Turf War? Glendale Bans Fake Grass

November 17, 2011 12:49 AM

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GLENDALE (CBS) — The city of Glendale is imposing a ban on artificial grass. Notices are going out to homeowners whose front yards are covered in turf.

Geneva Dotson says she was forced to pay crews $3,000 to rip up her brand new front yard after receiving a notice from city hall.

“There’s enough drama in life without having the city breathing down my back,” says Dotson. “I’m very angry about it, to tell you the truth.”

So, what’s the gripe?

City officials say the concern is related to the plastic and chemicals used in the artificial turf.

When asked why the fake grass would continue to be allowed in backyards, officials had no answer.

A turf company contacted by KCAL9 said some artificial lawns contain lead, but there is no harm posed to children or adults.

City officials say they plan to press criminal charges against those who do not comply with the ban.

Irishman

It sounds to me like the Glendale City Council has confused itself with a homeowner’s association . . .

Ghandi

They are all communists idiots out there. Not only the elected but the idiots that continue to re=elect the same communists year after year.. The citizens deserve everything they get from these fools.

Dave head

RETROACTIVE LAWS are unconstitutional. That means the lady who already spent $3000 for her turf lawn is not subject to the sudden change in council law.

Poor lady. She should have consulted a lawyer (or just read the constitution) before ripping-up and losing her $3000 investment.
Alice Ramirez

Not everyone votes for these Fascists, and unfortunately we have to endure them because the fools, a slight majority, keep voting them in.

Wrightclick

All levels of government are nothing more than a homeowner’s association, run amok.

Jason Carroll

or community organizers elected as presidents…
Danny Ross

I’m from the government. I’m here to help you.

Mike V

There is no difference. They both spend your money foolishly and always pay too much.
jeff6times7

It’s ok with me if the act like idiots as long as they stay in California. The problem is they don’t stay in CA.

They end up moving to my state, where they CONTINUE to vote like idiots.

You know, instead of the fed gov’t funding stupid experiments designed to figure out how to make chickens talk or some other such nonsense, they should fund experiments that teach left wing liberals to think a bit more before voting on some stupid proposition. By the way, I make a distinction between left wing liberals and right wing liberals.

Alice Ramirez

What do you mean by “right-wing liberals?” RINOs? Just asking. Please clarify,
Beez

Alice, those would be RINOs.
Irishman

What state are you in? We’ll send you a few since we seem to have an excess of political idiots, at least in the Glendale area.

Jon Edward Klement

Irishman:

In Facebook terms, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”, “Like”,
Karen

David head – Neither the US or CA constitutions deal with astro turf. Please be aware of that to prevent yourself unnecessary headaches.

Why in the world are people putting in astro turf in the first place?

I am annoyed with the astro turf people for doing this and harming the environment in the process.

I live in Glendale.

Zeke Blake

Yeah, it is better to use gas lawnmowers to cut real grass. That will NOT use tons more fuel over the decades then harm the artificial grass does….

Don’t say they should use hand pushed because that just is NOT going to happen on a large scale.
Living in Seal Beach

Karen – I believe what David was referring to in the US or CA constiution is the continuing encroachment of government control and regulation on the freedoms of the people, not if they would approve astro-turf.

You are free to have grass for your lawn just as your neighbor is free to rip theirs out and install artificial grass. If you don’t like it, too bad. It’s not your property.

Ironically, in some cities, artificial grass is considered environmentally friendly because water is not wasted having to water it.

Saving on water was one of the reasons I installed it. I love artificial grass as my grass is always green, and I don’t have to mow it or spend money on a gardner to care for it, and as mentioned, I save on water and my water bill.

Many of my neigbors have installed it after seeing how good it looked with low maintenance.
adam

The green council in san diego has been pushing fake grass for years now. There are/were even govt. incentives to put it in for “environmental reasons”. Save water, save the planet. bla, bla, bla… These idiots can’t save themselves let alone the environment. btw, the $3K was to rip it out, not the cost to put it in which was much higher.

http://propertycloud.co.za/2011/11/17/turf-war-glendale-bans-fake-grass/ Turf War? Glendale Bans Fake Grass – Property Cloud

[...] Read the full story and more. [...]
Madrussian

Then let the City of Glendale pay for the water to keep the grass green!

Wrightclick

… and the gas for lawn mowers.

Mike V

And the fertilizer, weed killers, sprinkler heads & valves, garden tools, weed wackers and line, bnlowers, etc,etc,etc…
Michael J. McDermott

Well, cigarettes…

Mike V

During the recent drout, the water district in our town required an 8% reduction in water consumption. The town conserved too much. Most people lost thousands of dollars worth of landscaping on top of the already plummeting housing prices. Suddenly the water district wasn’t turning a profit because everyone conserved too much. For all our participation we were rewarded with a sizeable rate increase which of course is still in place even thought he drout is officially over.

Miles Monroe

That’s pretty much the same thing that has happened here in Las Vegas. We ripped out our lawns and cut our water use in half. For that we got a rate increase.
Chief Pontiac

This exact same thing happened here in CA in the late ’80′s. We saved too much water and the water dept. lost money. instead of giving the employees the option of a pay cut or face layoffs (like any other business), they just raised the rates. And the rate increase stayed.

RealityBetraysUs

Time for recall of all city officials who over-regulate. I think it would be good also to sue them for water bills. Let them pay for legislating their stupidity.

Alice Ramirez

I like this idea! SUE all the POSs!

ginny

City Councils penalize residents if they try and come up with a way to assure that their lawns and homes look presentable all the time. Then when a resident lets their grass turn to weeds and the plants die and the home exterior is let to ruin they come after them too. How about we all plant cactus and desert landscapes…rocks, and dirt. They’ll have a problem with that too. These councils need to let homeowners take care of their own property or the councils need to pick up th bill.

starzzguitar

They already have a problem with cactus and desert landscapes. They are not allowed either already. So, that is why some people went to artificial lawns. That is not allowed now. But in reality, the solution is to vote in people with some common sense and an “R” after their name. Otherwise, don’t complain.
Mike V

Then they could change the city’s name to Hemit!

Howard Lee

Welcome to the USSR of Mexifornia. Like it or leave it.

greenman9

Me too! And here in Oklahoma, we can even….get ready for it……own a gun!
Ted

Amen my friend Amen!
Patrick

California is so far left that Republicans in California would be considered moderate to left leaning liberals in any mid-western or southern state.
Pearl

Glendale is represented by a Democrat in Congress and Democrats in the State legislature and has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+12, meaning a generic Democrat candidate for president would lead a Republican by 12 points. I’m pretty sure that means Glendale’s politics are Democratic, not Republican.
DJH

Awww, poor, ignorant, hate filled liberal. Did mommy forget to change your diaper this morning?
You’re not very good at this whole insult thing – are you 12?
Me

I thought the Mayor and City council were all DEMOCRATS
Duker

Me too, left in 1990 for Alaska, we can carry concealed weapons without a permit!
Cupric

I’d say Pearl put the STHU on F Inda!
Z

I did leave. Moved to AZ
Jason Carroll

i thought it was the ussr of californication … ?

timothius

I hope that you didn’t bring California idea with you! we in the west don’ need them.

Jimma Cartaah

LOL

I spit cola thru my nose on that one. Right on!!

Boston Tom

Could not have said it better.

SeriouseAsAHeartAttack

The government runs on OUR tax money.
GOOGLE EXCLUDED INCOME

Ignorance of the law is no excuse for your stupidity.

Or else, crouch down and lick the back end of your master.
Mike V

On my web page there is a big ad for EZ Turf. Talk about gutsy!
soqueesh_Mulhatra

Let’s see how they feel when homeowners just pave their front yards with asphalt. To H E L L with the socialist thieves!

http://www.griffinrc.com/?p=982 City Bans Fake Grass On Yards; Violators Face Criminal Charges… « News « @griffinrc

[...] (First column, 5th story, link) [...]
Ralph

If I remember right, wasn’t just a few months ago that alot of cities wanted you to rip up your grass abd replace it with fake grass so it would save water. Well I guess the water shortage is officially over, we saved the planet from imploding on its self. GOOD GOING GLENDALE, here’s another big brother tactic breathing down our backs, and another way to get money from you and that they don’t deserve.
R_Swift

Too many illegals in the parking lot at Home Depot? Is this an LA jobs bill?
Mark Newman

The liberals in California have honed excessive government into a fine art.You get what you desrve.(See; re-election of Jerry brwon in 2010.) If he didn’t destroy the State in his first incarnation, give him a second chance!
aubreyfarmer

Once the cities have convinced everyone that they have no property rights, even the most minor deviation from ridiculous public policy will be prosecuted. Municipal fines for everything from not keeping trees trimmed so limbs come no closer than 12 ‘ from the ground to fining you for not pulling all of the corn and tomato bushes because they are more than 10″ tall. Fascism is alive and well and the trend will continue as long as the 99% continue to be herded like sheep.
Albert Barlow

How many millions in advertizing have the give to the Be Water Wise people?
I sort of wish civil servants like these would douse them selves in gasoline and burn.

miked

now you have the right idea,i like the way you think good job
Ted Huss

I sort of think this might just be a case of LAZINESS. The pols get a blurb that says,
“There’s lead in them thar plastique grass” an instead of tracking it down (that would take actual work by somebody in local govt.), they pass a broad brush ban.
However, they forget to say “front..and back yards”, but that would take more work to correct, so they just try to power over their laziness and use fines to “get
er done”.

vanyali

No, the health issues thing is just a ruse. The banned the fake grass because they think it’s tacky. They didn’t ban it in back yards because no one has to look at anyone else’s back yard, so no one cares if a back yard looks tacky.

That said, this rule is ridiculous, and is the sort of thing that makes me not want to move back to the US any time soon.

Alice Ramirez

I agree! Let’s see all the nanny-state petty tyrants immolate themselves! YES!!

Hugh

Libs love to make issues out of non-issues, while they ignore the real ones. The average tax payer is the one who suffers and pays the price. The CA voter continues to vote these idiots into office. That is why I left Kaliforniastan.

Enjoy your paradise out there!

Brett Miller

Hugh, I love it, the way you referred California as Kalifornianstan. I left Orange County (neighboring county to Los Angeles) because of all the Soviet Union style issues that goes on there. The only thing I miss is the weather. Where I am at, there is no regulations, you put what you feel. If the neighbors are against it, they ask you, not the government although there is no government, tin this quiet little town, to take it down. If it is not so important and they are polite about it, you comply. If it is important enough or they came across as demanding or rude to you then you ignore their request and tell them to kiss your donkey.
Rob

Government is trying to create as many new laws as possible to make as many criminals out of Citizens as possible. This is foolish considering they are letting violent criminals go free because of over crowding. If this was Riverside after arrresting you they will start charging you $164 per day for being jailed. When you can’t pay from being out of work they will confiscate your property. Welcome to Police State USA. Soon we’ll all be working for the Government one way or another.

jevad

Does anyone know where I can get some plastic dandelions?

Johnnyboy

Is this a trick question? has to be WalMart. good one though!

Itania

I’d like to see the reaction on the homeowners face when they see a plastic dandelion popped up in their artificial lawn.

Luci

Residents should begin proceedings to recall the City Council. Take a page from what the Liberals are doing in Wisconsin. Nothing will tick them off more than using their tactics against them.

Massimo Deportado

Won’t happen.

Californians are well known to shy away from any kind of confrontation, even life or death.

I mean, one would not want to feeeeeel unnnnncomfortable, right? RIGHT?

I gotta get out of here but now I have to wait until capitalism comes back in style….

THANKS LIBS!
The Bruce

I agree. The Californian brand of sheep just bleet loudly and proudly when the gub’mint comes a knockin’.
Irishman

I’m afraid that Californians are probably a little shy about the recall process these days. They recalled Gray Davis and look what they ended up with for seven years . . the Sperminator . . . a guy with no prior political experience who apparenlty couldn’t govern his way out of anything except perhaps his own underwear, and then only if/when there was a woman (attractive or not) around . . .

mike

Good that stuff is ugly who wants to look at that stuff when you drive down the street.

starzzguitar

Ah, a response from a city council member. Mike, you are ugly so stop driving down my street.

Jason Carroll

bingo was his name-o

Marcus Jackson

I’d rather drive by green fake grass than a yard of weeds and brown dirt patches. At a glance, you can’t really tell the difference.

Don Parsons

Million dollar athletes have been playing on this stuff for years. Where is my lawyer?? That will never stand up in court. Recall the whole bunch.

Brad

Thomas Jefferson Weeps.

Moe

Brad,
Thomas warned us many years ago and now his predictions and warnings have come home to roost.

Everyday I think it surely can’t get any worse than this, BUT THEN I WAKE UP AND IT IS.

Barry

This is why we have the Tea Parties. To ORGANIZE against creeping fascism.

http://www.fastnews.tv/?p=113548 City Bans Fake Grass On Yards; Violators Face Criminal Charges… | Breaking News

[...] (First column, 5th story, link) [...]
glenp

the LIBERAL nightmare continues and YOU A HOLES elected these people

YOU DESERVE IT
glenp

doesn’t GLENDALE suck anyway?

Jason Carroll

not as much as ms. “im not a crook” pelosi. man do you see the weird facial expressions she makes when reporters ask why she gives government handouts to businesses she that she is in bed with? how old is she anyways??? all of her plastic surgeries make her confusing…

Brett Miller

OK, that, ladies and gentlemen, is another reason why I left the southland. Glendale city council was never too bright to begin with. I may be a new home owner (in Virginia) but what other option is there? The way I see it, real grass or a dirt yard. I am sure the city would not appreciate dirt in the yard so that leaves real grass which goes hand in hand with Obama-care. The government going through the backdoor to require you to buy a product in which as I see it is still illegal by the constitution of the United States for any branch of government to require a product to be bought against the will of the people..

Steve in Va Beach

Welcome to Virginia Brett. The lower cost of living and fewer regs must be quite a shock. I’ve lived in Virginia Beach since 1981and love it here. Not saying it’s perfect, but having been out to California several times, I prefer Virginia. We have a red state legislature and a great Governor. One of our blue US Senators will be gone in 2012.

PickMark

These are elected officials. Call them! Write them! Recall them! Require them to account for how this ordinance began, who was behind it at the start, and how many members voted against the ordinance.

The ones that voted “nay” should be supported and complimented. This is a job for which the media should be used.

Pressure! Pressure! Pressure!

VHS

How bout schools do they have to change there turf too??

glenp

how about yards full of GREEN ROCK?
Brad

Best thing to happen for the US is CA fall into the water.
AlterEgo366

The City of Indian Wells Ca has installed high end artificial grass in some of their medians. It has been in place several years now and does not appear to have caused injury or death to residents, workers or wildlife. I’m guessing overtime it could be cost effective but “quality”, realistic looking, commercially installed artificial grass is not inexpensive.
Government, federal, state and local is out of control… and needs to be dramatically reigned in. If this is symptomatic of Glendale’s governance, it’s your own damn fault. You might consider replacing your city council, city manager and city attorney. Likewise, you hired Jerry Brown and his crew. Similarly USA… you hired Obama and his entourage. Not working out so well for us.