THOMASVILLE, N.C. - The Thomasville City Council passed a one-year moratorium on new outdoor flea markets at its meeting Monday night. The moratorium won't affect existing flea markets or new indoor flea markets.

Property owner Don Jarrett said he was planning to use an eight-acre tract he owns for an outdoor flea market. He spoke out against the moratorium at the meeting, telling the council his furniture delivery business is down and he's laid off 20 of his 40 employees.

Thomasville City Manager Kelly Craver said the moratorium is needed to give city staff some time to clear up issues with the ordinances that govern the flea markets and the merchants who sell products at them.

"We felt that instead of dealing with these inconsistencies on a piecemeal basis, that we would develop a holistic approach to clarifying these ordinances, which would allow anyone who comes to get a permit to have a clear-cut pictures of what the requirements would be and that they wouldn't change on a month-to-month basis, and we wouldn't put those people in a double-jeopardy situation," Craver said.

The council will review the moratorium in 90 days to see how progress is coming on a new ordinance.
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