Orange county officials sue couple who removed their lawn

[General Zod]

Meanwhile, the couple said they had reduced their water usage from 299,221 gallons in 2007 to 58,348 gallons in 2009.

For me, this says it all, really.

And Zod, if the law contradicts ethics you change the law. Legality is not a valid excuse for wasting money forcing people to waste water, especially when the law is there essentially to enforce a bullshit, misplaced aesthetic.

Flagrantly violating the law is generally not the best way to go about changing it if you want to avoid getting smacked with fines. If you really want to go ahead and do it that way, fine, just don't whine about it when you have to face the consequences.

[Formless]

"Whining"? No, Zod, this is how you get people's attention. Otherwise, the law never changes, ne? Besides, they tried to work with the city government by planting drought resistant plants and they got this in response:

They put up a nice fence, but [the photo] didn't show anything about how they had complied with code, as far as the frontyard goes," Winthers said, "nor did it include a site plan."

which is bullshit. So no, fuck the city government for being so goddamn anal about this.

[General Zod]

"Whining"? No, Zod, this is how you get people's attention. Otherwise, the law never changes, ne? Besides, they tried to work with the city government by planting drought resistant plants and they got this in response:

They put up a nice fence, but [the photo] didn't show anything about how they had complied with code, as far as the frontyard goes," Winthers said, "nor did it include a site plan."

which is bullshit. So no, fuck the city government for being so goddamn anal about this.

In other words, they didn't give the city what they were asked to provide. It doesn't sound to me like they were trying very hard at all.

[Formless]

Maybe, but don't try and claim they didn't make any effort at all.

[General Zod]

Maybe, but don't try and claim they didn't make any effort at all.

Maybe you shouldn't put words in people's mouths. I see absolutely nothing that indicates they bothered making any effort to work with the government until they were sued. If you have evidence to the contrary feel free to post it.

[Formless]

edit: fuck it

[PeZook]

Remeber, people, America has a small government, except when it decides to make people's lives a living hell because of bullshit reasons.

Seriously, fining people for water-saving measures? That's completely insane. It's like taxing economy cars more than gas-guzzlers, or forcing everyone to keep their lights on throughout the night.

[ShadowDragon8685]

I expect the law was put in because heaven forbid property values go down.

[Questor]

Remeber, people, America has a small government, except when it decides to make people's lives a living hell because of bullshit reasons.

While I think this is reprehensible, I feel compelled to point out that most "small government" advocates only care about state and federal levels. Most of them WANT this level of local control. They want all government moved down to the local level, and for local laws to be able to override broader ordinances. This is completely consistent with the "small/local government" rhetoric.

Seriously, fining people for water-saving measures? That's completely insane. It's like taxing economy cars more than gas-guzzlers, or forcing everyone to keep their lights on throughout the night.

Welcome to southern california, where the almighty property value is most important. Not anything else.

[PeZook]

Welcome to southern california, where the almighty property value is most important. Not anything else.

But...it's insane even if that's your end goal. As others pointed out, there are a lot of marvellous options besides "shining green grass" that make your home look great.

While I think this is reprehensible, I feel compelled to point out that most "small government" advocates only care about state and federal levels. Most of them WANT this level of local control. They want all government moved down to the local level, and for local laws to be able to override broader ordinances. This is completely consistent with the "small/local government" rhetoric.

That's a good point, though it comes off schizophrenic: teabagger and similar people often use the (butchered) quote of "The government that governs best is the one that governs least.". This is a discussion for another time, but I sense a lot of cognitive dissonance here.

[Questor]

Welcome to southern california, where the almighty property value is most important. Not anything else.

But...it's insane even if that's your end goal. As others pointed out, there are a lot of marvellous options besides "shining green grass" that make your home look great.

The problem is the belief that home values are enhanced by every home in a neighborhood being similar in design and landscaping. Its one of the stupidest thing ever, but I live in an area where what color you can paint your house is restricted.

That's a good point, though it comes off schizophrenic: teabagger and similar people often use the (butchered) quote of "The government that governs best is the one that governs least.". This is a discussion for another time, but I sense a lot of cognitive dissonance here.

More than any right minded individual wants to confront.

[Raxmei]

Update:Situation resolved.

ORANGE, Calif. – Prosecutors say a Southern California man who removed his grass to save water now has enough drought-tolerant plants to comply with an ordinance requiring 40 percent of a yard be covered with live landscaping. Orange City Attorney David DeBerry says he will ask that the case against 36-year-old Quan Ha be dropped at a March 16 hearing.

Ha was in court Tuesday, pleading not guilty to three misdemeanor charges. He could have faced six months in jail and a $1,000 fine if found guilty.

Without the grass, Ha says his water usage went from 300,000 gallons to 58,000 gallons a year.

Thankfully the local ordinances are not so stupidly rigid that you can't work something out. The couple probably could have saved themselves a bit of trouble if they'd prepared a proper site plan to document exactly what percentage of their front yard was covered with drought-tolerant plants.

Hopefully this story will raise awareness of alternate landscaping techniques and provoke public action against local laws forbidding it.

[Siege]

Good to hear the case is being dropped... But even so, the idea that someone could be tossed in jail for six months for not landscaping his garden strikes me as completely insane.

[wautd]

This couple should have been praised, not sued. Good to hear the case is dropped