One person's planter is another one's potty

Lakemoor woman's use of toilet for landscaping has neighbors, village up in arms

Lakemoor resident Tina Asmus has planters made from old toilets and has them displayed in her front yard. It's caused quite a stir in her neighborhood and she has been told by the village to remove them or pay a fine.

Lakemoor village officials and some neighbors are upset about the toilet planters in Tina Asmus' front yard.

Lakemoor resident Tina Asmus has created flower planters from two old toilets and a sink and made them part of the landscaping in her front yard.

One person's garbage can be another's treasure, but can a commode be an "artsy planter"?

Tina Asmus said the village of Lakemoor and some neighbors on Highland Drive are pushing her to remove the front yard "art piece planters" she created using a couple of old toilets and a pedestal sink.

"I'm very creative, artsy and crafty in this regard and I like to find old things that I can recycle and repurpose," she said. "I saw a friend who made a planter out of an old toilet once and I loved it, so last year, I made one for myself."

However, Mayor Todd Weihoffen said he stands behind police who have given Asmus 30 days to remove the toilets from her front yard.

Weihoffen, a plumber by trade, said all he sees on the front lawn of Asmus' home are a couple of "old plumbing fixtures" that should be removed.

"I was elected mayor because voters want the town cleaned up," he said. "If I do not enforce the ordinances about this, then anyone with some junk in their yard can stick a flower on it and call it art."

A quick Internet search will show making a planter out of a toilet isn't a new idea. However, that carries no weight with village officials who say Asmus faces a fine of $25 to $500 starting June 15 if she doesn't comply.

Asmus said she will not remove her "art pieces," adding each toilet planter costs about $100 to make and holds an assortment of daisies, angel's breath, lilies and other flowers.

"My yard is neat and clean and this definitely catches the eye of some people and makes them smile," she said. "It's different. I like different."

The toilet planters have smiley faces on them, and one bears the words "I love my neighbors".

Weihoffen said the writing was less complimentary - recently it said "Beware of neighbors" - and the front yard wasn't as well-maintained when officers issued the compliance ticket.

"This yard has become manicured relatively quick, specifically since the media started calling," he said.

Asmus argues her yard has always been well maintained. She said has had the toilet planter for two years, and she likes it because it "makes people laugh."

"I should be allowed to put out whatever kind of planter I want as long as it's not obscene," she said. "And, this isn't obscene."