[amishmatt]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bad-lawn2-2010mar02,0,3613612.story

Cliffs notes: City ordinance requires 40% of yard to be covered with live landscaping. Couple removes grass, puts in drought tolerant plants (less than 40%) and mulch, uses less water, saves money... city sues.

Why does anybody want to live in California?

 

[jimmydean]

The HOA wants no part of it since th house now looks like ass. They could give a damn about the savings, it's about the American Dream, people!

 

[Silver]

The HOA wants no part of it since th house now looks like ass. They could give a damn about the savings, it's about the American Dream, people!

Might not be an HOA. I think it's the city, reading the article.

It's the neighbors complaining. I bet someone on that street has the ear of the mayor or something.

 

[Pesqueeb]

One of these days that stupid states gonna have to get smart about the way it uses and regulates water and everyones lawns gonna look like sh1t.

 

[jimmydean]

Might not be an HOA. I think it's the city, reading the article.

My guess is the HOA got the city involved, or the neighbors who wish they had an HOA. Same ****.

 

[Silver]

My guess is the HOA got the city involved, or the neighbors who wish they had an HOA. Same ****.

Looking at the house and the size of the lots, it looks like an older tract, they might not have an HOA.

 

[dante]

I'm no lawyer (Dirt?), but I'd say that the couple is complying:

But city officials determined the fix was not acceptable, saying city codes require that 40% of the yard be landscaped predominantly with live plants.

All they have to do is look up the required area for each plant (3+ foot diameter?), and prove that that area is at least 20% of their entire yard. Predominantly = greater than 50%, and they only need 40% of their yard to have live plants.

 

[stevew]

i remember sh*t like that in texas. front yard of white rocks.

beats the fvck out of watering.

 

[Silver]

i remember sh*t like that in texas. front yard of white rocks.

beats the fvck out of watering.

I just piss on the lawn. As long as you rotate spots, it works great. Also makes sure that the neighbors keep their bratty kids from playing on your lawn.

 

[Westy]

I'd just plant grass in the shape of pornographic hieroglyphs.

 

[amishmatt]

I'd just plant grass in the shape of pornographic hieroglyphs.

Ahh, the Darren Wood approach...

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Someone here in northern Seattle put up a 30 ft. mural of Bettie Page or some sh*t on the side of their house facing I-5. She's topless but the gutterline that runs along the first story covers the nips perfectly... The house is right next to a church and the parishioners drive right by it every time.

edit:

aha...found it. Church is about 50 yards to the right....

 

[Ciaran]

Why does anybody want to live in California?

No snow and hot chicks.

 

[valve bouncer]

That'll look OK once it grows out a bit. I'm so glad I don't have to worry about this kind of crap here.

 

[MMike]

Frickin' Obama!!

 

[amishmatt]

Forest fires and silicone.

Fixed.

 

[crohnsy]

Just plant some astroturf.....

 

[rockofullr]

Wow maybe if they didn't do such a half assed planting job nobody would have complained.

Go the extra mile and plant more than 10 little shrubs.

 

[dante]

That'll look OK once it grows out a bit. I'm so glad I don't have to worry about this kind of crap here.

No yards to plant anything in?

 

[ohio]

Wow maybe if they didn't do such a half assed planting job nobody would have complained.

Go the extra mile and plant more than 10 little shrubs.

Uh, plants grow. That's why you plant them spaced like that. It's clear from the grid pattern of the planting that they thought this through.

 

[blue]

Fixed.

Mmmm, PA.

 

[rockofullr]

Uh, plants grow. That's why you plant them spaced like that. It's clear from the grid pattern of the planting that they thought this through.

Oh!

Well in light of this revelation that yard planting job still looks half assed.

Look! They only got five plants inside the fence. I bet nobody would complain if they actually tried to make it look good.

I have seen plenty of good looking "drought resistant" landscaping and that is not the way it is done.

 

[dante]

I have to say, I wonder how much of this has to do with water retention/capture as opposed to "looking good"? Plants/green areas capture rainwater better as well as fight against erosion. My previous neighbors had probably 3/4 of their entire (HUGE) double-lot covered random sheds, garages, or paved surfaces and they always had a problem with rainwater and flooding. There just wasn't anywhere for the water to go, and it usually ended up pooling in whatever yard they had (and proceeding to filter down into their house). I would assume that crushed gravel/woodchips would be better than an impervious surface like blacktop or a shed, but maybe that's the reasoning for the law?

I do agree that application of this is stupid, though, if that's the case.