The city council in Portland, Oregon, has voted unanimously
to prohibit the construction of "snout houses" — homes
where the front elevation is dominated by a projecting garage.
The new ordinance, which went into effect September 3,
requires that a garage cannot be wider than half of a house's
front wall. The rules also limit how far a garage can project forward
from a house. Before voting, the city council heard emotional
testimony from two opposing camps: community activists
who see snout houses as ugly intruders into their neighborhoods,
and builders who object to design regulations.
No Room for a Two-Car Garage
The new ordinance makes it hard to include a