A long-standing and popular ordinance banning door-to-door sales in Fort Collins is ending, but officials say this will not mean residents will be flooded by neighborhood peddlers.
“I don’t think it will turn out how some people fear it will, that people will be inundated,” said Fort Collins Mayor Karen Weitkunat.
She and a majority of the City Council this week voted, somewhat reluctantly, to repeal the city’s ban on commercial door-to-door solicitation. It was one of the last of the “Green River Ordinances” and had been on the books since 1938.
Many residents praised the law because it kept nuisance salespeople from knocking on their doors, especially around dinnertime, officials said.
“It really bothered people when someone would dump a whole bunch of youth selling something and turn them (loose) into a neighborhood,” said Weitkunat.
Under the ordinance, Fort Collins allowed some door-to-door canvassing by religious, charitable and political groups as well as soliciting for newspaper and magazine subscriptions.
However, the ordinance is being challenged in federal District Court by Royal Crest Dairy, which alleges the ban is unconstitutional and restricts its free-speech rights under the First Amendment.
The company relies on going door to door to talk with customers and potential customers, according to its suit: “As a result …(the ordinance) is causing Royal Crest to lose sales and marketshare, as well as brand recognition and goodwill.”
So the city will allow sales but is starting a system that requires vendors to get permits to solicit door-t0- door, while solicitors have to wear city-issued identification badges.
Residents can also post “No Soliciting” or “No Trespassing” signs on their property and the city will keep an online registry of households that don’t want solicitors.
