City of Waco may remove permits, fees for garage and estate sales

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Garage sale owners and estate sale companies could soon have extra money in their pockets as Waco City Council members consider the possibility of removing both permits and fees for these events.

That’s

“We’ve started our own company for about a year,” said Rickey Bettinger, who owns RC Estate Sales with his wife, Cheyenne.

Residents hire the Bettingers to come in and set up estate sales to help liquidate property for loved ones who pass away or folks who want to move or downsize.

“It’s a very trying time for individuals, so it helps ease that process,” Bettinger explained.

Kay’s Estate Sales Owner Kay Waldrop said that in between coping with the passing of a loved one, or parting ways from sentimental valuables, emotions can run high.

“It’s a lot of emotional stuff going on, at that point, so you’re having to do a lot of counseling just to get them through it,” said Waldrop.

Experts said each garage and estate sale requires an application and a $10 fee to get a permit.

That way, the city is aware of the sale in case traffic gets out of control.

The City of Waco, however, is considering removing the permit fee for garage and estate sales.

The city had already suspended permits and fees for garage, yard and estate sales during the pandemic.

City of Waco Planning Services Manager Beatriz Wharton said the city realized it couldn’t track properties that weren’t in compliance with the ordinance.

“People who were following the rules were the ones who were actually applying, pulling permits and paying the fee,” said Wharton.

“We were kind of putting more burden by requiring a permit and fee on people who were already following the rules. There’s still an ordinance in place for guidelines that have to be followed.”

“Who’s not going to say, ‘yay?’ You’re saving ten dollars every time you’re doing a sale in Waco,” said Bettinger.

The city council’s ordinance amendment has to go through a second reading by resolution on December 20.

COPYRIGHT 2022 KWTX TV. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.