Chapter 5 · Business Regulations
Article 1. Solicitors, Canvassers, Peddlers
5-101 Definitions.
For the purpose of this article, the following words shall be considered to have the following meanings:
(a)Soliciting — shall mean and include any one or more of the following activities:
(1)Seeking to obtain orders for the purchase of goods, wares, merchandise, foodstuffs, services, of any kind, character or description whatever, for any kind of consideration whatever; or
(2)Seeking to obtain prospective customers for application or purchase of insurance of any type, kind or character; or
(3)Seeking to obtain subscriptions to books, magazines, periodicals, newspapers and every other type or kind of publication.
(b)Residence — shall mean and include every separate living unit occupied for residential purposes by one or more persons, contained within any type of building or structure.
(c)Canvasser or Solicitor — shall mean any individual, whether resident of the city or not, whose business is mainly or principally carried on by traveling either by foot, automobile, motor truck, or any other type of conveyance, from place to place, from house to house, or from street to street, taking or attempting to take orders for sale of goods, wares and merchandise, personal property of any nature whatsoever for future delivery, or for services to be furnished or performed in the future, whether or not such individual has, carries, or exposes for sale a sample of the subject of such sale or whether he or she is collecting advance payments on such sales or not. Such definition shall include any person, who, for himself, herself or for another person, hires, leases, uses, or occupies any building, structure, tent, railroad boxcar, boat, hotel room, lodging house, apartment, shop or any other place within the city for the sole purpose of exhibiting samples and taking orders for future delivery.
(d)Peddler — shall mean any person, whether a resident of the city or not, traveling by foot, automotive vehicle, or any other type of conveyance, from place to place, from house to house, or from street to street, carrying, conveying or transporting goods, wares, merchandise, meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, garden truck, farm products or provisions, offering and exposing the same for sale, or making sales and delivering articles to purchasers, or who, without traveling from place to place, shall sell or offer the same for sale from a wagon, automotive vehicle, railroad boxcar or other vehicle or conveyance, and further provided, that one who solicits orders and as a separate transaction makes deliveries to purchasers as a part of a scheme or design to evade the provisions of this article shall be deemed a peddler.
(e)Transient merchant, itinerant merchant or itinerant vendor — are defined as any person, whether as owner, agent, consignee or employee, whether a resident of the city or not, who engages in a temporary business of selling and delivering goods, wares and merchandise within such city, and who, in furtherance of such purpose, hires, leases, uses or occupies any building, structure, motor vehicle, tent, railroad boxcar, or boat, public room in hotels, lodging houses, apartments, shops or any street, alley or other place within the city, for the exhibition and sale of such goods, wares and merchandise, either privately or at public auction. Such definition shall not be construed to include any person who, while occupying such temporary location, does not sell from stock, but exhibits samples only for the purpose of securing orders for future delivery only. The person so engaged shall not be relieved from complying with the provisions of this article merely by reason of associating temporarily with any local dealer, trader, merchant or auctioneer, or by conducting such transient business in connection with, as a part of, or in the name of any local dealer, trader, merchant or auctioneer.
(f)Vehicular Vendor — shall mean all persons engaged in the business of selling food products from a vehicle, self-powered or otherwise, on the public and private streets and sidewalks of the city; provided that the words vehicular vendor shall not include salesperson who use vehicles to go from place to place for the purpose of making sales on the premises of a prospective purchaser.
(g)Place of Business — shall mean a place where food products, sales items, inventory or other such stock are stored or dispensed to vehicular vendors.
(Code 1994; Ord. 010-1994-092, Sec. 1)
5-102 License required.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in any of the activities defined in section 5-101 without having first secured a valid city license for each place of business operated within the city, and also for each vehicle to be used in the operation of any such business.
(b)The governing body may waive the license requirements of this section for any person, firm or corporation exempt from the payment of a license fee under section 5-107(c).
(Ord. 010-1994-092, Sec. 1; Ord. 010-2026-238)
5-103 Same; application required.
Before the city clerk may issue any license required by this article, he or she shall require a sworn application in writing on a form to be supplied by the city clerk which shall give the following information:
(a)Name and description of applicant;
(b)Permanent home address and full local address of applicant;
(c)Identification of applicant including drivers license number, date of birth, expiration date of license and description of applicant;
(d)Identification of vehicle used by applicant including license therefor used by applicant in conducting his or her business;
(e)A brief description of the nature of the business to be carried on or the goods to be sold and the length of time such applicant has been engaged in the business;
(f)If employed, the name and address of the employer, together with credentials establishing such relationship, including the authority by the employer authorizing the applicant to represent the employer in conducting business;
(g)The length of time which business is proposed to be carried on;
(h)The place where services are to be performed or where the goods or property proposed to be sold or orders taken for the sale thereof are manufactured or produced, where such goods or products are located at the time the application is filed, and the proposed method of delivery;
(i)A statement as to whether or not the applicant has within two years prior to the date of the application been convicted of any crime, misdemeanor (other than minor traffic violations) or violation of any municipal law regulating peddlers, solicitors or canvassers and giving the nature of the offenses, the punishment assessed therefor, if any, and the city and state where conviction occurred.
(j)A list of vehicles to be used in the operation including identification numbers and ownership.
(k)A copy of a valid Kansas Department of Health and Environment Food Handlers license and a copy of the most current health officer inspection record.
(l)A copy of the applicant’s Kansas Sales Tax number.
(Ord. 010-1994-092, Sec. 1; Code 2007; Ord. 010-2026-238)
5-104 Issuance.
Except as provided in sections 5-105, 5-106, and 5-109, upon receipt of an application for a license and payment of the license fee, the city clerk shall issue the license. Such licenses shall contain the signature and seal of the issuing officer and shall show the name and address of the licensee, the date of issuance, the length of time the license shall be operative, and the nature of the business involved. The city clerk shall keep a permanent record of all such licenses issued and submit a copy of such license to the chief of police. The licensee shall carry the license certificate at all times.
(Code 1990; Ord. 010-2026-238)
5-105 Same; investigation and issuance.
(a)Upon receipt of the above application, the city clerk shall refer the same to the chief of police who shall cause an investigation of the facts stated therein to be made within a period not to exceed five business days.
(b)If as a result of the investigation, the applicant’s character or business responsibility is found to be unsatisfactory or the facts stated therein to be untrue, the chief of police shall endorse on such application his or her findings and endorse his or her disapproval of the application and the reasons for the same and shall return the application to the city clerk who then shall notify the applicant that his or her application is disapproved and that no license will be issued.
(c)If however, the investigation of such application discloses that the character and business responsibility and the facts stated in the application are satisfactory and true, the chief of police shall endorse his or her findings and endorse his or her approval of the application and return the application to the city clerk who shall, upon payment of the license fees prescribed, issue a license to the applicant to engage in the business described in the application. Such license shall contain the signature and seal of the issuing officer and shall show the name and address of the licensee, the date of issuance, the length of time the license shall be operative, and the nature of the business involved. The city clerk shall keep a permanent record of all such licenses issued and submit a copy of such license to the chief of police. The licensee shall always carry the license certificate.
(Code 1990; Ord. 010-2026-238)
5-106 Vehicular vendor; fire safety inspection requirement.
(a)Notwithstanding sections 5-104, 5-105, and 5-108, no vehicular vendor license shall be issued or renewed until the vehicle to be licensed has passed a fire safety inspection under this section.
(b)Upon receipt of an application for issuance or renewal of a vehicular vendor license, the city clerk shall refer the application and vehicle information to the fire marshal, who shall conduct a fire safety inspection of the vendor’s vehicle. The inspection shall be completed within five business days of the referral.
(c)If the vehicle fails to meet applicable fire and safety standards, the fire marshal shall document all deficiencies and notify the applicant directly of the required corrections. The fire chief shall also endorse disapproval of the application and return it to the city clerk. The city clerk shall inform the applicant that no license will be issued until all deficiencies are corrected and the vehicle passes reinspection. A disapproval under this subsection shall constitute a denial of the application under section 5-109, and the applicant shall be entitled to the right of appeal provided in section 5-110.
(d)If the vehicle passes the fire safety inspection, the fire chief shall endorse approval on the application and return it to the city clerk. Upon payment of all required license fees, the city clerk shall issue the vehicular vendor license as otherwise provided.
(e)The licensee shall maintain compliance with applicable fire and safety standards throughout the license period.
(Ord. 010-2026-238)
5-107 License fee; time limits; exemptions.
(a)Except as provided in subsections (c) and (d), the fee for the license required pursuant to section 5-102 shall be in the amount of $25.00 per person, permitting the licensee to operate within the city limits for three consecutive days, or portion thereof, excluding weekends.
(b)Any license issued to a peddler, solicitor, or canvasser shall be limited to and effective only on the days set out in the license. Solicitation or sales by any peddler, solicitor, or canvasser shall be conducted only between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Vehicular vendor licenses shall be effective for the one-year license period provided in subsection (d). Vehicular vendors may operate between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday, unless otherwise authorized by resolution of the governing body.
(c)No license fee shall be required of: (1) any person selling products of the farm or orchard actually produced by the seller; (2) any businesses, trades, or occupations which are part of fairs or celebrations sponsored by the city or any other governmental subdivision, or the state, or when part of all the expenses of the fairs or celebrations are paid for by the city, any other governmental subdivision, the state, chamber of commerce; (3) persons representing a duly organized not-for-profit or governmental organization qualified to do business and in good standing in the State of Kansas; or (4) an individual or entity which maintains a physical commercial location within a properly zoned area in the limits of the City used primarily for the sale of the same merchandise and/or services being solicited.
(d)The license fee shall be $25.00 for each vehicular vendor vehicle to be licensed. Each vehicular vendor license shall expire one year after the date of issuance.
(e)All licenses other than vehicular vendor licenses shall expire at 12:00 midnight on December 31st in the year of issuance and the full amount of the license fee shall be paid regardless of the time of year in which the license is issued.
(K.S.A. 12-1617; Ord. 010-1994-092, Sec. 1; Ord. 010-2025-233; Ord. 010-2026-238)
5-108 Renewal.
Except as provided in section 5-106 for vehicular vendor licenses, the city clerk need not require an additional application under section 5-103 or an additional investigation under section 5-105 unless complaints have been received of violations of the conditions under which any license has heretofore been issued. The city clerk shall not renew or extend any license where there is satisfactory evidence of any grounds for the suspension or revocation of any prior license, and the applicant shall be required to apply for a license as in the case of the original license.
(Code 1990; Ord. 010-2026-238)
5-109 Denial, revocation or suspension of license; notice.
(a)The city clerk or chief of police may deny any application or may revoke or suspend for a period of not to exceed 30 days any license issued under this article, for any of the following causes:
(1)Fraud, misrepresentation or false statement contained in the application for license.
(2)Fraud, misrepresentation or false statement made in the course of carrying on the business.
(3)Any violation of this article.
(4)Conducting a business as defined in section 5-101 in an unlawful manner or in such a manner as to constitute a breach of the peace or to constitute a menace to the health, safety or general welfare of the city. Notice of the denial, revocation or suspension of a license shall be given in writing to the applicant or mailed to his or her last known address and the city clerk shall set forth the grounds of such denial, revocation or suspension.
(5)Conviction of the crime of theft, larceny, fraud, embezzlement or any felony within two years prior to the application date.
(Code 1990)
5-110 Appeal to governing body.
(a)Any person aggrieved by the action of the chief of police or city clerk in the denial of an application or revocation or suspension of a license as provided in this article, shall have the right of appeal to the governing body.
(b)Such appeal shall be taken by filing with the city clerk within 14 days after notice of revocation, suspension or denial of the license has been given to or mailed to such applicant’s last known address and setting forth the grounds for appeal.
(c)The governing body shall set a time and place for a hearing on such appeal and notice of such hearing shall be given to the applicant in the same manner as provided herein for notice of denial, revocation or suspension.
(d)The decision and order of the governing body on such appeal shall be final and conclusive.
(Code 1990)
5-111 Regulations.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any licensee to make false or fraudulent statements concerning the quality of nature of his or her goods, wares and merchandise for the purpose of inducing another to purchase the same.
(b)Licensees are required to exhibit their license at the request of any person to whom they attempt to sell their goods, wares and merchandise or take orders for future delivery of the same.
(c)The licensee’s place of business and vehicles as defined in section 5-101 shall be subject to periodic reinspection throughout the license period by the Harvey County health officer and chief of police or their representatives. If an unsatisfactory sanitary, mechanical, or operational condition is noted by an inspector, the license shall remedy the same without delay. Failure to so remedy an unsatisfactory condition shall be cause for revocation of the applicable license.
(Code 1990; Ord. 010-1994-092, Sec. 1)
5-112 Use of streets and sidewalks.
Except when authorized in writing by the city, no peddler, solicitor, canvasser, vehicular vendor or any other person shall have an exclusive right to any location in the public or private streets or sidewalks for any purpose of selling or soliciting sales, nor shall any person be permitted to operate in the sidewalks and streets within fire lanes or any congested area where the operation might impede or unduly inconvenience the public. No person shall be permitted a stationary location on a street, sidewalk or upon public property, when operating as a vehicular vendor. Vehicular vendors shall rigidly observe traffic regulations and safety standards while operating on public streets, sidewalks and public property.
(Ord. 010-1994-092, Sec. 1)
5-113 Disturbing the peace.
Except when authorized in writing by the city clerk, no licensee nor any person in his or her behalf, shall use any sound device, including any loud-speaking radio or sound-amplifying system upon any of the streets, alleys, parks or other public places of the city or upon any private premises in the city where sound of sufficient volume is emitted or produced therefrom to be capable of being plainly heard upon the streets, avenues, alleys, parks or other public places, for the purpose of attracting attention to any goods, wares or merchandise which such licensee proposes to sell.
(Code 1990)