Encinitas sets hours for door-to-door solicitors
North County Times – Escondido,CA,USA
ENCINITAS — Whether that knock on the door comes from a peddler or
promoter, the individual must carry a permit and may not solicit before 9
am or after 6 …

ENCINITAS — Whether that knock on the door comes from a peddler or promoter, the individual must carry a permit and may not solicit before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m., the Encinitas City Council unanimously agreed Wednesday.

The vote, which amended an existing ordinance, came in response to a request from Richard Kepler, a crime prevention specialist at the Encinitas Sheriff’s Station. Kepler told the council that the city’s existing permit requirements do not restrict the hours during which a solicitor may operate.

Sheriff’s Capt. Don Fowler said before the council meeting that residents have called the station questioning the legitimacy of some solicitors who appear on doorsteps during the evening.

“Sometimes there have been criminals who have used that as a premise to look inside for anything valuable or to get inside the door,” he said. “Anything we can do to help (residents) be safer and tighten down this process is great.”

The permit requirement applies to door-to-door vendors and people who sell goods or services in public places. Interviewers who collect information for a business enterprise also must carry the city-issued permit.

The requirement does not apply to government representatives or to people representing political parties. The ordinance also exempts newspaper hawkers and students engaged in school activities.

Girl Scouts won’t need permits to sell cookies, officials said.

The permits cost $80 and must be renewed annually. At present, five of them are in circulation, said Christine Boumann, permit administrator. A dry-cleaning business, an investment broker and a vegetable peddler are among the permit holders.

In addition to paying the fee, permit applicants must undergo a Sheriff’s Department background check and fingerprinting. The review takes three to four weeks to complete, she said.

Kepler and City Clerk Deborah Cervone told the council that newly issued permits include a photograph embossed with the city’s seal, making the document more difficult to falsify. The documents also bear the permit holder’s address, height, weight and sex.

Earlier this week, a vendor of children’s books and coloring sets brought his wares to the Encinitas office of the North County Times.

A reporter asked for an interview and to see his solicitor’s permit.

Travis Murdock produced a worn document labeled as a city of San Diego solicitor’s permit. He had no Encinitas permit, but said his employer usually complies with local regulations.