In the day of pop-up ads and e-mail ads, the knock on the door still exists as a way to sell you something. Up close and personal. As back when the practice had its heyday, there are those who wish to go look for something as opposed to having it brought to them. And those who just wish to not be bothered at dinner, or while watching tv, or just relaxing.
Well, Roselle Park residents can now sign up to stop that knock on the door or ring of the bell with someone wanting to sell them a product or a service.
A recent incident with representatives of Star Energy had people calling the police and their representatives asking what could be done about it. The governing body asked Andrew Casais, the borough clerk, to research the matter. It was then that Mr. Casais found out that a statute already exists on the books (4-10.2.g.1).
4-10.2 Solicitors and Canvassers.
g. Limitations.
- The Borough may establish a nonsolicitation list of all residents and property owners who have notified the Borough that they do not authorize any person or entity to solicit or canvas at their residence or property. Such list shall be limited to the addresses where solicitation or canvassing is not authorized and shall be made available by the Borough Clerk to anyone seeking to solicit or canvass in the Borough. The Tax Assessor, shall, upon being advised of a transfer of ownership of a residential premises, notify the Borough Clerk of said conveyance whereupon the Borough Clerk shall remove the premises so transferred from the nonsolicitation list.
- A Borough resident or property owner may post a no-soliciting sign on its property.
Property owners can go online to the borough’s website under the Services section to sign up for the no-knock registry (link).
Once on the No-Knock page, any resident can put in their street address which is required.
Additional information can be provided but is not necessary. If a property owner wishes to provide additional information it will not be contained in the no-knock list but, under New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA), that information would be part of a public record and may be shared with any requestor.
If a property transfers ownership, the address may be removed from the list and the new owner will have to sign up again.
Joining this registry will not prevent unsolicited phone calls. That may be handled under the national Do Not Call registry (link).
The No-Knock registry will also not prohibit members or representatives of any church, social, civic, political, fraternal, or philanthropic nonprofit organization which may knock on your door between the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. since such organizations are protected under the First Amendment.
Anyone who cannot – or does not wish to – join the registry via the internet or has more questions, can contact the borough clerk’s office at (908) 245-6222.