[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Haddon Heights 6-1-1999 by Ord. No. 1059 (Ch. 37 of the 1975 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Littering — See Ch. 288.
Peddling and soliciting — See Ch. 337.
The Council finds that the promiscuous distribution of advertising materials contributes to the litter covering streets, yards and sidewalks and to the degradation of the quality of life within the Borough. In order to control the proliferation of advertising materials, the purposes of this chapter are specifically declared to be as follows:
A. 
To protect local residents against trespassing by canvassers or handbill distributors upon the private property of residents if they have given reasonable notice that they do not wish to be solicited by such persons or do not desire to receive advertising materials.
B. 
To protect the people against the health and safety menace and the expense incident to the littering of the streets and public places by the promiscuous and uncontrolled distribution of advertising materials.
The following term(s), when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
ADVERTISING MATERIALS
Any printed or written matter, any sample or device, circular, leaflet, pamphlet, paper, booklet or any other printed or otherwise reproduced original or copies of any matter or literature which advertises for sale any merchandise, product, commodity or thing, or which directs attention to any business or mercantile or commercial establishment, or other activity, for the purpose of either directly or indirectly promoting the interests thereof by sales, or which, while containing reading matter other than advertising matter, is predominantly and essentially an advertisement, and is distributed or circulated for advertising purposes or for the private benefit and gain of any person so engaged as advertiser or distributor.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind to deposit, place or throw any advertising materials in or upon any public place within the Borough; provided, however, that it shall not be unlawful for any person to hand out or distribute without charge to the receiver any commercial or noncommercial handbills in any public place to any person willing to accept the handbill.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind to deposit, place or throw any advertising materials upon any premises if requested by anyone thereon not to do so or if there is placed on the premises in a conspicuous position near the entrance a sign bearing the words "No Trespassing," "No Advertisements" or any similar notice, indicating in any manner that the occupants of the premises do not wish to have their right or privacy disturbed or to have any advertising materials left upon their premises. Proper notice shall also be accomplished by mailing (United States first-class mail, return receipt requested) written notification to any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization responsible for the distribution of the advertising materials that the occupants of the premises do not wish to have any advertising materials left upon their premises. The provision of this section shall not apply to the distribution of mail by the United States, newspapers or governmental-related materials such as, but not limited to, the Haddon Heights calendar, or the Haddon Heights Fourth of July booklet.
A. 
The Superintendent of Public Works or an authorized agent may notify the person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind of the location of all unauthorized advertising materials and require their removal. If the person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind, after notification, fails to remove the unauthorized advertising materials, the Superintendent may authorize the removal and charge the cost of removal to the offending person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization.
B. 
The Superintendent of Public Works shall determine the reasonable costs to the Borough incurred in removing advertising materials pursuant to this chapter. Such costs shall include, but are not limited to, direct labor, material and equipment costs, as well as departmental and general Borough overhead costs attributable to removal of advertising materials. Notice under this section may be by certified or ordinary mail if an address is indicated on the advertising materials or by phone if a telephone number is indicated or by any means reasonably intended to give notice to the originator of the unauthorized advertising materials.
This chapter shall not be deemed to repeal, amend or modify any ordinances ever ordained, either prohibiting, regulating or licensing canvassers, hawkers, peddlers, transient merchants or any person using the public streets or places for any private business or enterprise or for commercial sales, not covered herein. This chapter is not intended to affect the distribution of political campaign literature.
[Amended 10-19-2004 by Ord. No. 1181; 6-19-2018 by Ord. No. 1451]
In addition to the above, the person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization responsible for the unauthorized distribution of advertising materials may, upon conviction, be punished by a maximum penalty of a fine not exceeding $2,000 or by imprisonment for a period not exceeding 90 days or by a period of community service not exceeding 90 days, or any combination thereof, for each individual violation. This fine may be instituted in addition to the assessment of costs for removal of the advertising materials as set forth above.