La Palma Municipal Code Art. IV Solicitation

The policies governing solicitation provided herein are intended to protect the health, safety, convenience, and general welfare of the public.

For purposes of this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

Charitable means and includes the words patriotic, philanthropic, social services, welfare, benevolent, educational, religious, civic or fraternal, either actual or purported.

Solicit and solicitation includes the act of going from place-to-place on or along City streets or sidewalks, in any public park, in any place of public accommodation, in any place of business generally open to the public, or in any other public place for any of the purposes stated below, except to the extent that the activity falls under the definition of sidewalk vending as defined by section 36-181 of this Code and the sidewalk vendor is both in compliance with the provisions of chapter 36, article VI for sidewalk vending and otherwise in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and standards:

(1) Displaying, offering for sale, selling or taking orders for the future delivery of goods, or offering for sale, selling or taking orders for the future rendering of services, whether such activities are oral or written;

(2) Directly or indirectly, whether in writing or orally, requesting money, credit, property, financial assistance, patronage or any other thing of value, for charitable or non-charitable purposes;

(3) Distributing, circulating, posting or publishing any handbill, written advertisement or other written publication;

(4) Offering or announcing the availability of employment; or

(5) Proselytizing, evangelizing or otherwise attempting to spread a message, religious or otherwise.

A solicitation, as defined in this subsection, shall be deemed completed when made, whether or not an actual employment relationship is created, a transaction is completed or any exchange of money or other item of value takes place.

(Ord. No. 2022-07, § 5, 8-2-2022)

No person shall solicit in the City between sunset on any given day and sunrise the following day.

(a) No person shall, without prior appointment or express permission from the owner or occupant, solicit at any residential dwelling, including but not limited to a house, apartment, or condominium, where there is a sign indicating "No Solicitations," "Do Not Disturb," or any other indication, including but not limited to a verbal statement by the occupant, that the occupant does not wish to be solicited or in any other way have his or her privacy disturbed.

(b) No person shall, in connection with any solicitation, touch, come into physical contact with, or affix any object to another person, without first receiving express permission therefor from such other person.

(c) No person shall solicit in a manner that obstructs the free movement of any person on any street, sidewalk or other public place open to the public generally.

(d) No person shall threaten any injury or damage to any person who declines to be solicited.

(e) No person shall misrepresent his or her physical or mental health while soliciting.

(f) The regulations contained in this section shall not apply to any solicitation that occurs pursuant to the voluntary prior consent of the person to whom or location at which the solicitation is directed.

(a) No person shall directly or indirectly solicit from any person by misrepresentation of his or her name, occupation, financial condition, social condition, residence or principal place of business, and no person shall make or cause to be made any misstatement of fact, deception, or fraudulent misrepresentation in connection with any solicitation in the City.

(b) No person soliciting within the City shall use a name, symbol, or statement so closely related or similar to that used by another business, organization or governmental agency, in such a manner that the use thereof would tend to confuse or mislead the public.

No person shall solicit from or direct solicitation to any person in a motor vehicle traveling along any City street. This section shall not apply to freeway oriented solicitation regulated by Vehicle Code § 22520.5.

All commercial fundraisers for charitable purposes, as that term is defined by State law, shall comply with all State registration, reporting and other related requirements prior to and while soliciting within the City.