This month, Plymouth Mayor Mark Senter is highlighting the city rules on yard and garage sales and the signage for such.
Senter said, “It is garage and yard sale time again. For some it’s a moving sale. For others it happens once a decade. For the dedicated, it’s as often as they can…and sometimes more. But that can become a problem as you will see in the following ordinance:”
The city’s definition of a garage or yard said is, “A public or private sale, conducted by the owner or occupier of a premises either inside or outside of a residence, garage, or other accessory building.” The ordinance spells that an auction conducted by a State licensed auctioneer shall not be considered a garage sale.
The city of Plymouth does have a limit on the number and length of yard and garage sales. It statesno more than three (3) garage sales may be conducted in any calendar year on the same premises. It also states that a garage sale shall not be conducted for more than three (3) consecutive days, and only until 6:00 p.m.
Those hosting a sale are encouraged to provide sufficient off-street parking on the premises of the garage sale. At no time shall customer parking interfere with the safe flow of traffic in the public right-of-way.
All items offered at a garage sale shall be the personal property of the owner or occupier of the premises or the group he/she represents. The items shall not have been purchased specifically for resale at the garage sale.
All outdoor evidence indicating that a garage sale has been conducted shall be removed within three (3) hours of the closing time. This includes sale items, display surfaces, and posted notices.
This particular ordinance is on Page 146 of the Plymouth Zoning book that was passed by the Common Council in 2008.
Mayor Senter said, “Along with the above city ordinance are two ordinances that regulate where it is unlawful to place signage to advertise a garage or yard sale.”
It is unlawful for any person to post, paste or in any way attach yard and garage sale signs to any telephone pole, fire alarm or other pole erected by authority of the Common Council within the city.
Any sign intended to convey commercial speech and placed in or upon the public right-of-way or upon utility poles located within the public right-of-way is declared a public nuisance and is therefore prohibited. All city employees, including appointed officials and elected officials, are hereby empowered and authorized to enforce this section.
Mayor Mark closed this month’s ordinance highlight by saying, “That’s it for now…I hope everyone has an awesome garage sale season…just don’t overdo it! In my eight years as mayor, we have only taken action one time for having more than three yard sales a year, and that person was having one every single weekend!”
“Keep sellin’!”
-Mayor Mark
