The Morning News: News : Springdale Cracks Down On Yard Sale Signs

Springdale Cracks Down On Yard Sale Signs

Officers Write 36 Citations In October

Last updated Tuesday, November 18, 2008 6:51 PM CST in News

By Bob Caudle
THE MORNING NEWS

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SPRINGDALE -- Code enforcement officials have reigned in Springdale residents running amok with garage and yard sale signs.

The city's code enforcement division wrote 36 citations for violating the yard sale sign ordinance during October, according to the Springdale City Attorney's Office.

In the same time, code enforcement officers wrote one citation for parking on the grass, one citation for an inoperative vehicle and three citations for unsightly and unsanitary conditions.

City officials say the sign crackdown is necessary -- often at the expense of other code violations -- despite a push by city council members to "beautify" the city.

"It says right on the yard sale permit not to put it in the right of way," said Danny Snow, head of the city's code enforcement division. "It's underlined and we make them initial that they're read it. But people keep continuing to stick them out there."

Code officers have been writing tickets without first issuing a warning, according to the city attorney's office.

"When they get the permit, they've been given a warning," Snow said. "We explain that, as a rule of thumb, the sign needs to be 10 feet behind the curb. If there's a sidewalk, 2 feet behind the sidewalk. If they get anywhere close to that, we don't write them."

The city attorney's office has yet to prosecute a ticket issued for violation of right of way, said Ernest Cate, deputy city attorney. The office has charged a $25 fee for court costs.

Part of the leniency, Cate said, has to do with the people receiving the tickets.

The age brackets for the yard sale citations ranged from 21 years old to 80 years old. That includes citations issued to septuagenarians who are 72, 74, 75 and 77 years old.

"Every single person had questions regarding why they were given tickets," Cate said. "They had questions about why others weren't getting tickets and about political signs."

Cate said the city attorney's office directed people with questions to the code enforcement office and the mayor's office.

"People's questions need to be answered and we don't know why they wrote them," Cate said. "I'm not being critical. But code enforcement doesn't work for us and we don't work for them."

Cate said the questions varied from case to case.

"One lady said she didn't know why she got a ticket where there was a pile of mattresses nearby," Cate said. "Others came in with photos of political signs that were closer to the road or in the right of way."

Snow said one of the most often-heard complaints his office receives is about signs in the right of way.

"Some of the complaints have been from the mayor's office, but they didn't order us to write citations," Snow said. "We get complaints from City Council members, too."

Residents having yard sales are slowly adjusting to the practice of keeping signs out of the right of way, Snow said.

"We actually got more complaints when we were picking up the signs and throwing them away than writing tickets," Snow said. "We've spent over the past year picking up yard sale signs in the right of way and throwing them away. We've been told that we've got better things we should be doing. I agree. We've got better things to do. But we're kind of at wits end on making people comply."

Mayor Jerre Van Hoose lamented and defended the actions by code enforcement officers.

"It's a shame we have to do it at all," Van Hoose said. "But code officers were spending about 25 percent of their time picking up what is essentially litter. We were looking for a way that people could still have yard sales, but be respectful of other people."

Van Hoose added the extra calls on yard signs have affected the code department's ability to respond to other problems.

"A guy gets up in the morning and there's a rock in a box in the corner of his yard," Van Hoose said. "He's not going to call the owner. He's going to call the city. That may be one of the reasons code officers wrote so few other tickets, I don't know."

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Reader Comments (22 comment(s))

The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsibility of their authors. The Morning News does not review comments before their publication, nor do we guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by our comment policy. If you see a comment that violates our policy, please notify the web editor.

sdaleman wrote on Nov 18, 2008 7:25 PM:

" How is this a story? These folks,regardless of age broke the law and there is a punishment for it. As to making this city more beautiful, add more code people or ban garage sale signs! If all city offices did their jobs this well, things would take care of themselves. "

bill911 wrote on Nov 18, 2008 7:50 PM:

" I agree with SDALEMAN, there is ALLOT of other things these hard working code officers need to address besides signs and telling these people something they were supposed to have already understood when they applied for the permit. I have worked with these guys and I have to say they are WAY over worked and COMPLETELY undermaned! People need to READ what they are signing and just comply! If they break the law then they need to pay for for it.....period! Cudos to Mayor Van Hoose for backing them, if only other mayors would do the same. "

missed wrote on Nov 18, 2008 8:21 PM:

" Try to pay bills on social security? Warn them with a ticket once, then fine them the second time. "

fmf0301 wrote on Nov 18, 2008 11:17 PM:

" Its good to know that the two code enforcement officers read the article and put their comment in above. This is probably why there were only 40 citations during the month of October. Lets do the math 40(citations)/31(days in October)/3(code enforcement officers)= .43 citations per day per person. Yep city ough to be cleaned up in no time! "

72938 wrote on Nov 19, 2008 5:57 AM:

" I am one of a very fiew that does not do garage sales. The other day the Springdale Police Had a sale. As I was going down the street they had sign hooked to the curb and as I pulled on emma they had a big flashing sign setting on emma. "

72938 wrote on Nov 19, 2008 6:02 AM:

" Now is this a case of do as I say not as I do. We missed our chance to clean house of the good old boy and girl. "

brneyedgirl821 wrote on Nov 19, 2008 6:19 AM:

" Clean up garage sale signs or enforce codes where there aren't 20 people in one house or junk vehicles in the yard....guess it is easier to give citations for garage sale signs. The address is on the sign and you just have to drive over and give a citation. Sounds like an easy way to do the job and generate revenue for the city. Perhaps that is how they plan on recovering lost revenue from Sams. "

lousaxon wrote on Nov 19, 2008 6:40 AM:

" This is the best use of our tax dollar? You must be kidding. All this shows is that the enforcement division is LAZY and doesn't want to go after real issues. "

Robb wrote on Nov 19, 2008 8:22 AM:

" "code enforcement officers wrote one citation for parking on the grass." I could show them where they could write fifty for this offense on any given weekend.

Also, can something be done about people who leave every large toy their kids have ever had in the front yard? Some houses look like a "Toy's For Tots" campaign.

And, if you see eight cars parked around a 1,200 sq. ft. house, that might be a clue that it's overcrowded, huh? "

ProudVetHogFan wrote on Nov 19, 2008 8:46 AM:

" "It says right on the yard sale permit not to put it in the right of way," said Danny Snow, head of the city's code enforcement division. "It's underlined and we make them initial that they're read it. But people keep continuing to stick them out there."

Next Quote:

"People's questions need to be answered and we don't know why they wrote them," Cate said. "I'm not being critical. But code enforcement doesn't work for us and we don't work for them."

These people don't understand why they were getting tickets? Maybe it's because they didn't follow SIMPLE instructions. Because they don't care. Because they are too lazy to get out of their car and walk 10 feet from the curb to place their shoebox sign. I don't see how you couldn't understand why you got a ticket. "

springdalereader wrote on Nov 19, 2008 10:55 AM:

" The city's stance seems to basically ban yard sale signs. If they can't be put in the right-of-way, which is public property, then they must be placed on private property, aka the yard of whoever happens to own the house on the corner where the sign is. If the sign is out of the right-of-way, it is in the yard, and putting a sign there is basically littering on someone's property. "

ProudVetHogFan wrote on Nov 19, 2008 11:19 AM:

" Springdalereader... why wouldn't you just go up to the door and ask permission to place it in someone's yard. That seems like the neighborly thing to do in my opinion. But that would require you to get out of your car. But, you know, they probably wouldn't let you put it there anyway CAUSE YOU WON'T PICK IT UP WHEN THE SALE IS OVER. "

ProudVetHogFan wrote on Nov 19, 2008 11:23 AM:

" You know, it seems to me there is a simple solution to this simple problem. When you get a permit and INITIAL that you HAVE read the regulations and the consequences of not following them...Do what it says and you won't get a ticket. Instead you ignore or blow it off and guess who's knocking on your door. Well don't stand there scratchin your head wondering "WHY'd I get a ticket?" You got a ticket cause you don't follow simple instructions. Period. It's no one else's fault you didn't follow directions. "

OnceaYear wrote on Nov 19, 2008 12:15 PM:

" I have a yard sale maybe once every two years, had one this year, and don't even remember reading anything about the right of way, but yes if they'd spend a little more time with 8-10 people living in a 2 bedroom house (762 sq ft)parking so they block the right of way, and stealing license plates off of cars, instead of "petty" yard sale signs, Springdale would be a better place to live. "

CEW1 wrote on Nov 19, 2008 12:28 PM:

" OnceaYear: WAA WAA "

airforceone wrote on Nov 19, 2008 12:34 PM:

" Why don't you do something about cars parked in the streets? Is this legal? I take a chance everytime I pull out of driveway. Can't see left are right !!! why waste time with yard sgns? "

72938 wrote on Nov 19, 2008 4:26 PM:

" Way Way Way!!! You folks had a chance to clean out the council and did not do it so live with it. "

USAF1 wrote on Nov 19, 2008 5:04 PM:

" airforceone: I don't think that Code Enforcement can do anything about cars in the street. I think that that is a Police Department problem. Have you called the police about your parking problem? I also know if you think that a house is overoccupied you can call the Code Enforcement and they will check it out and if there is a violation, they will do something about it. Remember the other day when there were 23 people in the house, Code Enforcement and the Police took care of that problem. "

mafm wrote on Nov 19, 2008 5:21 PM:

" Why is everyone so concerned about cars parked in the street and signs in the yards? If you really want to clean up this city then concentrate on the things that matter the most... Lets start getting the illegals out of here and send them back too Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras or were ever their from. if you round them up and send them back too their own countries and start issuing the companies that HIRE them CITATIONS it will clean up our town. PERIOD... "

VHugo wrote on Nov 20, 2008 1:50 PM:

" More lipstick on a pig. Why not enforce mandatory automobile insurance? I know people who were involved in accidents with undocumented, uninsured foreign nationals who were told by Springdale police to just drive away--the driver had no insurance, no license and the car belonged to someone else. Victims were left holding the bag for medical bills and car repairs. "

brneyedgirl821 wrote on Nov 20, 2008 3:46 PM:

" I, for one, will sleep better tonight knowing that the code enforcement people are protecting us from garage sale signs. "

violet1 wrote on Nov 21, 2008 4:57 PM:

" MAFM why don't we just get rid of all the residents like you that hate living in this area..that's a great idea! that way we wont here you "beach" all the time. "

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