Licenses for garage sales axed in Des Plaines
Hosting a garage sale in Des Plaines no longer will require purchasing a $5 license.
The city council on Monday agreed to do away with the licenses. The change is part of an ongoing effort to simplify rules for residents and to use city resources and staff time more efficiently, said 5th Ward Alderman Carla Brookman, who oversees legal and licensing issues for the council.
"This will make life easier not only for the staff but certainly for the residents," Brookman said.
Revenue from garage sale licenses has declined from $3,430 in 2017 to $2,670 in 2019, officials said.
No license revenue was collected in 2020 because the fee was suspended as a COVID-19 pandemic relief effort, City Manager Mike Bartholomew said in a memo. Had the city charged for licenses last year, they would have generated less than $1,800.
Other municipal rules for garage sales, such as a three-day maximum duration and a limit of three sales per location each year, remain on the books.
Brookman likened the change to when the city council did away with annual vehicle stickers last year.
"I've always believed, and I've said it multiple times, that less government is the best government," she said.
No other council members commented about the proposal.
Des Plaines joins Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg and Wheeling among the suburbs that don't require garage sale permits or license.
Mount Prospect ended its permit requirement in 2017.
Hoffman Estates requires a permit but doesn't charge a fee.