Council amends Chapter 3-47: removes yard-sale permits, lowers fines and raises annual limit

The Smithfield Town Council adopted amendments to Chapter 3-47 of the town code on June 16, eliminating the permit requirement for most yard sales, reducing the maximum fine for violations, and increasing the number of annual sales allowed per property.

Councilwoman Taabe, sponsor of the ordinance revisions, described the changes as an effort to align the code with current practice and reduce unnecessary permitting. "Less government is good government," she said when presenting the amendments. The measure removes the prior requirement to obtain a permit for a casual yard sale, increases the number of permitted sales from two per year to twelve, extends required advertisement lead time from 24 to 48 hours, and reduces fines for violations from up to $100 per day to up to $50 per day. The ordinance also prohibits signage on traffic-control devices and allows police or fire departments to shut down a sale if it creates a traffic or fire safety hazard.

Several council members discussed whether raising the annual sales limit to 12 could enable individuals to operate effectively as a business from a residential property; one council member argued the change reflected actual practice and that enforcement is complaint-driven. "If somebody makes a practice out of this, then they become a business," a council member said.

The council adopted the ordinance as amended by voice vote. The town clerk will publish the ordinance update and the changes take effect per the town's ordinance-adoption rules.

— Reporting from the June 16, 2025 Smithfield Town Council meeting.