Yard Sale Regulation Could Be Passed in Paris
PARIS, Tenn. – Yard sales are pretty common around West Tennessee, but Paris City officials want to restrict how many yard sales a person can have in a year and its length. City officials said the ordinance comes after complaints of extreme yard sellers. It will not affect those who have sales occasionally, but pickers using their yards for business. Homeowners in the Chickawsaw neighborhood of Paris said they are relieved about the ordinance set to restrict yard sellers. Officials said, some residents would hold yard sales for months at a time. “They stay there and stay there, they cover them up with tarps overnight and they leave them exposed,” said City Manager Carl Holder. In fact some sellers have kept their sales going between four to five months, and looking at items left in front yards had many neighbors annoyed. “Having people coming in and stopping having people on your property that you wouldn’t want on your property is bad too,” said concerned resident Anthony Goforth. Another problem residents complain about is traffic from eager patrons. “It’s a narrow street usually with people stopping on the road, not being able to get off the road is causing a major problem,” said Goforth. New guidelines won’t affect those looking to clear their garage but pickers who run yard sales like a business. The ordinance states Paris residents can have up to six, three-day yard sales a year from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. “I know people take the attitude and say it’s their property. Well, people next door and across the street have property rights too, and they have the right to be able to look out the front door and not look at an unholy mess,” said Holder. The ordinance will be presented for its first reading,Thursday night. If passed, offenders could face a $50 fine for each day.
