Council Votes to Regulate Yard Sales

The Mansfield City Council voted to pass an ordinance regulating garage sales at their meeting on Thursday evening, October 17. The measure, which passed with a vote of 4-2, will put into place a mandatory permit and regulate the number of personal property sales per household.

The ordinance states that those wishing to have a sale must come to city hall and obtain an application for a permit three days in advance. That application will require a name, address, location of the sale, the day(s) of the sale, date(s) of any other sales from the same applicant within the calendar year, statement that the property is owned by the applicant, and statement of compliance.

The fee for the permit, which will restrict the time and location of the sale, will cost $5. Only two permits will be issued per location or residential household during any calendar year. The ordinance also limits the time of the sale, which can begin no earlier than 7 a.m. and last no longer than 6 p.m. on three consecutive days.

Exceptions to the ordinance include inclement weather and the sale of real property. In the event of inclement weather, the permit holder can have another sale within 30 days with no additional permit fee. New owners would need to provide proof to the mayor’s office that the property had been sold.

The ordinance covers the usage of any city property or right of way. Signs must be limited to two directional signs. Those can go up two days prior and must be removed at the close of the sale, no longer than the following day.

Penalties for violating the ordinance is up to $25 per day and up to $100 for any subsequent offense.

Council members voting for the measure, Julie Thomas, Jan Carlton, Dave Johnson and Beverly Lyons. Voting against, Sherri Hopkins and Rick McDaniel.