Council weighs citywide solicitation rules after residents cite downtown issues

Councilors considered amendments to the city’s solicitation ordinance aimed at reducing aggressive solicitation and limiting lingered activity at intersections and crosswalks.

Council member Camarillo Smith introduced the item and staff (Speaker 12) said the draft amended an earlier ordinance by adding pedestrian rules and identifying specific intersections of concern (examples included Wheeler, Cleveland, Harrison, Commercial and Goodnight). Staff said the draft defines medians and clarified activity allowed on sidewalks versus roadways. Chief Perkins (Speaker 13) cautioned that the ordinance must respect First Amendment protections for presence in public spaces, and staff emphasized the ordinance regulates activity (stopping/remaining in intersections) rather than forbidding presence on public property.

Council debated whether designating specific intersections would simply displace activity to other corners and several members preferred a citywide rule that prohibits lingering at intersections and crosswalks 'within the city of Aransas Pass' while allowing organized, permitted charitable events with waived fees. Council asked staff to revise the draft to remove the narrow-location approach, retain time/place/manner language, add an exemption pathway for organized events, keep a simple permit process (day‑before approval allowed) for such events and to bring the revised ordinance back to council for review.