STONY POINT VOTES TO RESTRICT YARD SALES

Board passes new garage and yard sale law, honors exemplary seniors for outstanding public service 

BY CHERYL SLAVIN

The Stony Point Town Board opened a public hearing at its Tuesday night meeting to discuss a proposed new local law regulating garage and yard sales on private property. According to Supervisor Geoff Finn and Councilman Jim Monaghan, the law was drafted in response to numerous complaints over the past year about excessive, sometimes weekly, yard sales that were interfering with other residents’ peaceful enjoyment of their homes.

Town attorney Brian Nugent presented the essential points of the draft law: private residents would be limited to four yard or garage sales within a 12-month period, each one to last no longer than three days at a time and limited to the hours of 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sales would be limited to personal property. The police and building departments would be responsible for enforcing the law, although Nugent also pointed out that effective enforcement would most likely rely primarily on response to neighbors’ complaints.

Councilman Tom Basile suggested that the time be lengthened during the summer months to allow for longer daylight hours. In response, a resident from Liberty Ridge stated that he thought 10 hours a day was more than enough time. He also pointed out that the town needs to make a better effort to clean up yard sale signs at the end of the weekend. Finn acknowledged that ongoing problem, but added that it was already addressed by the town’s sign law. Resident Susan Filgeuras argued that the proposed law interfered with private family activity. She also suggested that the town hold four annual town rummage sales; Finn reminded her that indeed the town was holding a giant town-wide yard sale at Kirkbride Hall on May 31.

After the two public speakers finished, Finn made a motion, over the vocal objections of several members of the audience, to close the hearing. The motion passed 3-2, with Councilmen Basile and James White voting no and advocating to keep the hearing open for at least one more meeting to allow for further public comment. After the hearing was closed, the board voted 4-1 in favor of the law as drafted, with White again stating that he thought there should have been more time for commentary. It was not stated when the law would actually go into effect, but Finn did state that yard sale season was already beginning.

In other business, and in anticipation of Keep Rockland Beautiful Day on April 18, the board honored two long time Stony Point residents, Douglas Cassles, Sr. and Nick Bosico, for their personal efforts to keep the community looking “sharp and clean.” In his remarks, Finn praised both men for taking the time to regularly patrol their neighborhoods and pick up trash, without thought of reward or thanks. Bosico maintains the area of Filors Lane by Central Highway and Cassles looks after the seawall area by Riverfront Park.

Both men received an “Outstanding Citizens Award” plaque from the town, as well as a plaque from Legislator Doug Jobson, and were lauded as examples to the next generation of Stony Pointers. Residents interested in participating in this year’s Keep Rockland Beautiful can gather by 9 a.m. at the Farley Middle School on April 18 to aid in town cleanup projects.