Politics & Government

Village of Great Neck Tweaks Clothesline Law

Board of trustees approves amendment Tuesday allowing for most backyard and some side yard usage.

Apparently, you can fight village hall.

After unanimously voting Dec. 4 to ban front yard clotheslines and those within 10 feet of any property line, the Great Neck Village Board of Trustees amended the law Tuesday.

"It was a resident that called to our attention that we may have been overly broad in defining the area," said Mayor Ralph Kreitzman at village hall.

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The original intent of the ban was to preclude neighbors from having to see neighbors' clotheslines, according to the mayor.

After rethinking the law, the board backtracked somewhat from its original ruling and unanimously agreed to make changes suggested last month.

Find out what's happening in Great Neckwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Speaking at a village board meeting Dec. 18, resident Daniel Capruso had no objection to the front yard clothesline ban, but suggested to the board that side and backyard lines be allowed. 

Capruso said he did not use his electric clothes dryer because he can go outside and dry clothes without using any carbon emissions. 

Under the amended law: Front yard clotheslines remain banned. Side yard clotheslines beyond 10 feet back from front walls of residences are allowed. Backyard clotheslines are legal, providing they are not within two feet of a property line.

Despite an objection by one resident Tuesday, no changes were made to the law's penalties. Violators face a maximum fine of $1,000, 15 days in jail or both.

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