The Ellis County Press: Ferris families restricted to three yard sales a year

Ferris families restricted to three yard sales a year
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Editor on 04/24/2003 00:00:00


SHERRY LONG
The Ellis County Press
FERRIS - Persons conducting yard sales in the city of Ferris must now apply for
a permit and not hold sales more than three times during a calendar year.
The Ferris City Council voted Monday, April 21 to restrict residents to only
three two-consecutive-day yard sales within a calendar year with a permit issued
from the city secretary.
Mayor Pro-Tem Scott Born, unsure if the city had an ordinance concerning yard
sales and how frequently a person could have one, asked City Secretary Alice
Holloway to place the item on the agenda.
'Well, I just had some people that have questioned me and I've noticed that
we've got some perpetual sales - mostly going on at the storage buildings …
That's really one of the things that prompted us to bring this up.
'It's a perpetual sale going on every week there's no ordinance to say you can't
do it. There been some people in town
that have a garage sale every weekend which isn't fair to their neighbors, with
no ordinance to say you can't do that,' Born said.
Councilwomen Lori Perkins mentioned some people have turned yard sales into
businesses.
'Isn't there one [over there] by the Salvation Army or Soul's Harbor. She's made
it into a business,' Perkins said.
Under the new ordinance, residents must purchase a permit valid for two
consecutive days at the same property from the city secretary's office for five
dollars, prior to the start of the sale.
Section three of the permit reads: 'That no person, firm, corporation,
partnership, or organization shall hold such a sale regulated hereunder more
than three times during a calendar year. No sale shall be conducted at the same
property address more than three times during a calendar year.'
This prohibits residents from conducting yard sales at their own private
property and then using their friend's property to host additional sales
throughout the year.
Residents who conduct a yard sale more than three times a year or beyond two
days consecutive days are subject to a fine of up to $200.
Councilman Fred Pontley was concerned how the city would enforce the ordinance,
if passed.
'Are we going to get another code enforcement officer?' Pontley asked.
Mayor Jimmie Birdwell said, 'Right now the police department can enforce it.'
Holloway said the ordinance would go into effect after it has been published in
the print media notifying the citizens of Ferris of the new law.
The ordinance passed unanimously with Perkins making the motion to pass it as
written.
Councilman Victor Burnett seconded the motion.
Councilman Jesse Hernandez was absent.