Lakewood : Garage Sales to Be Limited

In an effort to limit garage sales which Lakewood officials said were being turned into weekend businesses by some residents, the City Council last week unanimously approved an ordinance limiting such sales.

The council limited garage sales to two a year per residence, with no sale to last more than two days.

The city allows garage sales of handcrafted and household items owned or made by the resident, but some residents have been selling new items, like soap and detergent, said Don Waldie, Lakewood public information officer. Others who run second-hand stores were selling goods from their residences, according to Chuck Ebner, director of community development.

The ordinance, which goes into effect Aug. 7, was approved after several residents complained to the City Council about parking and traffic problems during the sales.

“Some residents were running quasi-retail businesses in a residential area and that is not appropriate in Lakewood,” Waldie said.

According to Waldie, the city decided to limit sales to two a year after consulting residents who run Christmas crafts sales every year.

“The city did not want to impact those who run Christmas boutiques to make a little pocket money for the holidays,” he said. “This seemed to be the best compromise.”

Lakewood does not require a permit to hold garage sales, but the ordinance will be monitored through residents’ complaints, Ebner said. Residents who violate the ordinance will be prosecuted through the district attorney’s office.