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Bylaw proposes yard sale regulations

UPDATE – The bylaw was not approved.

Council will examine a bylaw to regulate yard and garage sales within Prince Edward County at Thursday’s Committee of the Whole meeting.

A draft bylaw has been prepared that will restrict the number of times per year and the number of consecutive days allowed for private, residential households to have sales. Three times a year for no more than three consecutive days is proposed.

The draft follows a report in March providing options to deal with public concerns related to private sales that are continuous. The bylaw is designed to provide definition between a special sale and those offering goods for sale on a continuing basis.

Under the draft, property owners hosting a sale for more than the permitted number of days, or times per year will have to fit within the permitted use of a home-based business or rezone to allow for a commercial retail use.

Enforcement can be done on a complaint basis similiar to the current bylaw enforcement policies, where violators holding more or longer sales could be charged for non-compliance of the yard sale or zoning bylaws.

The report recommended that permits not be required for yard sales as current staffing levels are insufficient to mange the administration of permits and enforcement needed to ensure permits are taken out.

Belleville’s bylaw, provided to council for comparison, calls for permits at a cost of $2 per sale covering two consecutive days, no more than two sales per calendar year. Those in breach of Belleville’s bylaw could face a penalty “not exceeding $1,000”.

Brighton’s bylaw does not apply to group sales at churches, arenas or schools. A licence must be obtained and sales are limited to two consecutive days, three on holiday weekends. Those convicted of an offence under the bylaw will be prohibited from having sales for a two year period.

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  1. I thought I had heard just about everything ridiculous! A by – law on how many yard sales ?? I amjust going to make an educated guess that your wealthy hoity-toity people coming into to reside in the once Quaint County do not want these yard sales to take away from the appearance of their mansions. The County was once my home but not the same when I come back to visit. Too many any outsiders wanting to take over & do it their way. No concern for the long time generations who have resided here & helped to build this beautiful area . When in Rome you do as the Romans do. Therefore in The County you should come & enjoy what the County folKS used to enjoy. Peace & Order.

  2. Theresa Durning says:

    Oh for goodness sake. I’m sure there must be better things to do in Council.

  3. Susan says:

    The motion for bylaw was defeated.

  4. Marnie says:

    The proposed bylaw is unfair. We all know that most of these bylaws are enforced only upon complaint. It would be different if they actually policed these things and fined ALL offenders, not just the luckless few who become targets of a complaint.

  5. Paul Cole says:

    County Folk need the added income from yard sales in order to afford properties in The County according to this article in The Star.. https://www.thestar.com/business/2016/05/23/looking-to-buy-property-in-latest-cottage-hot-spots-good-luck.html

  6. Emily says:

    I am really excited about our Council. They can go from dealing with a National guaranteed income proposal to discussing local yard sales. These are both exciting initiatives for our County! I do not think such great work could take place with fewer than 16 at the Horseshoe.

  7. Nancy says:

    Just another way to pit neighbor against neighbor.
    IF we need more bylaws, (which I don’t think we do), we need a way to enforce them and not leave it open to one person having the power to bully neighbors with a simple call to The County offices.

  8. Garu says:

    We can all pay the 16 Council members today to debate an unenforceable yard sale bylaw, and to pretend they have any influence over a poorly thought out guaranteed income proposal. Shire Hall just gets crazier all the time.

  9. Marnie says:

    Yard sales have become part of the county culture. They provide weekend entertainment for a lot of people and help others to earn a few extra dollars. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

  10. Hildagard says:

    Does County council not have anything better to do with their time? Who cares if someone is having a yard sale 20 or 30 times a year! They are probably using the money to pay their exorbitant water bills! Council needs to spend their time figuring out how to cut taxes and get this water and sewage cost under control! Looking forward to seeing how they are going to deal with the problem of providing good water pressure to this huge monstrosity being erected beside McFarland Home! This better not be an added expense to the taxpayers! I think they have much more serious issues to deal with than a person having frequent yard sales.

  11. Chuck says:

    My take is that the yard sale site is not very pleasant for the wine tasters in the stretch limo. Just doesn’t set the mood. This is very serious work for our 15 Councilors and Mayor. It might pass or perhaps we could have a community survey. You know how important our input is. Don’t you?

  12. Susan says:

    It’s kinda like we addressed it to calm the whiners. But we are not really taking any action or record keeping. But we have a bylaw! The bylaw brings legal responsibility on the County. When someone get’s injured or killed on County roads they now will be drawn into any lawsuit. But it is one of our most crucial issues isn’t it. Lol

  13. Dennis Fox says:

    It would be very helpful if council would provide the public with a reason for such a bylaw. Has there been a problem – if so, what was the problem? As has it has already been pointed out – if there is no way to enforce this bylaw, why have it? Does passing this bylaw mean more new staff or paying current staff over-time? Can you imagine County Yard Sale Bylaw Enforcers? It does have a certain ring to it – ding dong!

  14. Susan says:

    What a waste of time. If there is no permit and no enforcement how would you deal with a complaint? How would one know there is contravention. And if you have a bylaw you now can be drawn in as a 3rd party for accidents on County roads at the site.

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