Town-gown Relations Take Nasty Turn In Ann Arbor

"Those old tattered couches — a mainstay on porches in many college towns — may no longer be a tradition in Wolverine country. The Ann Arbor City Council has proposed banning upholstered couches on front porches and lawns in the name of public safety. Those couches, a staple at outdoor parties and afternoon lounging, are a fire hazard, fire officials say... The ban has excited those on campus who say city leaders want to get rid of the hundreds of couches for no good reason. It’s been the subject of Internet forums, e-mails to City Council members and student newspaper articles. Some students are upset the issue surfaced during the summer, when many students are off campus and won’t have a say on the issue."