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Thursday, May 19, 2005
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So far, 48 newspapers around the country have picked up on this seemingly very local story… CITY PLAN WOULD CURB GARAGE DOOR OPENING The Associated Press Wednesday, May 18, 2005; 7:32 AM GERMANTOWN, Tenn. -- Some residents of this upscale Memphis suburb say ordinances have gone too far. The final straw may have been rules proposed about when garage doors can be opened. Among other directives, the city codes would tell homeowners to open their garage doors only when entering or exiting or for "short periods of time" for cleaning and maintenance. "I'm in favor of reasonable codes, but I think some of these things go to extremes," said resident Robert Scallions. Because of such criticism, officials in this town known for a sharp eye for community decorum have agreed to give the proposals another look before a final vote. Jean Wallace said she fears town regulators could come down on her because the street address on her house is spelled out in words. The rules would call for numbers only, from 4 to 6 inches tall. "That seems very strange, especially when the house is 30 years old," Wallace said. "The builders put them up, and they used to always be like that." The all-too-aptly named Germantown has a lot more ordinances where these came from. You can’t park your car in your driveway, for instance. Has to be kept behind those doors…. Will selectmen with stopwatches station themselves outside random driveways, timing owners as they whisk their cars in and slam the doors? No. Being outside and walking around is unlikely to be permitted under the Germantown ordinances. |