Bill could ban couches on porches

‘ ‘ ‘ Aiming to curb couch burning, a Pittsburgh City Council committee voted 9-0 in favor of a… ‘ ‘ ‘ Aiming to curb couch burning, a Pittsburgh City Council committee voted 9-0 in favor of a bill that would make it illegal to store couches on porches in a preliminary vote on Wednesday. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The bill, which prohibits the storage of any upholstered furniture outside, carries a minimum $200 and maximum $500 fine for each day that the furniture remains outside. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ While doing research for the law, Councilman Bruce Kraus, who sponsored the bill, watched video of a bonfire during SempleFest on YouTube. Using a couch, participants had built the fire about 10 feet away from a house with a wooden porch, he said. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘I don’t see how anyone would think that’s appropriate,’ said Kraus. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ After the SempleFest last April, City Council received many calls about the fires, he said. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘When I saw what happened after SempleFest, I knew we had to act,’ said Kraus. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Kraus said multiple community organizations, including the Oakland Community Council, requested a law of this kind and presented sample legislation. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Twenty-two other cities currently have similar legislation in place, he said. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ While couch burning mostly only occurs in Oakland, Kraus said he has received calls from throughout the city about the infestation of rodents and insects in furniture kept outdoors. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ City Council will hold a final vote on Tuesday.