Calif. couple sued by city for removing lawn to save water plead not guilty
By APTuesday, March 2, 2010
Calif. couple plead not guilty for removing lawn
ORANGE, Calif. — A California man who tried to save water and money by removing his front lawn is being taken to court.
Quan Ha pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a misdemeanor count for violating Orange city code. He faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Ha and his wife replaced their grass with wood chips in 2008. They said they’d just had a baby and began to think about her future.
At a time when Southern California cities fine people for overwatering thirsty lawns, the Has say they’ve saved hundreds of thousands of gallons of water and slashes their bill.
The city cited them for violating a law requiring live landscaping to cover 40 percent of the yard.
The couple planted drought-tolerant plants last year. The city says it isn’t enough.
