This is part of a weekly series answering "Why is that?" questions about Salem and the Mid-Valley.
The question: Why do most communities limit how many garage sales you can have? We have the answer. But first, a little history.
The background: Garage sale season may be winding down, but chances are you can find one somewhere around Salem whenever the weather is decent.
Traditionally, the season begins in the spring with the arrival of warmer weather and the urge to spring clean. Sales continue through the summer and typically peak a couple weeks before school starts with National Garage Sale Day recognized on the second Saturday in August.
Lingering mild temperatures in Oregon and the urge to declutter before winter can bring a resurgence in the fall.
Garage sales are practically a national pastime, and have been for decades.
The origins date back to the 1800s when shipyards would host discount sales of unclaimed cargo called "rommages." Churches and other social organizations turned the concept into fundraisers, leading to what we know as rummage sales.
This type of sale moved into homes and neighborhoods in the 1950s and 1960s as Americans became more affluent and accumulated more stuff. The name garage sale came about as more houses had garages.
TV shows such as "Antiques Roadshow" and "Flea Market Flip" have contributed to their popularity. Online posting sites and listing services from Craigslist to Gsalr.com have elevated the game. Gsalr.com, for example, offers bargain hunters a map interface and planner to stake out a weekend of garage, yard and estate sale hopping.
Encyclopedia.com says Americans annually host an estimated 6.5-9 million garage sales. An infographic on visual.ly shows Oregon has more yard sales per capita than any other state.
That is despite many cities capping the number of garage sales at one to six per year. Some limit the number of days and hours they can run and even require permits.
Monmouth and Dallas residents need a permit to host a garage sale and are allowed two per calendar year. Monmouth City Hall has issued 109 permits so far this year.
Salem does not require a permit, and neither does Keizer. Both cities do have ordinances limiting the number of garage sales per residence to three in a calendar year, and each sale can extend no more than three days.
Keizer has had its ordinance on the books since at least 1992 and Salem since 1984. Prior to that, Salem relied on administrative guidelines with the same limitations.
Why is it illegal to have too many garage sales in Salem?
Cities regulate garage sales for several reasons while striving for a balance between property rights and the separation of commercial and residential uses.
The primary reason is the disruptive impact sales potentially have on the neighborhood where the sale happens, including traffic, parking and noise problems. Most neighborhoods are not designed to handle traffic like a storefront.
Another reason is that someone holding an ongoing garage sale could be trying to skirt city zoning and licensing requirements.
Garage sale signs also can be a nuisance. Signs are often placed where they should not be, such as on parking strips, utility poles or parked cars, and can create visibility hazards. Many are never removed after the sales, creating an eyesore and litter.
Oh, by the way
Enforcement of garage sale laws is, by and large, driven by complaints because most cities have staffing limitations.
Years ago, a neighbor complained about a Salem woman holding an ongoing yard sale to pay for her medical bills, and the city shut it down. The woman had no idea she was breaking the law, and no citation was issued. City officials got involved in finding ways to help her, and community members collected donations and held fundraisers.
Compliance officers in Salem see about 10 yard sale violations each year, a criminal misdemeanor that carries a $500 fine and the possibility of 30 days in jail. However, city staff said no citations have been issued in recent memory.
Compliance officers instead prefer to work with residents to help them avoid future violations, reminding them a sale is defined as from one to three consecutive days at a single location and suggesting households work together to hold sales at different locations to avoid violating the rules.
Citations are rarely, if ever, issued in Keizer as well. The fine for violating the Keizer zoning code, where the city's garage sale ordinance falls, is $500. The code compliance office has not issued a citation in at least eight years, although it has sent notices to residents, notifying or reminding them of the rules.
Capi Lynn is a senior reporter for the Statesman Journal. Email your "Why is that" questions to her at clynn@statesmanjournal.com.
