. . . That was confirmed by longtime Como neighborhood stalwart Katie Fournier, who was part of a multi-neighborhood delegation from the University of Minnesota area that brought up yard sofas and other zoning and regulatory issues with area council members a year ago. They were told the yard sofa issue already was covered by city ordinance, but further review proved that was not the case.

Although the ordinance draws upon those in at least six other college towns, Fournier said the problem isn't limited to the university area. "It's something you see all over Minneapolis and St. Paul," she said.

She enumerates health, safety and aesthetic concerns.

"Upholstered furniture outside gets moldy, and it holds all kinds of vermin that build their nests there," she said. Sofas also can be highly flammable. A neighbor of Fournier died and her house was gutted some years back in an indoor sofa fire. Porch furniture also was suspected in a 2003 off-campus house fire that killed three students. Fournier would prefer that upholstered porch furniture also be banned. . .