Although it may not seem an attractive site to some, some may want to take advantage of putting laundry on a line to dry. Good post.

As someone born and raised in Naperville, can I just remind some people that we are living in challenging economic times? Also, while that list of "ideal neighborhood rules" has some great ideas, some of the ideas are flat-out ridiculous. Newspaper in by 10am? Come on, some households have both parents working, parents who might pass on the morning paper and pick it up after work.

All house lights illuminated after dark? What? I hope you meant outdoor lights, because in our household, we like to sleep IN the dark.

No washing cars in driveways? What's wrong with this? People do it in my neighborhood all the time, and I actually respect them for putting some elbow grease into maintaining their vehicles.

Garage doors must be closed at all times? Well that's going to be tough for the people who also aren't keeping their cars outside all the time. Exiting/entering a garage requires opening of the door. Just saying.

No bare or brown spots in lawn? I mean, seriously? A whole brown lawn stinks, but a few brown spots because of a dog or kids play is not a big deal.

What I would appreciate, more than anything, is for parents to keep an eye on their kids, either when they're out in the neighborhood or when they're out in a store/restaurant. Sometimes I wonder if people in Naperville think a "family friendly" community means free public babysitting. While we're freaking out about laundry and neighborhood eyesore issues, can we please also remind parents that unwatched kids can and do damage property/trees/grass, and that given the chance, they would probably steal laundry hanging out to dry as well?

Hi Brenda,

Do I want to see my neighbor's laundry hanging out to dry? NO!!! I also don't want to see their junk, out of control landscaping and four cars parked in the driveway!! But what am I going to do? I am going to mind my business and make sure my property reflects my pride in ownership!

You went about this all wrong. I have been on your side until you started boring everyone with your wealth, education and name dropping. You don't need to blow so hard, it is silly when you think about it.

My family is in the process of building a home in downtown Naperville. We look forward to meeting all of our interesting, fun and colorful neighbors! If they have an eyesore, big whoop, I will put up a privacy fence! They may not like seeing my children's toys in the yard! Just my thoughts.

Maybe Brenda misspoke about being on Oprah and really meant to say she was on Jerry Springer.

"Now was April 12, 2005 just a typo... did you possibly mean you appeared on the April 22, 2005 show instead?"

That's hilarious. I had a feeling someone would be checking the Wimphrey archives. Perhaps she got the year wrong, but I don't have the patience to check it out.

Sorry, Brenda...but you bring it on yourself. I am not a mean or nasty person. I love being friendly and cooperative, but some people bring out the nasty in me, right?

I also don't want Naperville to be defined by pretentiousness. No one that makes more money than I do is better than I am, or less than I do is any lesser than I am, according to our constitution. We have many unique and great people here, no need to air dirty laundry! Celebrate the tapestry that makes up this great town!

Now Brenda,

You appeared where exactly on April 12, 2005?

Hmmm, not according to Oprah, see for yourself at
http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200504/tows_past_200504.jhtml

Now was April 12, 2005 just a typo... did you possibly mean you appeared on the April 22, 2005 show instead?

To Moderator Ted:

A great thread to start here at Potluck would be one dealing with Naperville being pretentious (I'm serious - not joking). The town has apparently gotten a reputation for being stuck up and the home of self absorbed yuppies (do people still say yuppies? Am I showing my age?). Is Naperville as "friendly" as it once was? What do residents think is wrong and how can we fix it?

Hey Brenda--I rarely watch the "Oprah Wimphrey" show, must have missed your 15 minutes of fame. Maybe I'll be able to catch you on council footage.

:::It's so embarrassing when spell check misses a moment of gloat:::

By the way, Brenda...my portfolio took first place in the nation (National Scholastic Art Contest; A. K. Oliver Award) plus Hallmark awards, Gold Medals, Gold Keys, more than my HS ever received before or after when I was a senior at Forest View. I went to college and earned my BFA on a full paid scholarship because of it. I would never, ever define myself by that. Today, what I do today, is what makes me who I am. It also pays my property taxes, but no one here wants to know what they are, as it isn't important, it doesn't define me.

Wanna travel with me and my camera to Europe, photographing laundry on the line? We can come home and write about and paint what we have seen together, I'll do the book design. Go a little Bohemian, hon...or streak or something, it's very freeing. Use some of that creative stuff you studied at UofC and find some happiness in your own life, so you don't have to be so concerned about mine.

Hey, Brenda.

Wow! The Rhode Island School of Design! That's fantastic. When I think of earth-shattering designers, Rhode Island just springs into my mind.

You were on Oprah, too?! The list of your accomplishments never ends. By the way, O Educated One, you might want to get the spelling of her last name right.

Could you tell me what subdivision you've decided to grace with your presence? I'd like to hang my BVDs on the entrance sign.

Yep T.J.,

Got to face that truth. It is time for everyone to move their hanging laundry from the back yard to the front yard and keep it there until Brenda and people like her either join in or can't take it any more and move out.

Brenda,

What are your feelings of people washing thier cars in thier driveways? Should it be prohibited? Should it be allowed? Should it be allowed only if the car washer was wearing a certain uniform but never shirtless?

Brenda, you are so self centered and self absorbed that even those who would like to see restrictions on outdoor laundry, would never want to be associated with you. Lose the attitude and then fight for yor cause.

Brenda,

I've read it all, now. I believe I saw that episode (overly attractive for her age by the way. Work done? Maybe?), and now, your comments make a whole lot more sense.

The condescension is off the wall.

I'm hanging my socks and jeans on my front porch tommorow morning in response to this.

Well, if you asked whether I'm educated.

I received a my degree in architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design, and followed up some graduate work at the University of Chicago in art.

As a matter of a fact, I was on the Oprah Wimphrey show three years ago, April 12, 2005. The show was about profiling mothers from different backgrounds and I can say that they had quite the flattering portrait of me and two other mothers.

I can't say the same about a mother from Cicero.

I know that people might not like what I'm saying; I see that one person has decided to not live here based on some comments made--I don't blame her if laundry continues to be hung outdoors--but that's laughable and not true.

No one is that sensitive.

I wish that you people would stop pretending like you're scaping pennies together and buying rice in mass to feed your starving family. I didn't move here to see this place become a upgraded version of Detroit or Gary, In.

Take some pride in where you live. This whole idea of going green doesn't support your argument when you can save--what a dollar!

Oh, and by the way, I've had more follow up conversations with the two councilmen I spoke of and they have been very responsive.

I've also spoken with the Homeowners Confederation to consider this issue more seriously.

You wait and see. Things are going to change. Then maybe we can stop pretending like we're not the upscale suburb that we really are.

Get a grip people.

http://www.kusi.com/weather/colemanscorner/19842304.html

Check out the comments by the founder of the Weather Channel at an address to the San Diego Chamber of Commerce. The global warming nuts must be contained or they will ruin our economy.

Anonymous on June 12, 2008 10:20 AM

I don't own property in Naperville, I rent here for the time being. After the ridiculous things I've seen on this blog, me and my spouse have decided that we'll be looking elsewhere to purchase a home. Some of you (Brenda, I'm looking at you) should be ashamed of your shallowness and your utterly appalling self-centered attitudes and self-absorption.

____________________________________________________________________

Lighten up anonymous - you are reading and commenting on a newspapers anonymous blogosphere. The topic you are reading is about hanging laundry outside on a clothesline!!! It doesn't take an Einstein to figure out that most of what has been written is borderline truth, but mostly fiction. People take all kinds of identities and attitudes while protected in this anonymous world.

If you truly have based your decision to live (or rent) somewhere else based on this blog then good luck. I would suggest, however, that you continue to rent until you better understand where and how to evaluate your living arrangements.

I don't own property in Naperville, I rent here for the time being. After the ridiculous things I've seen on this blog, me and my spouse have decided that we'll be looking elsewhere to purchase a home. Some of you (Brenda, I'm looking at you) should be ashamed of your shallowness and your utterly appalling self-centered attitudes and self-absorption.

Brenda dear,

Your attitude and arrogance will do greater and more long-lasting harm to all of our property values than a clothes line ever will.

To Brenda on June 11, 2008 9:45 PM

Do you enjoy painting a big target on your self when you post something silly like this? Why don't you respond by telling all of us here on the blog about how educated you are; what schools you went to and what advanced degrees you have earned. After that, tell the world about your financial successes and how much taxes you pay - make sure you don't forget to tell everyone here about how much your house is worth, what kind of luxury car you drive, and what kind of designer close you wear. Then you might fill us in on what private schools your children go to and any other worthless drivel you seem to hold so highly.

Brenda said: "I can just sense the sarcasm and arrogance here, and maybe, afterall, maybe Naperville isn't that educated.

It takes education to know what outdoor laundry and improper maintenance can do to our property value.

Honestly, what the heck is important to you as a resident, anyhow?"

Arrogance? Are you kidding?

By the way, if you're going to make nasty comments about how Naperville "isn't that educated" (and how can a city be educated at all, darlin'?), you may want to remember that "afterall" (sic) isn't one word.

What's important to me as a resident? Mutual respect. Concern for others. Safety. What's important to you, aside from yourself?

I have to agree with Brenda's last comment! Please print that good neighbor list!! It may help those with no common sense! Not that anyone here is a bad neighbor!

I can just sense the sarcasm and arrogance here, and maybe, afterall, maybe Naperville isn't that educated.

It takes education to know what outdoor laundry and improper maintenance can do to our property value.

Honestly, what the heck is important to you as a resident, anyhow?

I grew up hanging clothes outside--yes, I had chores, an allowance, and a three-speed bike. I spend more than Brenda in taxes and I love driving past a house with a full clothes line. It is a memory from childhood, along with summer evening bike rides to the Dairy Barn for chocolate dipped soft serve. Unfortunately my subdivision does have covenants, but a good 40% of our clothes hang to dry on racks in bedrooms and bathrooms, how much nicer and faster if I could let the breeze dry them. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ken, your comment made me laugh loudly enough for my kids to come running in to ask what was so funny. Sounded to me like your were trying to lighten the atmosphere.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Anonymous (the one quoted below) is clearly insane. I think he should send his kids to school in the Czech republic so that they can learn to be wasteful, hateful pigs who care nothing for others including their own progeny.
______________________________________________________________________
By Anonymous on June 6, 2008 11:56 AM
I quote Vclav Havel......"The largest threat to freedom, democracy, the market economy and prosperity," warns Czech President Vaclav Klaus, "is no longer socialism. It is, instead, the ambitious, arrogant, unscrupulous ideology of environmentalism."

Dear aaw,

You stated: "I am not into clothes hanging outside in my neighbor's yard."

For that I'm sure your neighbors are thankful.

Brenda I totally agree with you. I am not into clothes hanging outside in my neighbor's yard. I would much rather look at well kept yards, flowers, water ponds, and beautiful trees. I also agree with the good neighbor list. I feel that the list was well thought out and put together quite nicely. Jim, I think you should publish that list in the Naperville sun.

WOW
That's some serious stuff. We have friends (also Orthodox) in Seattle that did the same event and open basted/roasted a lamb at that/their big religous event. They invited everyone over (family friends neighbors etc for the event) and the lamb was awesome!! However, they didnt kill it on site....

What did they do bleed it out? Kinds messy for the backyard!?! Visions of "Silence of the Lambs" dancing in my head....

-----------------------------------------------------
By Anonymous on June 10, 2008 9:20 AM
Growing up I lived next door to an orthodox Armenian family that would, as part of their culture and religion, butcher a live lamb every spring in their back yard. Our family had front row seats from our kitchen window. Now don't ask me if there were any city laws prohibiting this as I don't know. I always thought since it was for religious purposes and personal consumption they probably could do it, but who knows.

Now I'm not sure if Brenda has ever witnessed an event quite like this in a neighbors back yard or not. Let me just say that this it isn't for the faint of heart... as in a lamb doesn't great death eagerly or quietly. If Brenda is as queasy about butchering live animals as she is about laundry she might want to opt for the laundry to try to at least shield her view.

LOL just the No Sun For Our Clothes (NSFOC). I didnt realize their was a parallel group that also is forming (but I like that one also)!! :)
-----------------------------------------------
By Anonymous on June 9, 2008 5:52 PM
Is Greg Forrest a member of No Skidm*rks Found On Clothes (NSFOC)?

To Anonymous on June 10, 2008 9:09 AM & Anonymous on June 10, 2008 8:48 AM,

The objection here is with the personal attacks (ad hominem), not the commentary on the issue. Take any approach you like to get your point across, but when you are more interested in sending derogatory comments -- specifically targeting a single person -- then perhaps you shouldn't click the submit button.

Has Brenda ever considered spending some of her "success" on privacy bushes and some nice full trees?

I imagine she doesn't want that because she wants people to look into her yard to see her "success." I'd bet her neighbors don't appreciate her always looking in their backyards looking for something to complain about.

Growing up I lived next door to an orthodox Armenian family that would, as part of their culture and religion, butcher a live lamb every spring in their back yard. Our family had front row seats from our kitchen window. Now don't ask me if there were any city laws prohibiting this as I don't know. I always thought since it was for religious purposes and personal consumption they probably could do it, but who knows.

Now I'm not sure if Brenda has ever witnessed an event quite like this in a neighbors back yard or not. Let me just say that this it isn't for the faint of heart... as in a lamb doesn't great death eagerly or quietly. If Brenda is as queasy about butchering live animals as she is about laundry she might want to opt for the laundry to try to at least shield her view.

Hey Realist,

Get real. This is a community forum, not the Harvard debate team. If our opinions and discussions are not up to your personal intellectual standards then why don't you go on over to debate.com? Possibly you will find a topic that is more worthy of your time and talent?

Realist, some of us feel the best way to address a trivial issue is to , well, trivialize it. Aren't there more important things in one's life than whether or not thier neighbors air dry their clothes? Get real realist, this issue is not worth debating.

Wow. This blog really sickens me. Instead of debating the issues many resort to ad hominem attacks; perhaps because some cannot sustain the intellectual rigor. What's worse, it that the moderator chooses to publish this worthless junk.

It seems that the "art" of a bona fide argument is truly lost upon many of the posters here. Not sure why that is, but it would surely be great to impersonally dissect an issue and attack it on the merits. Maybe that's asking too much.

Thank God for Brenda! She isn't afraid to stick out her neck and take the lead on an issue of such monumental importance. Her efforts clearly illustrate where her priorities are.

Bren (may I call you Bren?), thanks for letting us know you and your husband have "experienced some success" in your life. As opposed to, say, the rest of the people in our fair community, who seem to be doing pretty well, too. But you keep measuring with that yardstick, girl!

Thank goodness for people like Bren. If it weren't for people like her, our town would be ... well ... a nicer place to live.

Carpe diem, baby!

Is Greg Forrest a member of No Skidm*rks Found On Clothes (NSFOC)?

Brenda, we get it. You think you're important, and you think that having money makes your opinions more relevant and somehow more "right" than others with less money. That's a lovely attitude to have. Must you include a reference to your income in every post?

Well of course those council members told you not to say anything, Brenda! Part of what the council does is work to placate nut jobs like yourself. Are you really that delusional? Better talk to your doctor about the medicinals your taking. They ain't workin' for ya!

Brenda,

If you happen to strike out on the city council, have no fear. I am sure you could garner enough signatures to put the measure on the ballot, if you so choose. There are a number of HOAs, and homeowners within, that would be willing to support you on this.

Brenda--you go girl!

Could you also start getting the council to require doggy bag and poop receptacles on every corner? Oh, and will you also check them daily and empty as needed? Also, I really don't want dogs peeing on my grass and causing those nasty brown spots...would you have time to address this as well, get us all "keep off the grass" lawn signs and a hydrant on each of my neighbors' lawns?

Thanks so much.

Brenda Avalong,

The city council members are already in enough hot water on a ton of other issues. Not a single one of them is going to risk their next election putting something as silly as banning back yard laundry to a vote much less actually trying to enact such a law.

A good politician will always give you a sympathetic ear and tell you what you want to hear. Your only mistake was believing what was actually said or possibly hearing what you wanted to hear.

Hopefully the "some success" you have experienced has been based upon good judgement, good sense, and intelligence. If that is the case you might want to rethink your position.

To: Brenda Avalong on June 8, 2008 11:27 PM

Of course your opinion matters - to you. It's really great that you have enjoyed some financial success in your life. Hooray for you!!I wish you much more of it - enough that you become wealthy enough to move to some other place that will fit your delusions of grandeur and fulfill your needs for pretentiousness. However, if you want those opinions to matter to others, you need to learn to express them in a somewhat more tolerable manner. If you do, you might enjoy some success in having friends and getting others to not think you are a completely egocentric,self absorbed elitist.

I've spoken with two council members by email, two of whom that asked me not to say their name since they haven't yet spoken to the city's administrative staff or other council members, and they said they would consider implementing a policy that outlaws outdoor laundry.

I can say for certain that this is something that will not go away. In my experience, persistence is usually the way to get things done.

I have gotten things done. And sorry, just becuase I and my husband have experienced some success in our lives, doesn't mean our opinions don't matter.

Action needs to be taken.

As an alternative we could all just hang our laundry over in Ken's yard. With all his hot air he could put a laundromat full of Maytag's to shame!

Anyone seen Brenda lately?

Brenda...Bueller...Bueller...

:::crickets:::

If Naperville passed an ordinance allowing that all laundry should be line dried outside, then it could become known as the city that "Lets it all hang out". Or, it could be known as the city that was always "three sheets to the wind".

I am surprised no one on this board as suggested the school district use its 25 acres at BB for a wind farm. Just sell it to Natural Source Farm Oscilating Company.

Maybe the City of Naperville should install public access clotheslines along the interstate? All the extra free wind from the vehicles going by will help dry the clothes more quickly.

How about some "hang and ride" lots too? We could stop by on the way to work in the morning. Hang up a load. Go to work. Pick up the dry laundry on the way home. And then there would be nothing in the backyard to offend our good friend Brenda.

I love that good neighbor list! Can we pass out copies to those who don't have good common sense? Be a good neighbor and keep up your home/lots! Renters too! Thanks Naperville!!

I think a petition should start going around and have the city come down hard on the HOAs......it is a great energy-saving idea. Maybe Host Ted could start one online...and everybody could just enter their names and addresses and if enough signatures result, it could be presented to Bob Marshall at City Hall.

Funny, A few days ago I was driving my car (returning home from a baseball game) and I saw a ton of laundry blowing in the wind on laundry lines which distracted me. One of the sheets detached from the line and blew right into my windshield!!! I had to slam on my breaks (as I could not see) and my car skidded for at least 30 feet. To my dismay, part of the sheet was caught under my front tires during this frightening ordeal. Being the good citizen that I am, I turned around and returned the sheet to its proper place on the clothes line and went on my way. I hope this is not what Brenda was referring to in her original post!! If so, then I claim full responsibility and not the owner of the sheet in question. :)

Hi Peoples!!

I also hope all the best snipers from the Metea Blogs move over here now that the 3rd HS thing is over (except for the BB suits and SB elections in 2009)!!! THis is Hilarous! Thanks for inviting me over!!
-----------------------------------------------------
By Peoples is the Craziest Animals on June 7, 2008 7:35 AM
Wait for it Ladies and Gentlemen.........wait for it.....

Yes - there it is - there's the gun - Snide Sniper Season is now officially open here at "Blowing in the Wind"!! Thank you Anonymous on June 6, 2008 10:23 PM.

Good Hunting!

Holy heck!!
This is crazier than the 3rd HS blogging wars.

This is a toughie. Individual rights (and property owner rights) are super important to me. Allthough, I am not a big fan of laundry everywhere. What about folks that decide hanging laundry in both the front yard and back yard; saves time when doing multiple loads? lol lol. All open air driers, I encourage you to futher fan the flames and create further division by utilizing your front yards as well. I think you will find it will save time :)

hanging clothers outside is much more common in cities and in countries I have visited in latin america and Europe. Cant say I love it, but if your building or subdivision allows it (as well as your city ordinences), then it is your right to "air your laundry"

Brenda, let me know where to send my check for $204 too for the upcoming NSFOC (No Sun For Our Clothes) fight to ban all open air laundry drying. :) I'm with you, eyesore and since my subdivision will not let me have a fence taller than 4 feet (and the landscape our here is flat as a pancake) I can see more than I really care too. However, I believe my HOA (in addition to the stringent fence guidelines) also bans laundry lines.)

LOVE the Comment on Stepford community!! I have been here over 3 years and I am only on page 997 of the 4,000 page tallgrass HOA CCR's. LOL LOL LOL

See, anonymouse 9:52pm, even though I purposely set up the straight line for you to see if anyone else has a sense of humor, I still find it funny. However, if you want the pictures, you will have to pay the standard modeling fee.

Glad that you proved humor is alive on this board, as others have on this very thread.

Wait for it Ladies and Gentlemen.........wait for it.....

Yes - there it is - there's the gun - Snide Sniper Season is now officially open here at "Blowing in the Wind"!! Thank you Anonymous on June 6, 2008 10:23 PM.

Good Hunting!

OMG,

Like I was test driving a new Hummer today and like you know the like ticky-tacky houses behind the dealership? Did you like know these houses had hung like laundry out to dry in their backyard and OMG they had ABOVE GROUND pools too!

Like now I like just don't know what to do. I want a new Hummer sooo bad but like I don't know if I can shop in a neighborhood like this. Like what if one of my friends like saw me there? Or like what if the car like needed service? I like just can't see me sitting in the waiting room drinking my Star Buck latte and having to like LOOK at other peoples laundry while the car is being serviced.

So then I like thought! Like how about a Navigator instead? So off I went to the Lincoln dealer. OMG! OMG! OMG! Like have you seen what is behind the Lincoln dealership? What is happening to my Naperville? Like these houses would like fit INSIDE the Hummer and from what I saw clothes lines like must have come as standard equipment in this neighborhood. OMG!

Like I just had this like idea that is just abolutely bril! Like I must get the girls together next week and like discuss at our Wednesday tea. Like Naperville has Loaves and Fishes for the hungry? Wellll, I thought we can start like a new community resource. Like just last week I like got rid of my GE Profile Harmony washer and dryer. Like the color was sooo last year. Now I have the latest and like hippest color and I am now soo cool. Like my friends are like all jealous and all hurrying to like get their new colors too. Like isn't that great that they keep coming out with all these new colors? Anyway, like I was thinking instead of putting my GE Profile out with the trash pickup maybe one of those little people in the little houses could like put my second hand washer and dryer to like better use so they like don't have to hang their laundry in their backyard! Ohhh this is going to like be soo much fun to organize!

GTG,

HUGGS and Kisses!

Brenda

Well Ken,

Send us some pictures of you dressed up in your Victoria's Secret best. Who knows we just might find something funny about you after all.

This thread is an absolute hoot! No Sun For Our Clothes!!!--it doesn't get better than this. And Anon, lay off Ken. He just verbalized what probably half the "pro-air" guys on this blog have already thought. Get a grip and a sense of humor, already.

Since I'm here, here's my op--line drying in my area (the southwest) is probably not a good idea. We have property restrictions against it because the powers that be decided ages ago that it is aesthetically unappealling to look at, and most property restrictions address aesthetics. No matter how responsible the majority of us would be with this, there are always the few that would abuse it, and those few would turn an environmentally friendly option into an eyesore for everyone else. It inevitably happens.

As far as comparing the Hamptons to Naperville on steroids, I'd say this is fairly accurate. I've been in Southampton for several summers over the years, and it's like McMansions in the country. The difference, however, is that the lots these houses are on are HUGE compared to our subdivisions, so there's a lot more privacy. It is possible to have a clothesline out back and have it never be seen from the street or by any neighbors. That's very different from here. If my neighbors used a clothesline, I'd get much more information than I ever wanted about their wardrobes. No thanks.

Have fun, kids!

Thank You Jim! Let us begin to find a way to get air for the kids!

I can't beleive you people don't understand how serious this issue really is. We need to band together to fight to protect what is truly important. I beleive we need to get together as a community in order to organize and possibly hire an attorney. We shall name our organization No Sun For Our Clothes (or NSFOC for short). We will meet next week at the Tall Grass clubhouse. Together we can fight this conspiracy started by Brookdale and prohibit the drying of clothes outdoors anywhere south of 75th street. Please bring your checkbooks so we can hire some attorney and fight this environmental menace.

Lighten up people.

This blog is too funny! I have to say that I can not believe that Moderator Jim won't allow ______ _______ but allows the bullying from sub division to sub division on all of the Metea blogs….Go figure.
Thanks for the laugh people, you made my day.
We have starving people in our world, and elementary buildings with no air and people are arguing about hanging laundry!
Let's all have Hang laundry day on 8-8-08! (Easy date to remember) But before we do that let’s contact the Park District to hold classes, because I have no clue how to hang a line!

"This blog is hysterical - didn't anyone ever teach you folks not to air your laundry (dirty or otherwise) in public?"

That's beautiful, and yes...I have also come here for the laughs. Must go fire up the wood stove, the ranch-hands will be in and hungry in just a little while.

Hey Brenda, after you finish speaking with Chef, Governess, Driver and Housekeeper--it sounds to me like you could use a bit o' fun up there in your ivory tower. Come join us, the carnival crowd is a hoot!

This blog is hysterical - didn't anyone ever teach you folks not to air your laundry (dirty or otherwise) in public?

Next time try not sharing your own secret fetishes with us, we really don't care to know. by Anonymouse 11:38pm

That's not a fetish, just a preference in underwear. Do you really speak for everyone, or are you just assuming that all here are humorless judgmental people?

If anyone is still out there . . . my dryer venting is 20-30 feet long which, according to the repair technicians, is extremely hard on the dryer motor. Add to the dryer repair costs, the two days per year consumed with cleaning the venting. This prompted me to start outdoor line drying several years ago. My clothing also dries very well hung inside during the winter in a house with the thermostat never set above 62 degrees. With respect for those who find line drying offensive, while maintaining what evolved into an environmental commitment for me, I never hang underwear outside and remove individual items as soon as they are dry, which with a southern exposure in the middle of summer is sometimes 15 minutes. My line drying system is completely invisible when not in use. Everything is in the eye of the beholder. To me line drying is a sign of life in a sea of facades. I am OK with being pitiful, classless and a nutjob. I am confident I am doing the right thing.

Anonymous on June 6, 2008 12:40 AM,

I live within the limits of an HOA which govern nearly 2/3’rds of the list your presented –- and I am thankful for it. I think these are a good start. For most homeowners, these are common sense; however, today, common sense is not that common. I see nothing wrong with mandating a little respect for the community and our neighbors.

Mneme, nice dodge on Acid Rain, you don't have a clue what the 1990 NAPAP study is do you? Did you see the fantastic story 60 minutes did on it too? Didn't think so, I did.

How about this by Julian L. Simon? Nah, didn't this so either. http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/5.02/ffsimon_pr.html

By the way Julian made his bet long after his first book came out.

Fact of the matter is I have been listening to this doom and gloom garbage from the left for YEARS and it's all just that, garbage. None of their predictions have come true, not even once. Ever heard of the Nobel Prize winner from Iowa named Norman Borlaug? Nah, didn't think so either. Check out what Dr. Borlaug has to say about the left wing environmentalists here. http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/97jan/borlaug/borlaug.htm

Ever heard of Vclav Havel? See what he has to say about environmentalist here. http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/05/30/2008-05-30_a_climate_of_fear_and_hysteria.html

I quote Vclav Havel......"The largest threat to freedom, democracy, the market economy and prosperity," warns Czech President Vaclav Klaus, "is no longer socialism. It is, instead, the ambitious, arrogant, unscrupulous ideology of environmentalism."

Ooh, go ahead Brenda. Call the council. You really believe they give a care about how you feel about this. By the way, the clothes wouldn't be filthy when they are hung out to dry. They've been washed. You must be LD.

Diane, I grew up here too. We hung the clothes out to dry, as did the rest of the town (40+ years here, like you). I don't know when it became an issue around here, do you? According to new Naperville, most of our ancestors were just a bunch of low lifes because of laundry habits. Never mind their own relatives, regardless of geographic location, were most likely in this category they've created.

Britney, I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, it's hard to find a neighborhood around here that doesn't have an association. Ours does, and we don't belong to it. Side note to everyone - you don't HAVE to join the association!! It's a CHOICE!! Just say no, how simple! Anyway, there's no agreement here that I know of about laundry lines, but if anyone tried to tell me I couldn't, I'd be hanging it on my front porch, the roof, flag poles - you name it. I'm with you on that one, John.

Of all the things to get wound up about, drying clothes outside on a clothes line. Seems to me each new home in Naperville should be installed with one and there's no choice. Then, people like Brenda, who can actually make the leap that hanging laundry outside to dry is related to "class" or is ghetto behavior, have to show the world their scarlett "DDs" - dirty diapers.

If the clothes are hanging out to dry, Brenda, they're no longer filthy. Common sense, please. No one is going to hang up DIRTY laundry, come on.

Brenda Avalong,

While you are contacting the city council to request them to legislate class how about we all work together and create one list so they can do this right the first time? Everybody else chime in, I'm sure you all know class when you see it as well as know when it is missing...

Ok, here is my wish list...

1. No more plastic lawn ornaments
2. No fake flowers in pots or planters
3. No boats under tarps in yards
4. No trailers or campers in yards
5. No TV antenna's on roofs
5. No Sprint antenna's on roofs
6. No ham radio towers
7. No backyard trampolines
8. No barking dogs in yards
9. No dogs defecating in yards
10. No visible garbage containers in yards.
11. No plastic mailboxes on parkways
12. No boats stored on driveways
13. No trailers or campers stored on driveways
14. No vehicles outside garage overnight
15. Garage doors must be kept closed at all time
16. No window air conditioners
17. All house lights must be illuminated after dark.
18. No yellow "bug" bulbs in house light fixtures.
19. No hoses or sprinklers. All watering to be done by in-ground sprinklers
20. No bare or brown spots in lawn.
21. No Christmas decorations before the friday after Thanksgiving or after MLK day.
22. Similar expectations before and after other holidays.
23. No weeds growing out of gutters
24. No weeds growing out of cracks in sidewalks or driveway
25. No dandelions.
26. No newspapers in driveways after 10AM
27. No aboveground pools
28. No skateboard ramps in driveways
29. No auto repairs in driveways
30. No car washing in driveways

Ok, these are just a few ideas for starters. How about it everyone? What else do we need so that Brenda can help Naperville get all the class it can handle? Let's hear from you!

Ken,

You are right. Your ignorant, crass, adolescent attempt filled me with anything but humor. But then I probably expected too much from someone who's intellect and sensitivity hovers at the sophomore level. And this is by no means meant as an insult to all of the sophomores out there.

Next time try not sharing your own secret fetishes with us, we really don't care to know.

Moderator Jim to Brenda and Casimir: Okay, I've let them go so far...but that's it. No more references to "skid stains" by you two or anyone else. The phrase is banned. Brenda, you started it. You should be ashamed of yourself.

I know for a fact that my gas dryer uses a Hell of a lot less energy than AlGore's private jet.

Anonymouse 1:18pm, you appear to be a humorless judgmental person.

Brenda: By all means you have the right to contact the City Council. But what I think really set people off was your offensive -to say the least - reference to "skid stains." Are you speaking for yourself when you referred to that?

What's amazing, is that so many of these people are calling me new rich.

I find that irrelevant since we're talking about hanging your filthy clothes in public. It shouldn't happen. I don't want your clothes to be revealed to us.

Honestly, I'm considering contacting a few of the council members to see if they would initiate a law to outlaw publicly hanging your laundry. Many other cities have a law.

It's about class, people. Hanging our clothes outdoors is not class. It's pitiful.

Gosh, I don't know why you're not just homeschooling your kids, Anonymous. Clearly, you really know what you're talking about.

As for me, I like to base my opinions and conclusions on a number of reliable non-biased sources, instead of erroneously believing that reading the content of a single book (one published in 1983 containing data that is over fifteen years old, for example) makes me knowledgable about a particular subject.

I cannot stand environmentalists. Most I debate with are so clueless about the issues. For instance, let's start with "ACID RAIN". Remember that one? Remember how in the 1980's it was going to destroy all the lakes in the NE United States? When I mention the 1990 NAPAP study, they have NEVER HEARD of it. How can you argue with people that KNOW NOTHING?

I teach my kids to distrust all the crap they are being fed in the public schools about environmentalism since it's most wrong.

How many of you have ever read the Ultimate Resource by Julian L. Simon? I would bet most of you have never even heard of him yet you consider yourselves informed. You are not. You simply spout the same old left wing worn out arguments that have been discredited a long time ago.

We will never run out of oil, natural gas, or any other minerals in our life time and I bet not in 1,000 years.

I find all of this a bit nuts. If the worst problem you can have in your neighborhood is that your neighbor has their sheets hanging in their own back yard, I'd say things aren't too bad now are they? Who are you to tell people what they can and can't do on the property that they own? Especially when it is something as trivial as this. If they were selling crack out the backdoor I could understand the uproar. But hanging clothes out to dry? Please.... Reading about debates as silly as this is the very thing that will keep me from ever living in a subdivision with an association.

It never ceases to amaze me how emotional and riled up people get about things. It is mind boggling to see the sarcasm and venom being spewed here by both "sides" of this discussion. I am a strong supporter of individual rights and the rights of the individual property owner. That being said, however, restrictions are often placed on individual rights for the greater good of the group or society. Examples of this are zoning regulations and building codes. with out some controls, what would prevent someone from placing a pig farm *for example) or a hazardous waste treatment facility in a residential neighborhood.

Obviously, outside laundry hanging is not in the same class as those examples, but they do show that some controls are appropriate. Another example is one of property maintenance statues that many cities now enforce. No matter how big or small, expensive or affordable your housing may be, all benefit from property that is well maintained and free of debris, junk cars, etc.

In some cases, particularly over the past 20 years, many portions of newer sections of our communities have formed neighborhood associations that have regulations and covenants that govern aspects of property ownership in those neighborhoods. These regulations are typically provided to a buyer prior to closing with an opportunity for that buyer to review them. Are these regulations restrictive? In some cases yes? Are they onerous? That's a more difficult call to make. What one person finds onerous, another may find very acceptable or even desirable. If you purchase a home in a neighborhood that has highly restrictive regulations, then perhaps you should have looked elsewhere? Or, as an alternative, work within your community to get those regulations changed to represent the will of the majority. If you bought with out knowing what you were getting into, shame on you. The fine print gets you every time. if you don't like the rules, work to get them changed. Whining and moaning wont help and makes you look silly.

Anonymous on June 5, 2008 1:45 PM, you said: "I've got a better idea. How about you send me the $85 and for that I'll agree not to hang my clothes outside for one year? We can renew this arrangement annually for as long as you are up to it. I believe the expression is put your money where your mouth is?"

I'll agree to send you the $85, per year, but you agree to work the extra hours at my home over the summer. I've got a lot of landscaping work that needs to be done! After all, you will save time, effort, and energy by using the dryer, so, I, in return should be able to get some utility for the $85 I am fronting. I figure the amount of time that I will save you by not running outside to hang and remove clothes from the yard would be about 10 minutes per load; how about 4 loads a week (for the average household that is) for the entire year (since you want the full $85,) so that's about 2080 minutes, or 34 hours +/-. I figure you'll make less than a waiter!

So, if you’re okay with that arrangement, let me know when you would start to work for me at $2.50/hour.

"We can renew this arrangement annually for as long as you are up to it. I believe the expression is put your money where your mouth is?"

Let me know when you would like to start!

Remember the case with the police officer and her boyfriend who were caught naked getting in and out of her backyard hot tub? How about what they were seen doing in the hot tub? Do you remember that too? And do you also remember the judge either tossed the case or they were acquitted or something?

The courts have pretty much spoken that you are pretty much free to do whatever you darn well please in your own backyard and if you don't like what you are seeing either look away or learn to live with it.

"Is it just me or do others see the similarity in the way the left switched from centrally run governments (like Russia and China) to environmental issues as the cause celeb today (ever since planned government economies have cratered). I do not like or trust environmentalism at all. I fight it constantly and work at exposing my children to the common fallacies of environmentalism. I am extremely fearful of left wing nutjob environmentalists taking away our freedoms, and with global warming hysteria upon us I fear it is only going to get worse."

Huh? I need my decoder ring, or a diagram or something to interpret that statement. I must be s l o w .

Analytical Reader,

The problem with statistics is that we can all look at the same numbers and see something differently. Like I could argue that $1,530 works out to $85 per year which works out to less than a quarter per day. Which really trivializes the value. But consider that most people don't do wash every day, so what is the true cost? When I was single I didn't even do wash every week, but that is another story.

Weather statistics say that it rains on average in the Chicago area 126 days per year. So I'll just have to wash my clothes tomorrow when the weather forecast improves or hang the clothes in my basement instead. As to hanging clothes only in warm weather... well it is obvious you have never hung wash in your life and don't know what the heck you are talking about, but that also is another story. Clothes will dry in below freezing weather, it just takes a lot longer and if you understood chemistry you would know why. Most people don't hang wash when it is below freezing because it will simply dry faster in the house... plus during the winter all of the added humidity is a free byproduct.

I've got a better idea. How about you send me the $85 and for that I'll agree not to hang my clothes outside for one year? We can renew this arrangement annually for as long as you are up to it. I believe the expression is put your money where your mouth is?

"I do not like or trust environmentalism at all. I fight it constantly and work at exposing my children to the common fallacies of environmentalism. I am extremely fearful of left wing nutjob environmentalists taking away our freedoms, and with global warming hysteria upon us I fear it is only going to get worse."

Wow, that was a mouthful...

Just one question, who protects children from nutjob parents?

Ken,

You are a pig.

http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/appliances/dryers.html

Over its expected lifetime of 18 years, the average clothes dryer will cost you approximately $1,530 to operate.

This puts the per year cost at $85 a year, or $7.08 per month. Now, since we can only hang our clothing out to dry on warm days, lets put this at 6 months a year -- or a savings of $42.48. Now, since we can't dry the clothes out on rainy days, lets knock off 25% of that number, or $31.86.

Now, for $31.86 I'd say, let's get real here, inslulate your hot water heater to save gas, but keep the laundy out of the nieghborhood's sight!

I do not like or trust environmentalism at all. I fight it constantly and work at exposing my children to the common fallacies of environmentalism.

"Kids, leave the lights in the house on all the time, even when you're sleeping. When you turn 16 I'm buying you all gas-guzzling Hummers. We're only eating off of Styrofoam plates and drinking from plastic cups. We're gonna blast the A/C to Arctic in the Summer and crank the heat up to 90 degrees in the Winter. That'll really stick it to those gosh-darn environmentalists! Who do they think they are, suggesting that our resources are limited and far from infinite! Oooh, that makes me so ANGRY!"

Hilarious. Clearly, money can't buy intelligence.

While you make not like environmentalism, I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what there is to "trust" about the whole deal. Like most movements, there are extremists. You can be environmentally conscience without buying in to the whole global warming hysteria and peak oil junk. At its core environmentalism comes down to one thing- cutting back on waste.

Like someone already posted, there will be a day when we run out of oil, coal, and natural gas. While I doubt we'll come to this point during most of our lifetimes, it's extremely short sighted to think just because running out of fossil fuels won't have any effect on us that we shouldn't do what we can to stave off the inevitable for as long as possible. Cutting back could be as simple as switching from an 8MPG Hummer to a more sensible SUV that is twice as efficient, turning your air conditioning up to 75 instead of 70, turning your heat down to 65 instead of 70, keeping a separate garbage can to recycle plastics, etc.

Everyone was taught as a child to not waste food, what is so different about not wasting natural resources? Seems like common sense to me.

Is it just me or do others see the similarity in the way the left switched from centrally run governments (like Russia and China) to environmental issues as the cause celeb today (ever since planned government economies have cratered). I do not like or trust environmentalism at all. I fight it constantly and work at exposing my children to the common fallacies of environmentalism. I am extremely fearful of left wing nutjob environmentalists taking away our freedoms, and with global warming hysteria upon us I fear it is only going to get worse.

"We don't want to see people's laundry hanging on lines outside, not in front, not in the back. Anyone who has lived in Chicago can attest to how bad this looks."

Hey, Brenda Star: Listen, chick...remove the "we" from your statements and "we" might get along better.

I will hang my laundry out, next to my wading pool, next to my dog run, next to my pea patch, next to my compost pile, next to my RV.

Dance as if no one is watching. Enjoy life and get over yourself.

Thank you very much.

I don't see the problem with hanging the laundry our to dry. I don't even have a problem with underwear on the line as long as it is from Victoria's Secret...

Trust us Mary, we won't look! Take pride in your property, your neighbors will appreciate it too! My problem is the junkers who don't keep up their lots/homes, not saying anyone here is like that!

I do not see any problem with people hanging their clothes outside to dry. The bottom line is that it is my house, my property, I will do in my backyard whatever I want because it is MINE. If you don't like it, don't look in that direction.

I'm sure you would be dismayed to learn this, but not all of us who live in Naperville have multimillion-dollar McMansions, "Brenda".

Those monuments to excess are the real eyesores in this community. They make me ill just looking at them. They're a testament to each and every owner's greed, self-absorption, and wastefulness. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Dearest Brenda,

I grew up in Chicago. Typical bungalow on a typical block. Every monday morning my mother and every other mother I knew did laundry and hung the wash to dry in our backyard. Except in the winter when we hung it in the basement. In those days not many people we knew had dryers and other than going to a laundromat that was pretty much it if you wanted your laundry to dry.

We never considered it an eyesore then and I don't consider it an eyesore now. Some things you have to learn to accept and tolerate as part of life. Trash day is another good example, but then it is just one day.. not every day. At least in the city you didn't have to carry your trash to the front curb and the postman actually delivered your mail to your door.

But the really, really nice thing about laundry day was my mother and all the other mothers got a chance to talk and socialize over the backyard fence. It was a big part of their day and week. It was part of what created a sense of neighborhood and community. It was part of what helped everyone to really and truly get to know and trust their neighbors.

That part of knowing, appreciating, and understanding your neighbors is really, really missing just about everywhere in Naperville. For that and a few other reasons Naperville is not necessarily a better place.

Most of Naperville are pretty decent people and families. Some are doing well. Some are hanging on. Some of those who are doing well are a bit pretentious and caught up in their own self-worth. They say that attitude comes with being "nouveau riche." The funny thing about it is it doesn't matter how much money you have because there is always someone else who has more money than you and they just may be looking down their noses at you. Yep, there are people in our country who have sheds and garages bigger than some of our Naperville McMansions. Have you ever wondered what they think of you and your lot?

With all of the problems in the world, with all of the problems in America, with all of the problems in Illinois it is absolutely amazing that people who call Naperville home have the indecency to waste their time and breath arguing either for or against backyard laundry.

Are things so great and wonderful even in Naperthrill that everyone is now so bored and sitting around with nothing better to do that argue over something this petty and shallow?

Brenda's post reminds me of Mr. Burns in court for hitting Bart with a skateboard:

"I'm rich, I should be able to run over as many children as I want to!"

Classic.

I agree with you as well, Troll Detector. Not only would hanging my laundry out to dry save me $$ it also saves energy, hence the planet we all occupy.

Brenda: I certainly don't think anyone on this post has said or suggested they live in squalor. But not everyone in Naperville lives in a McMansion -- some of us live in reasonably sized homes, townhouses and condos. So throw us "dogs" a bone and let us hang out laundry.

Well said Troll Detector! Some people not only CAN'T see beyond their own noses, they don't care to see the big picture.

I don't want to see laundry hanging out to dry! What an eyesore! I am also sick of seeing homeowners not keeping up their property. Peeling paint, weeds three feet high and junk piling up is not being a good neighbor. Take pride in your property, neighborhood people!

I have a hard time taking Brenda seriously, but on the outside chance that it's not someone trolling making fun of the Naperville attitude I feel compelled to respond.

I've been hanging laundry in my backyard for longer than I can even remember. I didn't even know it was against the law until reading this blog post. We have a tall fence enclosing our yard, so either my neighbors never knew or they don't care. I never hang up underwear like she's assuming, but on a nice day why wouldn't you hang up blue jeans, towels, and other things which take forever to dry? A load of towels or jeans in my dryer (which I admit isn't state of the art, but works fine) takes nearly an hour.

Roasting towels and jeans for an hour in a drier seems like a waste of natural gas to me. Sometime to keep in mind, while most of us in Naperville live in some type of alternate reality where we have unlimited resources, the fact of the matter is we have a finite amount of natural gas, coal, and oil on this planet.

Won't we all look foolish in the eyes of our Grandchildren when they are forced to deal with the dire consequences of the squandering of natural resources on all levels? Hanging your clothes out to dry is just one small thing you can do to save energy. Since my family took a turn to try to make a concerted effort to be more green we've been saving all kinds of money on frivolous wastes of energy.

We wouldn't be in the energy crisis we're in now if everyone just did a small part to reduce their usage... Whether that means hanging up towels and jeans to dry, carpooling, cutting back on air conditioning and heating, along with countless other things. It's almost impossible to imagine the energy surplus the entire planet would have if everyone just cut back 1%.

So go ahead and turn your nose up at my family for looking to cut back on energy usage. I'd rather keep the money in my pocket to spend on my family than pad the quarterly bonuses of Nicor executives.

While I'm disappointed that more people don't agree with me, I'm not surprised a few commentators would pretend they live in squalor in Naperville.

It's a joke.

We don't want to see people's laundry hanging on lines outside, not in front, not in the back. Anyone who has lived in Chicago can attest to how bad this looks.

It's eyesore on the community.

And after the parking decks and the ridiculous amount of Wal-Marts, Targets built in this town, we don't need more eyesores.

To John Schmitt: John, there are those of us that live in this town (like myself) that have lived her for many, many years. Some of us our parents grew up here and their parents before them. I know my family doesn't have money. So saving $1 per load on laundry would be a big deal to me. To those of you that do have $$$, good for you. But REMEMBER, it was people like myself (and my ancestors before me) that made Naperville what it is. All the mansions and big SUVs or double shot, half caf latte's or how many vacations you go on really don't matter. Naperville is a good place to raise our families and educate our children. SOME people in this town care about things other than themselves.

Our young men in the military are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have children in our own country who are poor, hungry and living in squalid conditions, yet you West Suburban yuppies continue to live a life of greed and excess. Fine, live it! But quit trying to tell the rest of us how to live our lives. I don't give a rat's @ss how much money you have. You all make me sick.

Can we just ban homeowner's associations instead? When they start adding new restrictions on how long before a holiday you can put your decorations up (one week) or demanding that all fences be of only one particular type of wood and design (even banning wrought iron fences) and making everyone replace the numbers on their mailboxes with new numbers so they all 'match' (all of which our HoA has tried to do in the last year), Naperville just becomes more of a Stepford community. If there is a need for a rule on hanging laundry, let the elected lawmakers decide on a law.

Love the comments here--especially comparing Naperville to Detroit just because some people want to dry their laundry on a line. Funny stuff!

I've lived in Naperville apartments for six years. The people in this town keep giving me more and more reasons to never purchase a house here. I've already decided that I refuse to purchase in any neighborhood with a homeowners' association, since I don't much care for bored suburban housewives telling me how to live.

Thanks for the comic relief.

With people like Brenda it is no wonder Naperville is looked upon as being full of elitist, entitled, pompous snobs.

Oh, man, someone please tell me that this Brenda chick is a caricature of the noveau riche Naperville set. She can't possibly be for real. Whoever's behind it, hats off to you, you've summed up the worst elements of Naperville in only a small handful of blog posts. I'm rolling over here. Good job.

Our homeowners association bans outside hanging of laundry. If that is something you want to do, move to a neighborhood that allows it. Or follow your covenants and hold a vote, it only takes a majority.

But I would vote no, so you unless you can get more votes, you would have to choose another subdivision. This applies to overnight parking, landscape maintenance, placement of antennas (since FCC rules override covenant bans), outside trash storage, etc. In fact, many were upset when the FCC took away the property rights of homeowners associations on antenna bans.

Again, you agree to live by covenants when you buy, it is a binding contract.

Brenda, what exactly did you pay (only)$10,000 in property taxes for?

You have money so you don't have to worry about gas prices. That is one of the stupidest comments I have heard. You must not have any real money, because if you did you would act like those who do have money which is to complain about nickels and dimes.

Remove your broke *ss from this blog.

To all - I guess when she dies they only have to bury her 2 inches deep, because her **** don't stink.

Honestly, who else in Naperville doesn't feel the way I do?

I can't believe people would actually dare put their clothes up in public and risk the value of our property taxes. I don't want to show someone a home that I'm selling and see someone taking down their socks and curtains next door.

It's obvious that you people have lost touch with where we are at.

Do you think that Tall Grass will allow laundry to be hung out to dry? My guess is they will - they tried to hang District 204 out to dry.

I agree - I find Brenda's comments to be elititist and, frankly, appalling. Especially the "skid-stain" reference. Maybe hanging out clothes to dry hits a little too close to Brenda's own "skid-stains."

Brenda, I've met you at several homeowners meetins, and I'm not surprised you have comment like these. Comments that make us all embarassed to be a part of the same city as you.

Not everyone makes the money your family does. And it's not only about the money, it's about the environment.

What have we become...Detroit!?

Now, we're going to start hanging laundry from the rafters like this the Bronx?

I didn't pay $10,000 in property taxes to have people hanging their lingerie and skid-stains in public. So you can save a $1 per load.

If we were that concerned about saving money, we'd stop building mansions.

It makes me sick. Yes, I have money, yes, my family doesn't have to worry about the gas prices as much as other people; but that doesn't mean other people in Naperville are not in the same position.

I can say for certain, this is one of the wealthiest towns I've ever lived in. Let's start to act that way.

I think it's ok to hang-to-dry laundry outdoors. This will save a lot of energy than using a dryer machine. Any clothes is fine provided that you put your underwear somewhere else and not available for public viewing.

I find it very hard to believe that a city which has more SUVs per capita than a monster truck rally will find its subdivisions repealing homeowner rules about "unsightly" laundry in order to conserve energy. They obviously don't give a hoot about conservation; if they did, we wouldn't see so many SUVs on the roads. And if they can afford to fill those tanks, a few extra bucks on the natural gas bill will only translate to shortening one of their vacations by a day or so.

The fact that this is even being discussed (or HAS to be discussed) makes me want to hang my underwear on every single subdivision sign in Naperville.

I think letting folks hang their laundry out to dry is a marvelous idea. Even with rules in place (no more than 48 hours) there will be those that abuse (just like putting their garbage out too early or parking their car over the sidewalk). Courtesy cannot be dictated to people. But the goal is to save energy/our planet so putting up with a little bit of unsightliness is not too much to ask.

I think it is beautiful to see people doing things to take care of our environment. People should definitely be allowed to hang laundry outside to dry. I agree that they should do it with respect: take the clothes down when they are dry, install wooden posts (instead of unsightly metal folding racks that require a lot of energy/resources to produce, distribute and dispose of) to hang laundry on that can double as plant hangers or volleyball nets when not in use.

Compromise.

Allow for the hanging to dry, but anything left out for 48 hours (documented) and the home owner gets a fine.