I wrote this a year ago and it’s time to print it. The Dalles is the only town I have ever heard of that doesn’t want to allow yard sale signs. I think their rules are too anal.
Some have said people who don’t pick up their signs after their sale should be fined. Why do we pay city employees to pick up signs during people’s sales, when they could pick them up afterward and issue a citation? That would generate money for the city.
Better yet, just have a city worker pick up signs Monday morning.
As far as a “deterrent for economic development,” that’s ridiculous. Look at Hood River! Yard sale signs are everywhere every weekend and it hasn’t hurt that town’s economy.
I manage estate and moving sales. I get people from Goldendale, Hood River and other towns coming to The Dalles for sales. They tell me the reason they came was to go to sales, have lunch and probably buy groceries and gas too.
I agree signs on the street after a sale are unsightly, but they look normal during a sale.
The simple solution would be to fine people for not picking up their signs after their sale.
People are starting to put signs in their vehicles because the city picks them up off street corners. At least if the sign is on a vehicle, you know it will be removed after the sale. If we cannot have signs in our vehicles, then we cannot have our business name on our vehicle or any other sign at all, period.
Last year I tried using the “sign boards.” The one at St. Vincent is so tight you can hardly get your sign behind the Plexiglas. The Chamber of Commerce board is so loose signs fall behind the Plexiglas and turns sideways. No one was taking old signs down, so you can’t tell what is current or not.
Part of the success of a sale is drive-bys, people who aren’t thinking of going to a sale, but drive by a sign and decide to stop.
Also important: How are people from out of town going to know where the sign boards are? Aren’t there more important things for the city to do? Come on people, write letters to the editor, talk to the city council, don’t let four or five people dictate to you what you can do.
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