Outdoor couch ban moves forward to kick the tacky out

Photo by dno1967

The measure to ban outdoor upholstered furniture and mattresses moved one step ahead as the Minneapolis City Council's regulatory committee approved the plan to cure Minneapolis of all things "tacky".

We're so glad Minneapolis is looking out for our best interests. Bring on the aesthetic police!

In the Star Tribune report, City Council President Barbara Johnson proclaimed: "Our city can either look good or it can look tacky, and tacky is not what we want."

Council Member Diane Hofstede, who represents the Dinkytown neighborhood near the University of Minnesota campus, proposed the measure. Cam Gordon, who represents the U campus, opposes it because he says couches on open porches should be allowed.

From Gordon's blog:

I am willing to support the portion that restricts the use of upholstered furniture (not specifically manufactured for outdoor use) on lawns and in yards. Though I believe we have ordinances in place that allow us to address nuisance conditions, I can understand the desire for more specificity.

However, after quite a bit of consideration, talking to others and after looking at porches throughout Ward 2, Minneapolis and St. Paul, I have decided that I cannot support the proposed new prohibition on upholstered furniture on open porches.

My position on this became clear to me the other morning when the sun was making a much-appreciated appearance after several days of cold and rain. After I had dropped my son off at school, I was heading back to my car and looked across the street to see a small group gathered on their porch talking, enjoying the sun and relaxing. I was struck by the fact that this is exactly what we want to be happening in our neighborhoods, and that this is one of the things that is so great about our city - people out enjoying the springtime, using their front porches, building community.