Upland advisory committee seeks tighter rules for door-to-door solicitors

The City Council Advisory Committee on Sept. 2 considered staff-proposed updates to the solicitor program in Upland Municipal Code chapter 5.28 that would narrow when and where commercial solicitors may approach residents and establish a do-not-knock registry.

Stacy Sullivan, the city’s deputy director of finance, told the committee that solicitors currently must obtain a business license, sign a solicitor agreement, fill out a registration form and receive a photo solicitor badge that is active for 30 days. "Currently, solicitors are required to come to city hall and complete a business license tax certificate, a solicitor's agreement, a registration form, and they will receive a solicitor ID badge, which is active for 30 days," Sullivan said. Staff proposed limiting solicitation by hours and by proximity to building entrances and ATMs, and creating a do-not-knock registry maintained by the finance division.

The proposal emphasizes time, manner and place restrictions rather than an outright ban because of free‑speech limits. Staff also identified exemptions for political, religious and youth-related activities, and told the committee the ordinance would focus on commercial solicitation for financial gain. Committee members asked staff to return with clarified language, comparative examples from nearby cities and a recommended approach on badge durations and enforcement. Staff said the amended code would then go to the finance committee and, if adopted by council, would typically take effect about 30 days after adoption.

Why it matters: Committee members framed the issue as both a consumer‑protection and public‑safety matter — the changes aim to make it easier for residents to identify authorized solicitors and to give enforcement tools for repeat offenders while preserving constitutionally protected activities.