ROCKLAND – In the past year or so, Lucy Curtis suffered a stroke, had pneumonia twice, and is now recovering from a severe lung problem. Her husband left her, and her home and barn, filled with 30 years worth of items, are close to foreclosure. The only way for her to be rid of those items is to take them out to the front lawn.

In her speech to Rockland City Council, Monday, May 8, Curtis said her neighbor doesn’t mind the lawn sales. Nor has she heard from nearby businesses regarding her methods of removal.

Yet between the previous and upcoming pavement constructions along her stretch of road, and the unclear provisions of city code, Curtis is at a loss for what to do.

“The number of sales that has to be done is severely causing me nights with no sleep,” she said. “I don’t know how I’m going to get by on six hundred and eighty-some dollars a month social security.”

The Council has been considering a yard sale ordinance for Rockland, to better govern the frequency and duration of yard sales. 

In preparation for this council meeting, Curtis obtained and read the code office’s current policy on yard sales.

“In some areas, it’s not specific enough,” she said. “In other areas, it is too specific.”

Provision F of the ordinance states: A yard sale shall not be permitted at any one location, lot, or parcel of land, more than four times within a 12-month period. A yard sale shall not be continuous for more than three days.

The other provisions declare the sale of new goods to be unlawful, must be limited to daylight hours, and the sale activity must not be a fire hazard or disrupt traffic.

Resident Steve Carroll echoed her sentiments, referring to Rockland codes as a 600-page War and Peace guide for codes in the City. He told council that Rockland is over-regulated, and challenged members to do things a different way. However, in his talk, he also referenced opposing opinions.

“I hear from two groups,” Carroll said. “One group that are kind of the Home Owners Association group - that want their neighborhoods to look exactly perfect. I understand that, I really do. I understand wanting to have things perfect....But then I talk to these people that I grew up with, that live here, that say ‘I pay my taxes. I take care of my stuff. Leave me alone.”

Carroll urged councilors to slow down and ask themselves ‘what are we hurting, and what is the damage here.’

Following the public hearing talks by Curtis and Carroll, Councilor Ed Glaser proposed postponing the vote for another month.

“In the hopes that what we can do is address one particular instance, whether there should be an exemption in here, or somebody could apply for an exemption,” Glaser said.

Councilor Geiger seconded the motion to postpone.

“I think the ordinance, on it’s face, is not that onerous,” Geiger said. “I think it’s pretty reasonable. But I also hear loud and clear on Mrs. Curtis, and if there’s some way we can help make her life easier, I’d like to do that.”

 Councilors will revisit the ordinance proposal at their June 12 meeting.

Related story:

Rules governing yard sales and RV living could get tighter in Rockland

Sarah Thompson can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com