Couch Ban Gets Initial Approval

At its Aug. 5, 2010 meeting, the Ann Arbor city council gave a first-reading approval to an ordinance change “prohibiting storage of furniture not intended or designed for outdoor use on exterior balconies, porches, decks …” For enactment, the change would require approval at a second reading before the council, which will take place in early September.

In spring 2010 an Eastern Michigan University student died in a house fire on State Street, which was suspected to have been accelerated by a porch couch. And since then, there have been renewed calls for consideration of a porch couch ban. Council discussions on the topic in 2004-05 did not result in enactment of such a ban.

This brief was filed from city hall. A more detailed report on the meeting will follow: [link]