Holly Springs Puts Garage Sales Under Microscope

The Holly Springs City Council took another step in regulating garage sales throughout the city.

The council on Monday during its work session reviewed amendments to the city's code that would impose stringent restrictions on these sales.

The proposal, which is set to be approved during the council's rescheduled Jan. 24 meeting, would:

• allow no more than four sales to occur on the same lot or premises during any 12-month period;
• Stipulates a period of at least six weeks must pass before another sale may occur at the same lot or premises;
• limits sales to more than three consecutive days;
• limits sales to the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.;
• require anyone wishing to hold a garage sale to apply for a permit at Holly Springs City Hall (each permit, available at no charge, would be valid for seven days and no permit can be issued to the same applicant more than four times per year);
• requires all parties participating in multi-family garage sales to separately apply for permits;
• stipulate that multi-family garage sales would count as one sale for each family and/or residence participating; and
• prohibits the sale of fireworks, hazardous material, firearms and ammunition.

What do you think of the new regulations? Tell us in the comments! 

City Manager Rob Logan said the ordinance is designed to limit ongoing sales that have recently been held throughout the city.

"We have received complaints about individuals who essentially have garage sales/yard sales as a business and run them all the time," he said, adding the city hasn't received any feedback from the public. "This will not affect the typical resident who holds an occasional yard sale or garage sale."

Holly Springs isn't the first city in Cherokee County to regulate garage and yard sales. Ball Ground City Manager Eric Wilmarth said the city limits yard sales and garage sales to once every three months at the same address. 

Other cities such as Roswell Peachtree City, Conyers and Marietta all have some form of regulations in place.

Keep up with Holly Springs-Hickory Flat Patch news by subscribing to our newsletters and following us on Twitter and Facebook!