Rideau Lakes yard sale bylaw rejected after councillors push back on permit plan and limits
RIDEAU LAKES — Rideau Lakes councillors shut down a proposed yard sale bylaw at committee of the whole March 23, while backing a separate set of tougher property rules aimed at long-standing nuisance concerns.
The two bylaws were presented together by Deputy Chief and Community Protection Officer Shane Peters as alternatives to a full property standards bylaw, which council had previously declined due to concerns about cost and enforcement capacity.
While the safe property changes moved forward with support, the yard sale proposal drew widespread opposition.
“I think this is absolutely unnecessary,” Mayor Arie Hoogenboom said. “The requirement for a permit for a yard sale strikes me as being completely overly bureaucratic.”
The proposed yard sale bylaw would have required residents to obtain a free permit, limited sales to two per year and imposed rules on signage, timing and what items could be sold.
Peters said the intent was to address complaints about ongoing or “perpetual” yard sales that function more like outdoor retail displays.
“The point of the permit is to require an individual to list the start and end of a yard sale,” he said. “So when we do receive complaints, this gives us our ability to follow up.”
Several councillors said the proposal went too far and would be difficult to enforce.
“The permit issue is just not going to happen,” said Coun. Jeff Banks. “If somebody’s trying to do some work in the garage and wants to sell some picnic tables to earn extra money, I don’t have a problem with that.”
Banks and others said problem properties should instead be addressed through existing or amended nuisance rules.
“I understand if somebody’s going to have a perpetual yard sale,” he said. “But that should be dealt with with the previous section of bylaw.”
Coun. Marcia Maxwell said the township should not be regulating routine yard sales at all.
“I don’t think we should get into this business,” she said. “If we have complaints, let’s deal with it.”
Hoogenboom also raised concerns about enforcement, noting most yard sales take place on weekends.
“If you show up on the Monday or the Tuesday and the sale is already over, how can you prove that they didn’t follow all of these rules?” he said.
A motion to defer the bylaw for revisions was defeated on a recorded vote, and the main motion was subsequently voted down, effectively rejecting the yard sale bylaw proposal in its current form.
Coun. Debbie Hutchings expressed some support for having basic rules in place, particularly around safety and signage, but said the draft needed refinement.
“I don’t think we should police them,” she said, “but there should be something in here so bylaw officers have something they can do if a problem arises.”
While the yard sale bylaw failed, councillors supported amendments to the township’s Safe Property By-Law, giving staff expanded authority to deal with nuisance properties.
Peters said the changes are designed to address gaps in the current rules, particularly when dealing with buildings that are deteriorating but do not meet the threshold of being unsafe.
“With the nuisance wording in here, we will be able to address them as a nuisance within the municipality,” he said. “That will allow us to put orders onto property owners to either fix up or remove the buildings.”
The bylaw also introduces restrictions on long-term storage in front yards within settlement areas, targeting items such as vehicles, trailers and boats left in place for extended periods.
Under the updated rules, property owners could be ordered to clean up debris, secure unsafe structures or remove buildings. If they fail to comply, the township has the authority to carry out the work and recover costs, including adding them to property taxes.
Peters said enforcement will focus first on achieving compliance, with fines used only when necessary.
“We generally don’t go to fining an individual,” he said. “Fining is when we have individuals that are not compliant.”
An earlier suggestion to require enforcement matters to come back to council before action is taken was not supported, with staff cautioning that would make the process political. Property owners will continue to have the ability to appeal orders to council after they are issued, and committee members agreed that information on how to file an appeal should be made available online.
The amended safe property bylaw will move forward to council for final approval.
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