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Homeowner Charged for Removing Lawn
| Latest NewsAn Orange, California homeowner was charged with three misdemeanor violations for replacing the grass in his front yard with wood chips and drought-tolerant greenery. City officials said the property owner was violating several city laws, including one that requires residents to cover 40% of their front yard with live landscaping.
The homeowner said that he was trying to do something good for the environment and conserve water when he replaced the water-guzzling turf with lavender, rosemary, horsetail and pittosporum. The new plant materials helped reduce water usage from 299,221 gallons to 58,348 gallons over a two-year period, he said.
When he received notification that his lawn violated city code, the homeowner tried to appease the city by building a fence around the yard, but was told his landscaping still did not comply with city standards, and the city went forward with their lawsuit.
Just before the homeowner was to appear in court, he installed 70 drought-tolerant plants and trees in the yard. After another inspection, code enforcement officials found the homeowner had done enough to comply with city codes, so the case was dropped.
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