May 17: City Council held a Study Session to address growing concerns about the annual City-wide yard sale, held each September.

Started in the early 1990’s, the non-city and non-Chamber of Commerce-sanctioned event has grown from a one day event into a multi-day event. Police Chief David Towe addressed concerns over code violations creating traffic and pedestrian safety risks, congestion issues, health risks from unlicensed food vendors and out of town vendors selling wares without proper business licenses and/or permits.

Towe said that there is no plan to shut down the event, but that changes must be implemented this year to protect residents and the city from growing liability and safety threats. Towe noted that during the 2010 sale, it took him 15 minutes to traverse town on his motorcycle due to out of control parking and traffic issues. Council also heard about a vendor from Redding, CA who rolled into town with a trailer loaded with cheaply-made Asian wares to sell – he then left a pile of trash behind for city crews to deal with.

The Council agreed to address the issue formally at an upcoming meeting. The city will launch a media campaign to reign-in the event and returning it to a community-oriented one for residents and non-profit groups to hold a once-yearly yard sale without permits. The major risk issue to be cleaned-up this year will be clearing and keeping all city rights-of-way free of yard sale interference – this means no yard sale vendors/residents may set up on sidewalks, city streets, alleys or other city areas.

Towe noted that private property owners and their guests will still be permitted to hold sales on their own property without a permit or business license.