RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
Richmond City Council – Richmond City Hall - 900 E. Broad Street, Suite 200 - Richmond, VA 23219 - www.council.richmondva.gov
COUNCIL PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWS ADVISORY
IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED
Friday, 26 October 2012
Richmond Law prohibits panhandling or solicitation from city medians
WHAT (Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) -- Richmond law prohibits panhandling or solicitation on center medians. This law was established by Richmond City Council and has been in effect for nearly 15 years. Per the Richmond Code of Laws (Code of the City of Richmond), Section 66-317 part (c), it is "unlawful for any person to stand or stay on any center median for the purpose of soliciting contributions of any kind."
The full sections of relevant laws are as follows:
Sec. 66-317. - Solicitation on center median.
(a) Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Center median means any area in the middle of any street or highway, designed to provide a barrier to keep traffic on one side of the street from going to the other side of the street. A center median may be a raised concrete strip or a grass strip.
Selling, offering for sale, advertising, soliciting, distributing and distribute mean any such activity which involves the delivery of any document, publication or other item or the intent to deliver any document, publication or other item to any occupant of a motor vehicle located on a city street or any such activity which involves the receipt of any money or any item or the intent to receive any money or any item from the occupant of an automobile located on a city street, other than a motor vehicle parked in a designated parking space.
(b)
Purpose. Intersections that have center medians often are designed to deal with specific traffic flow problems. Any delay or distraction may interfere with traffic planning. Frequently persons stand near intersections and near traffic lights to contact drivers or passengers in cars that are passing or that are stopped temporarily due to traffic lights. The purpose of this section is to prevent dangers to persons and property, to prevent delays in vehicular and pedestrian traffic and to avoid interference with such traffic flow.
(c)
Prohibited use of center median strip. It shall be unlawful for any person to stand or stay on any center median for the purpose of soliciting contributions of any kind. It shall also be unlawful for any person to stand or stay on any center median for the purpose of selling, offering for sale or advertising any product, property or service or for the purpose of distributing any document, product, or other item.
(d)
Permitted use of center median. In addition to other pedestrian purposes, center medians may also be used under the following circumstances:
(1)
A person may be on the center median temporarily to deal with an emergency.
(2)
A pedestrian crossing a street or highway may remain on a center median until it is safe to proceed.
(3)
A person may be on that portion of a center median in a street that has been temporarily closed by a permit issued pursuant to section 90-361
(e)
Penalty. Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a class 4 misdemeanor. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.
(Code 1993, § 20-136)
Sec. 66-318. - Unlawful entry onto streets.
(a)
It shall be unlawful for any person to enter a street and approach a motor vehicle to:
(1)
Distribute handbills, merchandise, leaflets, bulletins, literature, advertisements, or similar material to the drivers of motor vehicles or passengers therein;
(2)
Solicit contributions of any nature from the drivers of motor vehicles or passengers therein; or
(3)
Sell any merchandise or attempt to sell merchandise to the drivers of motor vehicles or passengers therein.
(b)
Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a class 4 misdemeanor. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.
(Code 1993, § 20-137)
CONTACT For more information, please contact Steve Skinner, Richmond City Council Public Information Manager, at 804.646.6052; or steven.skinner@richmondgov.com
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______________________________________
Steven R. Skinner, APR
Council Public Information Manager
RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL CHIEF OF STAFF
Richmond City Hall
900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804.646.6052 (office)
804.335.4054 (mobile)
804.937.1386 (home/mobile)
804.646.5468 (fax)
steven.skinner@richmondgov.com (email)
www.council.richmondva.gov(website)
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MISSION The mission of Richmond City Council
is to represent citizens in creating and amending
local laws, providing government policy and
oversight, and approving the city budget.
VISION Richmond City Council is committed to
creating a vibrant community that is a great place
to live, work, learn, play, visit and raise a family.
