Sanford, FL Public Conduct: Aggressive Panhandling (2026)

Sanford's panhandling article, Chapter 54, Article III, opens with commission findings that aggressive solicitation by unwanted touching, detaining, impeding or intimidation threatens public health, welfare and safety, and Sec. 54-116 defines 'aggressive' broadly to include approaching or following pedestrians, repetitive soliciting after refusal, abusive language meant to intimidate, unwanted physical contact and blocking a person's path. Sec. 54-117(a) makes it unlawful to obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic or to aggressively panhandle on any road or street as defined in F.S. § 334.02, a definition that reaches sidewalks and crosswalks as well as travel lanes.

Subsection (f) lists specific places where any panhandling, aggressive or not, is barred: bus and train stops, public transportation vehicles and facilities including airports, vehicles on a street without a permit, parks, fairgrounds and sporting facilities, within 25 feet of any ATM or dispensing machine, city-owned parking lots and garages, and within 1,000 feet of a school bus stop when children are present. Subsection (g) separately deems blocking a solicited person's path, using obscene or abusive language, encircling a person in a group of two or more, or making a threatening gesture to be aggressive panhandling regardless of location.

Property owners can post a sign under Sec. 54-118 reading 'NO PANHANDLING OF ANY TYPE PERMITTED, SUCH CONDUCT IS PROHIBITED BY SANFORD CITY CODE' to establish that panhandling on their premises lacks consent, and the city manager can designate a public building or transportation area off-limits to panhandling under Sec. 54-119, subject to a 20-day appeal to the city commission.