BLYTHEWOOD – During the segment of Monday night’s Town Council meeting allowing for members’ miscellaneous comments, Councilman Bob Massa said he thought it was time the Town considers a fee for yard and garage sales.
“One fee for individual garage sales and a higher fee for multi-family sales,” Massa said. “And limit them to two a year (per household.)”
Massa added, “Wilson Boulevard and Blythewood Road look like flea markets on Saturdays with all those signs posted for sales. I called the Richland County Sheriff’s office about it, but there’s nothing they can do because these (yard and garage) sales are not actually businesses (that are regulated.)”
Massa suggested that more than two sales in a year could require a business license, “and then we could shut them down for that. Besides being unattractive, the signs are distractions and create a traffic problem, and we may have somebody get hurt,” he said.
Town Attorney Jim Meggs chimed in, saying he has similar thoughts whenever he is in Blythewood on Saturdays and suggested the Town consider some kind of regulations on the signs.
Massa suggested requiring a fee for a yard or garage sale license, then requiring the license to be posted on the sign for the sale. But Meggs disagreed.
“I’m not sure that (more signage) is something you want to encourage,” Meggs said.
Mayor J. Michael Ross asked Meggs and new Town Administrator Gary Parker to look into limiting the number of signs that are popping up at the various fireworks stands in the town as well.
“They don’t look good,” Ross said.
During his comment time, Councilman Tom Utroska announced that the restrooms in the park are expected to be operational in time for the fireworks festivities in the park on July 5.