WATCH ABOVE: A massive yard sale in the McKernan area has left area residents frustrated. They say it’s being going on for far too long and it’s now become an eyesore. Shallima Maharaj reports.
EDMONTON — Used cutlery, deflated beach balls, old lawn mowers and doors. These are just a few of the items you can find at a south Edmonton yard sale that residents say has been going on far too long.
“This has now been going on for over a month and it is so terribly unsightly it casts a very bad impression, I think, on the community,” said Hilary Gray, secretary of the McKernan Community League. “It needs to stop.”
The yard sale is located at a home on the corner of 114 Street and 78 Avenue. Gray says it’s been going on since July 5, with items covering the owner’s entire front and back yards.
“I went away on the 17 of July and it was still there and I came back on the 27th and it was still there,” she said Friday. “He put this enormous sign up on a big orange tarp, which is very visible.”
According to City of Edmonton bylaws, one property is only allowed to hold three yard or garage sales in a calendar year and each of those sales cannot be longer than three consecutive days.
The city received five complaints about the sale and an order was issued for the owner to remove the items from his yard. The property owner appealed the decision, but it was upheld by the Community Standards and Licence Appeal Committee.
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The city allows a week for the written order to be served, then the homeowner has 15 days to appeal for a judicial review.
“Baring no appeals and no voluntary compliance by the owner we would be looking towards the end of August or early September to take action,” said Ryan Pleckaitis, director of the City of Edmonton’s complaints and investigations section.
“If we execute an order we do have the ability to actually enter on to private property and seize materials which are helping to cause a nuisance or an unsightly condition.”
When contacted over the phone by Global News, the owner of the property, Matt Peter, would not comment on the order or his appeal, only saying the following:
“I think yard sales are a lot of fun and everyone should come out and enjoy the nice weather and meet their neighbours and maybe find a unique treasure.”
If the City of Edmonton is required to come in and seize the items, the cost can be recovered by applying it to the owner’s tax bill.
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