Sec. 614.106. - Loitering, soliciting, begging, etc., in public offices or buildings open to the public.

The Council finds that any person who loiters or prowls in a place, at a time or in a manner not usual for law-abiding individuals, under circumstances that warrant a justifiable and reasonable alarm or immediate concern for the safety of persons or property in the vicinity constitutes a threat to the public safety or breach of peace. The Council further finds that a person commits the offense of loitering when that person knowingly loiters in any place with one or more persons knowing that a narcotic or dangerous drug, as detailed in F.S. Ch. 893 is being unlawfully used or possessed. (a) It shall be unlawful for a person to linger, loiter, sit or stand in any public room in any hotel, office or building in the City or to use any public room for business or social purposes in violation of the expressed wish of the owner, lessee, managing agent or person in charge of the building in which the public room, as defined herein, is situated. For the purpose of enforcement of this Section, it is presumed that if the owner, lessee, managing agent or other person in charge of a building prominently displays a copy of this Section as provided in subsection (e) of this Section, or prominently displays a sign on the premises stating, generally, NO LOITERING, SECTION 614.106, MUNICIPAL CODE, that he considers the activities declared unlawful in this Section to be in violation of his expressed wish. (b) It shall be unlawful for a person to solicit customers or patronage for himself or on behalf of any other person or distribute advertising or advertising matter upon the premises in any hotel, office or building in the City or to solicit, seek or beg for donations or charity for himself or on behalf of any person upon the premises of or in a hotel, office or building without first having secured the written consent so to do from the owner, lessee, managing agent or person in charge of the operation of the hotel, office or building. (c) For the purpose of this Section, the words public rooms shall be deemed to include a basement, building entrance or doorway, lobby, hallway, stairway, mezzanine, elevator, foyer, independent parking lots or others adjacent to or used in connection with the premises, public rest- or sitting rooms or any other place used in common by the public, tenants, occupants or guests and situated in a hotel, office or building in the City. Furthermore, for the purpose of this Section, the word building shall be deemed to include, but not limited to, retail or service establishments such as restaurants, convenience stores, laundromats, service stations and other similar establishments open to the public. (d) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to anyone while in the employ of the United States, State or City during the time the person is in a public room in a hotel, office or building in the City; provided, that the person is engaged in the performance of his designated and official duties. (e) Each owner, lessee, managing agent or person in charge of the operation of a hotel, office or building desiring to avail himself of the provisions of this Section shall keep a printed or typewritten copy of this Section in some place in the lobby or entrance to the building where it may be read by persons going in or out of the building and the owner, lessee, managing agent or person in charge of the operation of a building may also make such rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Section, as he may so desire. (f) Violation of this Section shall constitute a class C offense. (Code 1965, § 26-25; Ord. 70-650-526; Ord. 71-397-181; Ord. 83-591-400, § 1; Ord. 85-380-270, § 1) Note— Former § 330.106.