Bell Acres Considers Regulating Door-to-Door Solicitation

Solicitors soon will need a permit if they plan to go door to door in .

On Monday, Bell Acres Council voted to advertise an amendment to borough ordinances that addresses . Councilman Robert Powner made the motion, which was seconded by Councilman Ken Alvania. 

Council will vote next month on the amendment, which if approved would require solicitors to fill out a permit application and pay a $150 fee to cover a criminal background check and permit-preparation costs.

Door-to-door solicitation would be limited to the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., but residences and businesses with “no solicitation” signs posted would be off-limits. Solicitors would not be permitted after 5 p.m. to visit places that post “no evening solicitation” signs. Permits would show the solicitor's name and address and would have to be kept visible at all times.

Penalties would range from $100 to $300 in fines, up to 30 days in jail, or permit revocation.

Bell Acres Manager Charles Kulbacki raised the issue to council in the summer, pointing out that the borough’s present ordinance was too vague and open to interpretation.

Council members say the issue is safety.

Alvania gave an example that he said occurred a few days ago, when an unfamiliar man drove up to his house and got out of the car.

“As he pulled out his Bible, I was at ease,” Alvania said.

Solicitor Robert Junker said religious groups going door to door are protected under the First Amendment, but if their members don’t want to be mistaken for prowlers, they may also obtain a permit at no fee. The restriction on solicitation also does not apply to political or charitable activities by nonprofit organizations, and their fees would be waived.

“They can apply for borough permits,” Junker said.

Council President Dennis Young advised religious groups to take that step and obtain official borough identification to show “they have been checked out by the police department, and they are who they are pretending to be,” he said.

Applications would include such information as names, addresses, telephone numbers, vehicle descriptions and plate numbers, and a description of the nature of business or goods being offered for sale.

All applications would be available for public inspection and would be kept on file with the borough until Dec. 31 of the issuing year.

Solicitors would have to keep permits visible at all times and display the solicitor’s name and address.

Applicants will be approved or rejected within five days. Borough staff would have the right to deny a permit to anyone who is convicted or pleaded guilty to a burglary, violent crime, felony or misdemeanor involving fraud or misrepresentation.