For the first time in Sagg's history, pergolas have become as controversial as they are pretty. How'd that happen? Well, to help reduce ground cover, Sagg's village board thought about including pergolas in a property's total floor area calculation. With this inclusion, the board could occasionally prevent people from building their own trellised beauties. Unsurprisingly, local builder Michael Davis, who has built 18 pergolas to date, is not having it! At a recent board meeting, Davis had this to say:
This board has a history of making laws on short notice as and when it pleases them. Today's hearing, on a Monday afternoon, when those in the city or elsewhere have to work and cannot attend, is a prime example...This totalitarian method of government is not going to work. Please don't take another wrong turn and move against the people.In the wake of Davis' comments and a bit more debate, the board ultimately "decided to exempt pergolas of up to 300 square feet per property, not per acre." A pseudo-win!
· Talk of Pergolas and Totalitarianism [EH Star]