By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
It is a time-honored tradition.
Spring and garage sales have gone hand-in-hand for generations, and Union Grove officials discussed the age-old standby in the immediate aftermath of an extensive comb-through of the village code.
The village last year engaged in an extensive zoning rewrite project that brought about changes to some of the ordinances contained within the code.
In the case of rummage and garage sales, language has been clarified to lay out the dos and don’ts of holding such events throughout the community. The sales, for instance, are not permitted anywhere but on private property.
The village also has set parameters around when sales can occur (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.). Additionally, persons cannot have sales for more than nine days in a calendar year.
The ordinance as part of the zoning rewrite also outlines what does not constitute a rummage or garage sale. Neither juvenile beverage stands (a.k.a. lemonade stands) nor farm produce tables fall within the category.
Trustee Jan Winget said she believed the village should take steps to communicate the rummage and garage sale ordinance at a Plan Commission meeting May 1.
“I think, with the change of the seasons, this would be a good opportunity to get the word out,” said Winget, who is a commissioner.
Winget and other members of the panel discussed some of the past issues, including signage that has been placed in the public right-of-way and, in isolated instances, in municipal planters.
Enforcement also was discussed at last week’s meeting. Village President Mike Aimone, who also serves as a commissioner, said the ordinance will not have teeth if violators are not informed of any infractions.
Clerk-Treasurer Jill Kopp suggested a first step in addressing ordinance violations.
“We might just need to send a letter and a copy of the ordinance,” Kopp said.
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