.
Staff presented draft ordinances to modernize township rules for solicitors/peddlers, transient retail businesses and mobile food vendors, converting earlier outlines into proposed regulatory text and asking the board for feedback before a fee structure is proposed.
Key discussion points included publicizing a 'do-not-solicit' registry and ensuring the ordinance exempts canvassers (political, religious and nonprofit activity) for First Amendment compliance; supervisors agreed registry details and outreach should be handled via the township e-update and website.
Board members debated limits on transient retail operations in rural and residential zones. An initial draft restricted operations to a single transient retail business on a rural/residential property; several supervisors recommended raising that limit to two to accommodate common local uses like cidery stands plus a food vendor. Staff agreed to revise the draft to reflect the board preference.
Farmers markets and producer exemptions drew prolonged discussion. Staff proposed an exemption for farmers selling only agricultural products they grew, but supervisors highlighted enforcement challenges in verifying vendor provenance and asked the solicitor to confirm whether the township can collect vendor names from exempt producers without violating enabling legislation. The board requested clearer operator responsibilities and vendor lists for special events to make enforcement practicable.
Supervisors asked staff to incorporate the suggested edits (vendor-count changes, clarified exemptions, operator information requirements), draft a fee schedule tied to administration costs, and return with a revised package.
