Dunwoody, GA Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)

Section 27-188(a) classifies a garage sale as a temporary use under Article III, Division 4 of the zoning ordinance, the same division covering things like temporary buildings, seasonal outdoor sales, and portable storage containers. Because temporary uses generally require review by the community development director under Section 27-187, the code carves out an exception for garage sales: the first two held on a property in a calendar year need no permit or city review at all. Only a resident's third or subsequent garage sale in the same calendar year triggers the requirement for community development approval, which the director grants under the general temporary use authority of Sections 27-187 and 27-189, including the power to attach conditions on hours of operation, signage, and vehicle access and parking.

The exemption is tied to residential use of the lot: garage sales in residential zoning districts are allowed only on lots that are actually occupied by a residential dwelling unit, so a vacant residential lot cannot host one, exempt or otherwise. The section does not set a maximum duration for an individual sale or dictate specific hours, leaving those details to whatever conditions the director imposes if a permit for a third sale becomes necessary.