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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance No. 35ORDINANCE NO. r AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS, PROVIDING DEFINITIONS; PROHIBITING THROWING OR DEPOSITING LITTER; PROVID- ING FOR A PENALTY OF FINE NOT TO EXCEED THE SUM OF TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ($200.00) FOR EACH OFFENSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of the Colony, Texas: SECTION 1. For the purposes of this ordinance, the following definitions are provided, to -wit: a. "Handbill" shall be any printed or written mat- ter, any sample or device, circular, leaflet, pamphlet, paper, booklet or any other printed or otherwise reproduced original or copies of any matter of literature which advertises for sale any merchandise, product, commodity or thing or which directs attention to any busi- ness or mercantile or commercial establishment or other activity, for the purpose of either directly or indirectly promoting the interest thereof by sales or which directs attention to or advertises meetings, theatrical performance, exhibition or event of any kind, for which an admission fee is charged for the purpose of private gain or profit. This definition shall not include newspapers or periodicals as de- fined herein. b. "Person" shall mean any person, firm, partner- ship, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind. C. "Private Premises shall mean any dwelling, house, building or other structure designed or used either wholly or in part for private res- idential purposes, whether inhabited or tem- porarily or continuously uninhabited or vacant, including any yard, grounds, walk, driveway, porch, steps or mail box belonging to such dwelling, house, building or other structure. d. "Public Place" shall mean any and all streets, sidewalks, boulevards, alleys, or any public ways and any and all public parks, squares, spaces, grounds and buildings within the city. e. "Newspaper" shall mean any newspaper of general circulation devoting not less than twenty-five percent (25%) of its total column lineage to the carrying of items of general interest, pub- lished not less frequently than once each week, entered as second-class postal matter with the United States Postal Service, and having been published regularly and continuously for not less than twelve (12) months. "Periodical" shall mean any current magazine regularly pub- lished with not less than four (4) issues per year, and sold to the public. SECTION 2. It shall be unlawful and an offense for any person to throw or deposit any handbill, newspaper or periodical in or upon any street, sidewalk or other public place within the city, except in public receptacles. Persons placing litter in public receptacles or in authorized private receptacles shall do so in such a manner as to prevent it from being carried or de- posited by the elements upon any street, sidewalk or other public place or upon private property. No person shall hand out or distribute or sell any commercial handbill in any public place. It shall not be unlawful for any person to hand out or distribute any non-commercial handbill to any person willing to accept it. SECTION 3. No person shall throw, deposit or distribute any handbill, newspaper or periodical upon any private premises, if requested by anyone thereon not to do so, or if there is placed on such premises in a conspicuous position near the entrance thereof, a sign giving notice indicating in any manner that the occupants of such premises do not desire any such handbill, news- paper or periodical left upon the premises. In the absence of such notice, no handbill shall be thrown, deposited or distribu- ted on any private property within the city except in an author- ized private receptacle for collection of such handbill and in such manner that such handbill will be prevented from being carried or deposited by the elements upon any street, sidewalk or other public place in the city or upon any private property. SECTION 4. Any person violating any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction in the Municipal Court of the City of the Colony shall be fined in an amount not to exceed the sum of TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ($200.00) for each offense. SECTION 5. This ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after its passage and the publication of the caption, as the law in such cases provides. DULY PASSED by the City Council of the City of the Colony, Texas on theme % day of 1978. APPROVED: ATTEST: f' APPROVED AS TO FORM: CITY ATTORNEY YOR ITY SECRET