Wauwatosa puts new restrictions on rummage sales

Once the cold weather goes away, drivers will be on the lookout for rummage sale finds.

"We do a rummage sale on a occasion," said Wauwatosa resident Holly Berndt.

But now, there are rules on how to run them in Wauwatosa.

The common council unanimously passed an ordinance Tuesday night that cracks down rummage, garage and yard sales. Hours are limited between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Also, one property can't hold more than three sales a year, each one lasting no longer than three straight days.

"The hours are great," Berndt said.

And don't even think about putting signs on every corner.

The new rules only allow the signs on the property where the sale is and they have to be at least five feet from the nearest lot line.

"That I'd be disappointed with because we live an an area and there's not much traffic," she said. "It goes straight down and left so we wouldn't have the chance for people to come and look at our stuff."

Anyone caught breaking the rummage sale rules can be cited. And while Berndt appreciates some of the changes, she feels the council wasted time.

"I don't see it as a problem," she said. "I'm sure there's other things they could work on."

A report states Brookfield and West Allis also limit the occurrence and length of rummage sales. You can read all of Wauwatosa's new ordinance on rummage sales here. You'll find it on page 10, also referred to as 4.1, of the packet.