BENTONVILLE — Yard sale signs sprouted
By The Numbers
Yard, Garage Sales
• Average number of yard/garage sales each week in the U.S.: 165,000
• Number of people who buy something at such a sale each week: 690,000
• Average number of garage/yard sales listed on www.craigslist.org each week: 95,000
• Total U.S. weekly revenue from garage/yard sales: $4.2 million
• Average profit margin with garage/yard sale items sold on eBay: 462 percent
Source: www.statisticbrain.com
amid tufts of green grass over the weekend as people took advantage of warmer temperatures to do some spring cleaning and make a few dollars.
Saturday rain doused many of those signs. Some signs still sat at intersections Monday violating of sign ordinances.
Cities in Benton County have different regulations regarding yard sales, but all require signs be removed within 24 hours of the sale. Bentonville doesn't require people to obtain a permit for yard sales, though it did in the past. Troy Galloway, director of community development, said the permitting process was “cumbersome” and many people ignored it altogether.
Rogers requires sellers to obtain a free yard sale permit that lists the city and sign requirements regarding sales. Rogers has had a rush on yard sale permits over the past week, said Cindy Oberholtzer, office coordinator for the city.
“Every time it gets warm outside, they come in for permits,” she said. “We’ve had a lot come in this week.”
Krista Shy is planning a yard sale this weekend in Bentonville. She said she had to get a permit last time she had a sale and was happy to hear that requirement was gone. She said she holds yard sales to clean out clutter if she has a lot of extra stuff around the house. What she doesn’t sell, Shy donates to thrift stores such as Goodwill or Helping Hands.
Bentonville’s sign ordinance allows for yard sale signs less than 6 square feet on the property where the sale is held. One off-site sign is allowed at the nearest major intersection to the sale, according to the ordinance. The sign must include the address and dates of the sale.
Code enforcement officers start checking for illegal yard sale signs Thursday and Friday and take the signs back to the person hosting the sale, said Darren Warren, an officer. Warren said officers provide the seller with a copy of the sign ordinance.
Signs aren't allowed on utility poles or streets signs or on the ground in the road right of way. Placement can get so tricky that Bentonville includes a diagram of where people can place yard sale signs on the back of the sign ordinance. It shows standalone signs sitting 10 feet behind the curb or just off the sidewalk.
Bella Vista, Centerton and Rogers all have similar sign rules for yard sales. Benton County doesn't require permits or regulates signs, but residents must keep the signs out of road and highway right of way.
Bentonville and Rogers limit sale duration to three days. The two cities allow two yard sales per site each year, while Centerton allows for four yard sales per year. Many violations stem from the frequency of yard sales, said Lorene Burns, Centerton planning director.
“There are a few that have sales constantly,” she said.