The Aberdeen City Council Public Works Committee is recommending that the city limit the number of garage sales at any one residence to two a year. The limit now is 10.

“We have been hearing concerns about the city allowing 10 garage sales per family per year, so I would support a verbal motion to bring forward an ordinance lowering it from 10 to two,” Public Works Committee Chairwoman Dee Anne Shaw said at Wednesday’s meeting.

City attorney Eric Nelson recommended against allowing a first reading of the garage sale ordinance based on a verbal motion, saying such an action, “if overdone, is a bad practice.” He recommended Shaw bring a written ordinance for consideration to the next City Council meeting for consideration, which she said she will do.

When asked on what she based the proposed two per year limit, Shaw said the committee researched other cities in the state that had garage sale ordinances. She cited a long list of communities across the state that only allow two per residence a year, including Hoquiam, Elma and Centralia and others stretching into Eastern Washington.

“Aberdeen at 10 is second highest in the state only to Benton City, which allows 12,” said Shaw.

Councilwoman Kathi Prieto agreed with the proposal.

“We have some places that are running their garage sales like a business, in which case they should be required to purchase a business license,” she said. She also mentioned complaints to the city from neighboring properties about the clutter and the increased traffic these frequent garage sales bring with them, and added multiple garage sale properties can often be used to fence stolen property.

Shaw is expected to introduce an ordinance for a first reading to the Aug. 9 council meeting.