The Village of Great Neck’s prohibition on the hanging of clotheslines in residents’ front yards has drawn media attention from beyond the peninsula – some of it delivered with a smirk.
The Village of Great Neck Board of Trustees approved the ban on Dec. 4, citing complaints from residents who found the sight of drying undergarments inappropriate.
CBS New York and the Associated Press both filed even-keeled accounts on the law, but other outlets were less circumspect.
New York City blog Gothamist lent its story, headlined “Not in our precious lawns,” a decidedly snarky tone.
“Building Department Superintendent Norman Nemec claims he received at least one complaint about the issue last spring (repeat: AT LEAST one, which could mean there were actually HUNDREDS),” wrote Gothamist’s Ben Yakas. “When he went to check it out, he was horrified to discover a rack ‘for lingerie.’ The monocle factory must have gotten a lot of orders that day.”
And a story on the Web site of notorious UK tabloid the Daily Mail – known for its sensationalism and resilience in the face of libel lawsuits – wrote that the village adopted the law in an effort to avoid the “low class” connotations of visible outdoor laundry.
Mayor Ralph Kreitzman defended the law and criticized the media’s focus on what he sees as an unimportant issue.
“Clearly, it was a very slow news day,” said Kreitzman in a statement. “Having dealt with the quality-of-life problem, we are continuing to work on other matters [of importance] to the village, its residents and businesses.”
The law prohibits the hanging of clotheslines in front of a building or within ten feet of any property boundary. Violators can be punished by a fine of up to $1,000 or 15 days in jail – the standard range of penalties for breaking village code.
