News, Couple Could Be Fined $500 if They Water Lawn, $500 if They Don't (Riverside: landscaping, inspector)

[JD59]

In this week’s “Damned if You Do, Damned if You Don’t” file: A Southern California couple received a letter from Glendora city officials threatening to fine them $500 if they don’t get their sun-scorched brown lawn green again, reports AP. Which Laura Whitney and Michael Korte would gladly do, except for one thing: They could also be fined $500 if they water their lawn too much; they're currently only watering twice a week.

Couple Could Be Fined $500 if They Water Lawn, $500 if They Don't - CA cities don't like brown lawns, despite state mandate to conserve water

[dexter14]

Gotta love living in a nanny state run by crazy liberals...

[nightbird47]

Originally Posted by John1960

In this week’s “Damned if You Do, Damned if You Don’t” file: A Southern California couple received a letter from Glendora city officials threatening to fine them $500 if they don’t get their sun-scorched brown lawn green again, reports AP. Which Laura Whitney and Michael Korte would gladly do, except for one thing: They could also be fined $500 if they water their lawn too much; they're currently only watering twice a week.

Couple Could Be Fined $500 if They Water Lawn, $500 if They Don't - CA cities don't like brown lawns, despite state mandate to conserve water

I lived in Riverside the last major drought. Our lawn was dead since the city requested lawns not be watered. But a neighbor had his nice green lawn and continually called the code inspector about the brown ones. He told us to let the hose drip just a little bit. There was this one bit of green grass. The city law the mancontent was citing was one requiring landscaping. He saw on patch of green grass it was landscaping and it passed.

I'd like to see one of these cases go to court. I'll be the state ban on watering wins out over the pretty green lawn cities. They could use the straypaint method, let it die, mow it and paint it grass greeen. Easy and it doesn't get taller.

Friend of mine's mom lived in Glendora. Not surprised.

[shooting4life]

Welcome to California

[jbunniii]

Use reclaimed water? A bucket in the shower should go a long way toward keeping the lawn green, at no additional cost. Better yet, replace the lawn with drought-tolerant plants, or rocks.

[bigdumbgod]

Lawns are obsolete leftovers from Post War days. Shouldn't have to wait for a crisis to realize that.

[Texamichiforniasota]

The pictures of that particular couples' yard look pretty bad. They are obviously lying when they said they are watering twice a week. They are not trying to conserve water, they just are too lazy to take care of their yard. I think Xeriscaping looks ok, and if the couple really wanted to conserve water, they could put in drought resistant plants. Another article about this couple said the water authority for that area showed the couples' water use had actually increased since the drought, so they weren't bothering to water before the drought either. They're just lazy people that don't take care of their property, and they are hoping some publicity can get them out of a fine for their laziness.

[CSD610]

Astro turf

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Originally Posted by Texamichiforniasota

The pictures of that particular couples' yard look pretty bad. They are obviously lying when they said they are watering twice a week. They are not trying to conserve water, they just are too lazy to take care of their yard. I think Xeriscaping looks ok, and if the couple really wanted to conserve water, they could put in drought resistant plants. Another article about this couple said the water authority for that area showed the couples' water use had actually increased since the drought, so they weren't bothering to water before the drought either. They're just lazy people that don't take care of their property, and they are hoping some publicity can get them out of a fine for their laziness.

I saw that picture as well and the brown lawn is not the only eyesore.

We have the same issues in Oxnard as far as water use rules. We can water the yard between the hours of 4pm and 9am, but only for 15 minutes per sprinkler or section of the yard. I usually do this two or three times a week and my yard is green. I have some palm trees that like to have water every day. I water them in the evening for just a few minutes, just to soak the soil. Our water bill is not too bad. Then again we only have a 6,000 square foot lot.

[bigdumbgod]

Needs vs. wants, people. Can we differentiate between the two in a crisis?