Council to re-examine law on yard sales

Dan Kulin

Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003 | 9:50 a.m.

The North Las Vegas City Council will take another look at a new law that limits yard and garage sales, after Councilman Robert Eliason said he was concerned that the new law prohibits such sales from residents' front yards and driveways.

City Manager Gregory Rose said the matter will probably be discussed during an early February council meeting.

During the council comments portion of the Wednesday council meeting, Eliason asked the council if they wanted to revisit the law, which was passed by a 4-1 vote Oct. 1.

Eliason said he wasn't aware the law prohibited yard and garage sales in the front of homes at the time of the vote and he wasn't sure others did either.

The law states that yard and garage sales are not allowed in the "front setbacks of any property."

The front setback is the land between the front edge of a home and the property line.

Eliason cast the lone vote against the law, but he did so because he thought residents should be allowed four such sales a year, whereas the law limits residents to two annually.

Councilwoman Stephanie Smith said she's not sure the law needs to be reviewed. She said that according to city staff the law hasn't created any problems or generated any complaints.

"If it ain't broke I don't think we need to fix it," she said.

But Mayor Michael Montandon said that while staff may not be receiving any complaints, some of the elected officials are.

"We should at least discuss whether it's broke or not," the mayor said.

During an interview Tuesday Councilwoman Shari Buck said yard and garage sales should be allowed in driveways at least.

Speaking during the public comments portion of the Wednesday meeting, resident Bob Borgersen asked that the council also review a part of the new law that bars signs advertising yard and garage sales from anywhere except the property of the person holding the sale.

The new yard and garage sales law is one of several so-called nuisance abatement laws the council has either passed in recent months or is considering. The council is accepting citizen feedback on proposed laws that would force residents to keep broken-down vehicles out of driveways by putting them either in garages or behind homes. Another law would set new property maintenance guidelines, such as requiring that lawns be no taller than 8 inches. Some have voiced concerns that such laws could tread on individuals property rights.

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