Roy planning commission weighs tighter definitions, limits for recurring garage sales

The Roy City Planning Commission on May 26 continued a discussion about whether the city should adopt clearer rules for garage and yard sales after staff and commissioners flagged persistent, year‑round operations that residents complain look and operate like businesses. The commission heard from staff and discussed examples from nearby municipalities while noting strong public resistance to over‑regulation.

Commissioners said a central problem is a lack of a clear municipal definition to distinguish occasional yard sales from business activity. “We don't have anything that addresses yard sales,” one commissioner said, noting repeated complaints about long‑running sales that leave merchandise on site for weeks. Staff noted that defining a yard sale — including allowable duration and annual frequency — would give code enforcement a basis to act. “It's not in the code. It's just defined what a garage sale is,” staff said, describing the approach used in example ordinances.

Commission members focused on practical, narrowly tailored options rather than an outright ban. Suggestions included limiting an event to a two‑ or three‑day window, capping the number of events per year (quarterly models were discussed), and setting maximum display footprints. Commissioners compared sample language from Clinton and Ogden; one commissioner said he favored Clinton’s quarterly approach because it provided clearer parameters. Several commissioners also raised the question of when repeated sales cross the line into a business, noting that state and city business‑license and sales‑tax rules would apply if activity were frequent and primarily new goods.

Signage was another recurring issue. Commissioners noted existing state restrictions on placing signs in public right‑of‑way and observed that local sign rules apply to on‑site signage but may not stop off‑site directional signs. Several commissioners expressed skepticism that stricter sign rules alone would fully solve the problem without enforcement resources.

The commission asked staff to draft model ordinance language that defines "yard/garage sale," sets time‑and‑frequency limits, and clarifies allowable signage. Staff said they would return with sample code, enforcement guidance, and examples from other cities for a future meeting and public hearing. The discussion ended with a request that the draft balance public tolerance for occasional sales with tools to address enduring, commercially oriented operations.

The commission did not vote on policy changes at the work session; staff will prepare draft language for a future public hearing.