Indoor furnishing must stay indoors, the Mt. Pleasant City Council has said.

Meeting in regular session Aug. 11, the council passed the third reading and adopted an ordinance entitled outdoor use of indoor furnishings. The ordinance bans the display of any household appliances, household furniture or household furnishings, unless such are designed for outdoor use and are used on the premises for purposes of the household, to be kept outside.

The term outdoor includes a porch. However, the use, storage or placement of household appliances, household furniture or household furnishings on a porch is not prohibited if the porch is completely enclosed by glass or screens.

City Administrator Brent Schleisman said the ordinance is the result of several complaints the city has received about sofas and chairs being displayed on porches.

City sewer rates likely will be rising as of Sept. 1. The council passed the second reading increasing rates from $3.80 to $4.00 per 1,000 gallons of water or wastewater. Schleisman said the increase is needed due to the sewer flow and infiltration study being conducted now and continuing for the next two years.

For more on this story, see the August 13 issue of the Mt. Pleasant News.