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Two Rockingham residents have reached their yard sale limit and are applying for the right to sell furniture out of their home on a regular basis.

A public hearing on the request is set for 7 p.m., April 12, in the Richmond County commissioners’ chambers in the County Administration Building on Hancock Street in Rockingham.

According to Richmond County Code Enforcement, “Yard sales shall be limited to a maximum of six per calendar year per property with an interval of at least two months between sales.”

The Richmond County Department of Planning and GIS sent a Notice of Code Violation Order to Cease and Desist to Harry and Sharon Failing at 911 U.S. Highway 74 West that said, “It has been noticed that several ‘yard sales’ or flea market’ events have been held on your property over the past several months.”

“They had been selling furniture out of their house pretty much every weekend,” said Director of GIS James Armstrong. “It’s possible they just didn’t know they couldn’t.”

According to Armstrong, the Failings immediately ceased the sales upon receiving the notice and contacted the department on how to cooperate.

“We sell all secondhand merchandise,” said Sharon Failing. “Everything under the sun. Antiques and furniture and household items. I get things really cheap and give the community a good deal.”

Failing said she has sold bedroom furniture valued at $6,000 for $400. She also said she sometimes has unique and interesting items.

“For example; an early 1900s fire extinguisher on wheels that was very large,” she said. “I sold it to a man who was going to have it restored and placed in a Wadesboro museum on display.”

Failing said she has laid out parking spaces on her property so that people wouldn’t be parking along the highway shoulder. She believes things will go well at the April 12 public hearing.

— Staff Writer Dawn M. Kurry can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 15, or by email at dkurry@heartlandpublications.com.