Toccoa Considers Tougher Rules for Yard Sales

People living in Toccoa wanting to hold a yard sale this summer may have to adhere to some new tough rules.

That’s if one City commissioner gets her way.

At a recent meeting, commissioner Gail Fry said new rules are needed to regulate where, how, and when people can sell their stuff.  Fry said on the weekends, supposed yard sales line major streets in town and are an eye sore.

“My problem with it is when you drive down the streets of Toccoa, like last Saturday, Big A Road was one continuous yard sale,”  she said.

Under the ordinance proposed by Fry, a person would be limited to no more than four yard sales in a year and no sale could run for more than two consecutive days.  If passed, you would also have to get a permit from the city.

Fry said while she has nothing against yard sales, she believes some people appear to be making their living on them.

“There are people that seem to want to have them every weekend at their house,” said Fry.

Other new rules in the ordinance Fry is proposing include banning yard sales from vacant lots and parking lots in commercial areas such as Big A Road and along Currahee St.

The only exception would be religious groups and charities which would be allowed to have a sale on a commercial property as long as they had written consent from the property owner.

Additionally, the ordinance puts limits on where on a person’s personal property they would be able to put their stuff to sell – requiring sale items will have to be a certain number of feet from the road.

Commissioners plan to allow the public to give their input on the ordinance before deciding whether to pass it.  They are expected to vote on the yard sale ordinance at their next regular meeting on Monday.