JACKSON – Stricter regulations and penalties could target solicitors coming to Jackson after municipal officials vowed to address what they called an “intrusion of personal privacy and property.”
At its meeting on Aug. 11, the Township Council is expected to introduce an ordinance that would amend the portion of the municipal code titled Peddling and Soliciting. A public hearing and a possible vote to adopt the ordinance would take place several weeks later.
In recent weeks, some residents came before the council and aired their concerns about unwanted solicitations from individuals who were seeking to purchase their home, regardless of whether it was listed as being for sale.
Several people said individuals they believe to be Orthodox Jews have been scouting their neighborhoods and making unsolicited offers on homes.
Neighboring Lakewood has an Orthodox Jewish community that numbers in the tens of thousands of residents.
The ordinance was initially scheduled for a July 28 introduction. Officials held off and said the proposed law may be introduced on Aug. 11.
Council President Barry Calogero said the revised code would be one of the toughest in the state when it comes to punishing unwanted solicitors.
“If you think Toms River’s ordinance is tough, wait until you see ours,” Calogero said.
The ordinance states that anyone who wants to solicit in Jackson must provide two weeks notice to the municipal clerk’s office. Individuals will have to provide the names of the solicitors, the locations where they will be soliciting, the start and end dates of their campaign, information regarding any motor vehicles to be used in their efforts and proof of insurance.
When the requirements have been met, a permit good for 30 days will be issued. Solicitors will have to wear the permit in a location that is visible to the public at all times. The ordinance limits solicitations to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 2 p.m. Sunday.
According to the ordinance, solicitors will be prohibited from using “race, color, sexual orientation, ethnicity or religious affiliation of neighbors, prospective buyers or other occupants of prospective occupants” as a way to influence a property owner to sell his land, among other actions.
The ordinance addresses Jackson’s “no knock” registry, which lists homes where residents do not want to be approached by solicitors. According to some residents, a number of solicitors have disregarded the “no knock” registry.
“When someone is standing on your front step it is an intrusion of personal privacy and property we have to address,” Councilman Robert Nixon said.
At present, any solicitor who conducts business at a home that is listed on the “no knock” registry and that is also displaying a free “no knock” decal would face a $1,250 fine and the revocation of any peddler’s license he may hold.
If the proposed ordinance is adopted, anyone convicted of violating the “no knock” registry provisions would also face up to 90 days in county jail.
In addition to any actions taken by Jackson police officers while enforcing the ordinance, municipal officials could refer a resident’s complaint to the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights Real Estate Commission, or to any other state or federal agency.
Nixon said the proposal to impose tougher punishment on solicitors is being made to serve as a clear deterrent for future offenders.
“If you are going to blow past our no knock ordinance, there has to be a heavy penalty for that violation and it has to be more than a couple of dollars that someone with deep pockets can pay off with no problem,” he said. “The threat of jail time is something I think would properly address that.”
To better inform future solicitors and vendors, the clerk’s office will update the list of households enrolled in the “no knock” registry on a monthly basis, rather than every Jan. 15 and July 15.
Officials said the ordinance would not apply to “any real estate that is publicly advertised for sale or to open houses sponsored by the owner.”
Nixon said he welcomed his colleagues to review the ordinance with Jackson’s legal counsel before its expected introduction on Aug. 11.
“I respect that my colleagues need to digest what I hope is a substantive change to our no knock and solicitation ordinance,” he said. “Taking rather aggressive steps sometimes needs an extra pair of eyes and an extra couple of days to make sure we are getting it right.”
Calogero said he did not believe the proposed ordinance needs to be changed, but said he wanted to ensure that the law that is introduced will be the right action for Jackson.
“There are so many residents and so many concerns that we want to make sure we get this right,” he said.