Ed Begley Jr., Mr. Enviromentalist, installs it and it's genius and all the Libs scream his praises. What's the difference here?

I live in a Conservation District and can't even repaint my house the same color without city permission but I knew what I was getting into before I bought my house. It's the same as people who complain about HA rules they don't like. Don't move into a neighborhood with restrictions if you won't live by them.

"We even told the council people, 'Come look at the grass.'"

It's not grass. You can argue about whether it's a reasonable restriction or not, but... it's not grass.

chuckE is symptomatic of what people face in todays world. waaagh. by his ignorant logic women wouldnt be able to vote and we'd still have slaves. geeez--THINK!!! just follow the ignorant rules huh chucky??

Wow ROB - thanks for clearing that up.

Come back into the playhouse when you have something relevant to add.

This city is full of dumb asses, esp. in these "conservation" districts, where you get yelled at if you want to prune your trees, paint your house or put up a high fence for privacy. I hope he sues accordingly...

Maybe they should do something about the tons and tons of water that the dip shits on STRAIT lane use.....

defeat plaza, I'm so sorry, I had no idea that you had been appointed moderator. I'll try to do better in the future, really.

To ChuckE

Did you even bother to check how long Mr. Escobedo has been living in this house? If you had taken ten seconds (I timed it) to look at his DCAD file, you would see that his family has been in this house since at least 2000.

Though that is where the records stop, we have a good feeling he's been there way before that.

Therefore, your statement proves your ignorance.

The CD in question has been in force for less than five years if memory serves me correctly.

The process of creating Conservation Districts and Historic Districts is designed to shut out a majority of residents. Do you have time to attend at least ten weekly meetings to discuss the shape of your roof, and its height as related to the frontage??

By the time a vote is called, 15% of the residents even bother to vote.

Been there done it, can't stand a CD taking away my property rights.

A CD is not as restrictive as an HD. CDs do not require a paint color approval, just approval of extensive exterior modifications to the visible (from the street) areas of the house.

If Mr. Escobedo wants his artificial turf, then he has by law the right to file protests against the ruling. It's a civilized society and your 'shut up or move attitude' is not a legal ruling.

Please, a little civility -- because I am, in fact, the moderator.

And, yes, I had intended to mention how long Escobedo's been in the house: 14 years.

And Junius Heights has only been a historic district since April 2006. Here's the ordinance:

http://www.dallascityhall.com/historic/pdf/JuniusHeights.pdf

Why do some folks think they can just change the rules everyone else must follow? It's too late for that - it has been vetted, discussed to death and gone through committees, plan commission discussion, plan commission votes, city council discussion and votes - pillar to post over the last several years. That's how ordinances, zoning and such work.

So he got some "leftover" building materials eh? Well, just look at what leftover building materials in do-it-yourself creative projects have done for Mount Auburn, where code enforcement turned a blind eye. It was probably a better, more cohesive, larger district of Craftsman Bungalows but it has been bastardized to the point that it is now only tear-down territory. Ironic that this type of stuff forces the DIYers out and brings in another dreaded consequence of the faux - McMansions.

but but the Landmark Commission is only protecting Dallas history!!! I mean next thing you know people will by trying to demolish old, decrepit, dangerous buildings!!

This is a perfect example of government overuse--using power because they can but for little to no good to the common citizen. Our government preaches to us about being more environmentally conscious, but in the same breath won't let someone install fake grass as way of saving water!?!

I think the city of Dallas should have bigger fish to fry . . . Instead, they choose to pick small battles that do nothing but tick off good, law-abiding citizens who are trying to live a better life.

Another prime example . . . Little Forest Hills. Everyone who lives there has a sign in their front yards that says "Keep Little Forest Hills Funky." The signs have been in yards for years. What does the city do? Tells homeowners they must be removed because it breaks code. Ridiculous!

I say stand up. Stand up and fight against a stupid ordinance or law put in place and enforced by people with either too much time on their hands or too little brains in their heads or both.

Change only comes about when people fight for their rights.

I agree with fred -- Exhibit B, section 3.2 specifically says that "artificial grass" is not allowed. The right thing to do would be to lobby to get the ordinance changed, then put in the Astroturf. But either Escobedo figured out that was unlikely to succeed and/or he was too lazy to try, although oddly enough, he now seems to be up for a fight. Now it's a heroic crusade, like a cross between Rosa Parks and putt-putt golf...

The Escobedo family should fight fire with fire. Jose needs to call 311 and the Landmark Commission on anybody in the neighborhood with a automobile built after 1920 (parked on the street or visible in a driveway) or a window unit air-conditioner. Don't forget to complain about anyone with a satelite dish visible from the street or faux flowers in their flower beds. And the City of Dallas needs to replace the streetlights with gas lamps, just like the good old days. Dallas can save some money in the neighborhood, too. No more street maintenance, concrete or asphalt paving is "too modern"!

[I personally think the yard looks great. Quality turf is the difference, here. I would hate to see someone put down that crappy green astroturf from one of the big box stores, though.]

Here we go again. Whether it's smoking, types of lawns, trash pickup, house paint color, street parking in neighborhoods, whatever, the basic question usually comes down to the rights of the individual to live as he/she pleases versus the power of the community to make rules that all must live by. You want to smoke, fine, but don't make me inhale your exhaust. You want to put Astroturf in your front yard, fine, just keep your junked car off of it. We all have an interest in the quality of life in our increasingly dense city, and we all have personal interests that are none of your business. Let's talk a little more civilly about balancing these interests, and maybe we can come up with solutions we can all live with.

"The Landmark Commission already had their minds made up: It was against the code."

That's right. It's against the code. Period. End of discussion. It's not the Landmark Commissions responsibility to rewrite the code. It is their responsibility to interpret the code. The code specifically spells out any materials that can be used as ground cover. Fake Grass is not one of them. It's against the code. What did you expect them to say? Well, the code says that this is specifically not allowed, but because you asked nicely... No, it's their job to follow and in force the code. It's not in the code. It's not allowed. If you want something that is not in the code to be put in the code, well you can do that. But it's going to be a long, hard, expensive trip to get it in there. AND, it's long, hard, and expensive for a reason, as we can't go changing the code for each and every person who wants to be special.

Did Mr. Escobedo ever try something other than grass to grow in his yard? There are plenty of other groundcoverings that thrive in the shade and without a lot of water.

As Dallasm notes, it isn't allowed. Period. If Mr. Escobedo had applied for a Certificate of Appropriateness form (which is required for any exterior work done in a historic district) before he installed the astroturf, I'm sure the City Staff and the Landmark Commission would have worked with him to find another option.

He knew it was a historic district, so what is the excuse? Maybe he thought that asking for forgiveness is better than asking for permission.

As far as suing the City, good luck with that.

"Escobedo figured out that was unlikely to succeed and/or he was too lazy to try"

There is also the possibility that he honestly didn't know that it was against the Code. I don't want to sound racist, but that is actually a reoccurring problem code enforcement has with first generation immigrants. Often their home countries don't have zoning laws or building codes, which is why you see building built on top of buildings as you drive down the street in Mexico (though Mexico, particularly, is working to change that.) In America, we do have building codes, and zoning laws. These are enforced to protect neighborhoods. For example, you can't put a strip club next to an elementary school. We won't allow it. For good reason. You also can't put a Landfill next to a residential neighborhood. Again for good reason. Another people often don't understand is parking requirements. The city of Dallas requires businesses and homes to have a certain amount of parking so that if their business is very successful, their parking doesn't overflow into someone else's lot and make it difficult for the other business to have parking for it's customers. The city is not protecting you from yourself, it's protecting others from you.

If it is not in the code, there is a reason for it. And neither code enforcement nor the Landmark Commission have the legislative right to change the code on your behalf.

If that grass were a bit darker he may have gotten away with it, but that stuff looks brighter than my front porch welcome mat.

I'm sick of the well-manicured lawn mandate, especially in freaking TEXAS...most of which is an arid climate. I want my yard to look like those in New Mexico/Arizona/Nevada -- rocks and cactus.

One family that went that route in Corinth a few years ago were nearly burned at the stake, and that was without any historical restrictions.

What is the deal with the green lawn? Ultimately, who gives a shit?

So many self righteous A-holes in the world. Must make life boring.

Since when do our citizens of hispanic heritage have trouble growing grass? This is America, we vote. If the majority wanted a historic designation...so be it. It's like telling a cop, "I know I was going 90, but 55 is too slow".

>>>>>>>One thing's for sure: He's not about to rip up his lawn, despite the threat of ticket upon ticket, fine upon fine.

So, he puts in the astroturf because he got tired of spending money to keep up his lawn, but, he's willing to spend untold amounts of money to keep the astroturf. Yeah, that makes sense. And really, what the hell was he doing that takes so much money he had to get rid of his real grass? I buy a bag of weed 'n feed at the beginning of summer (around $12 if i remember right), mow once a week, water once a week (water bill is around $80-90 a month in summer compared to $50-60 in winter) and my lawn is green and nice. So there you go Jose, a recipe for a green lawn without breaking the bank.

"If Mr. Escobedo had applied for a Certificate of Appropriateness form..."

Jesus tap dancing Christ.

Freakin' geldings and camp girls.

If he had astroturf down when the ordinance was put in place, it would have been grandfathered in. Since he didn't, he can't put it in now. It doesn't matter if he is the original owner back from the 1910s or 1920s when it was probably built - the new zoning and code rules apply.

Saying that he had no opportunity for input on the historical designation is completely false, and I'm not sure why anyone here even brings it up. He probably chose to skip meetings, votes, and opportunities for input. If he had spent nearly this much time and effort preventing the historical designation, it would have been harder to pass. And spare me this nonsense about how meetings take place all the time at odd hours, etc. That's how our city government works. It sucks for everyone on every side of every issue that the city controls.

"Escobedo installed the lawn four months ago, he says, after he'd spent what he calls a small fortune on trying to keep his front lawn green the old-fashioned way. "

WTF? The guy doesn't know how to take care of grass? That's his fault. Face it, he's just being lazy, bottom line. If he doesn't want to mow and water then he needs to move into a condo or apartment.

"Brandy says city officials knew what Jose was up to: They drove past the house during the two-day installation period and never said a word. "He took off the sidewalks, and the city never said, 'What are you doing?' Brandy recounts. "They passed by and didn't want to know what he was doing." It wasn't till a neighbor called 311 that Escobedo received the first of several notices from the city."

That's how the city works Someone has to call a violation in before they will respond.

Do these people know that this "astro turf" needs to be maintained? You just don't lay it down and forget about it for 20 years? What happens when it wears and tears? This guy didn't pay for the turf, he's not working? Plus, was it installed correctly? You just don't lay turf on dirt.

Big fat blog across the face for the person who called 311 on my neighbor's yard. probably the same who calls on my ally grass. And possibly the same person using herbicide on another neighbor's ally grass. just knock on the door. Fink!

Spend the extra money on St. Augustine grass. It grows in shade or sun. Stop being a cheap-ass.

Honestly, no matter how good you THINK astroturf looks... it's very trailer trash of you Mr. Escobedo.

Something tells me that the 'extra astroturf' was not properly accounted for... Wonder who paid for it...

@ DallasM

My god, thank you for the best laugh I have had in a long long time...

"In America, we do have building codes, and zoning laws. These are enforced to protect neighborhoods. For example, you can't put a strip club next to an elementary school. ... You also can't put a Landfill next to a residential neighborhood. Again for good reason. Another people often don't understand is parking requirements...."

My god, you must not live in the same Dallas I do.

Code enforcement, building codes, parking requirements???

Didja ever hear of Bachman Lake or Lower Greenville??

If you are on the side of the Historical district commission in this particular case, there is something wrong with your brain.

I live in a historical district myself, and think the requirements are odious, and I had nothing to do with creating them. I'm glad someone somewhere is fighting them.

Lawsuit!!!!!!!

" just knock on the door. Fink!"

Yeah THAT works. Give me a break. You would probably tell them to "F" off. If you don't care enough to do it anyway why would you care what a neighbor asks.

Quality turf is the difference, here.

Especially if that Fancy Catsup is in a little tub with a What-A-Burger logo on it.

Most of the people posting in this thread are full of shit.

First off, this is a HISTORIC District, not a Conservation District. It has very strict requirements, and all exterior modifications must go before the Landmark Commission. You know Swiss Avenue? That's another HD. They ain't got no astroturf on Swiss Ave.

Secondly, Conservation Districts do NOT restrict paint color, ChuckE, nor do they restrict which trees you can prune, cvd. And David, every homeowner in a proposed CD/HD gets a ballot from the city before the Plan Commission vote and another before the City Council vote. I've seen the process. There is no way to "shut out the majority of residents." Please tell us which CD or HD has passed in the City of Dallas where only 15% of residents have "bothered to vote." I'm calling you out. And the Little Forest Hills signs? Totally legal unless they're in the parkway (between sidewalk and street). The city did NOT tell homeowners the signs must be removed, because they don't break code. You're a liar.

And finally, Astroturf is a retarded idea for a front yard. Sure it looks great -- now. Wait a few more months until it starts to rot and mildew. Is Escobedo going to pay to repair and maintain it when it starts looking and stinking like shit? If he can't keep his grass from looking like ass, how's he going to keep his Astroturf from looking like ass, too? I don't care what Ed Begley Jr. says, Astroturf (PLASTIC) is not more environmentally friendly than real, natural grass. Not to the soil, not to the flora, nor to the fauna. It's a stupid idea, especially in a Historic District.

Instead of suing, Escobedo should invest the money he'll waste losing in court to buy some quality St. Augustine sod and water a couple of times a week. Once the grass takes root, his lawn will be fine. Mine is, and I never water it.

What's really going on here, and everyone seems to be dancing around, is that Escobedo comes from a different culture than the rest of the people in his neighborhood, and he's brought his "foreign sensibilities" with him. (If he were white, they'd be called "white trash" sensibilities.) Most people don't want that shit in their neighborhood, so they banded together and outlawed it. Democracy in action!

@David Wilson

While I don't know much about Bachman lake, I actually know quite a lot about Lower Greenville. Actually, Lower Greenville has some of the strictest zoning requirements of the city. In fact, you might not know, that Lower Greenville's full name is actually Lower Greenville Modified Delta Overlay. (Google it.) It is probably the most complicated zone in the city and it is very easy for buildings and businesses to loose their delta credits (free parking privileges due to being Grandfathered in before the 1984 Zoning laws.) Believe it or not, it's actually the strictness of this zoning law that keeps the Bars in place. If the bars ever leave, then the land owner basically has to demolish the building and it can never again be used for retail or otherwise unless the owner can magically find their full parking requirements. (Which anyone who has spent any time in Lower Greenville knows, is impossible.)

St. Augustine: I live in the Hollywood/Santa Monica conservation district, and our paint colors are limited. I don't have a problem with this and bought my home specifically because neighborhood integrity is being protected. On another note, a friend who lives in Little Forest Hills copied me on the email from her neighborhood association. It warned residents to taked down their 'Keep It Funky' signs or risk fines after August 1st. According to the email, the city says that these signs are political in nature and cannot remain place after an election. Obviously, this is very stupid if true.

This absurd city getting their panties in a knot over a yard of astroturf. The real abomination is the gash in the earth at the corner of Loop 12 and Skillman, that acres of nothing but dirt, the paved over streams, the whole urban forest that was bulldozed to build a Wal-Mart. I'd like to run the people who made that decision thru a tree shredder two or three times.

Fred said: "So he got some "leftover" building materials eh? Well, just look at what leftover building materials in do-it-yourself creative projects have done for Mount Auburn, where code enforcement turned a blind eye. It was probably a better, more cohesive, larger district of Craftsman Bungalows but it has been bastardized to the point that it is now only tear-down territory."

And this is what irritates me to no end.

25 years ago you could pick up a house in Hollywood Heights (yeah Hollywood HEIGHTS) on the cheap, same as in Mt. Auburn, just a few blocks away.

So, when all the whites were busy fleeing out to the suburbs or the north-of-Loop 12 neighborhoods, leaving the great urban inner-core to rot, some other people who had the American Dream in sight bought up your beloved historic ole houses and then did untold damage on them by adding-on whatever cheap material they could affix. Or even by adding on non-period infrastructre, like a second story, for example.

So here come the "urban pioneers" with all their infinate wisdom, to buy up all the leftovers and start gentrifying the neighborhood and creating special districts and y'all are suddenly outraged because some of the houses have been left in some states of disrepair or worse: handyman repair.

If you're so outraged now about the state of the likes of neighborhoods such as Mt. Auburn (and Junius Heights just less than 10 years ago) then where were you and all your urban pioneer friends 20 years ago? Why weren't you all buying up these cherished houses back then and fixing them up to period standards?

have any of you even gone to look at the property in question?
I have a friend with this top quality artificial grass installed and it looks and feels just like grass. the only way you can even tell that its not real grass is if you pull up a blade.
It is not astro-turf!
amazing stuff. I'll be installing it in my lawn too.

When it comes to Little Forest Hills, there were not enough votes to get a conservation district so it did not pass! Some folks must need a lesson on civics - even those turncoats like Trey who moved to conformist, punctilious Plano but is deep at heart a Dallas wannabe who wants to wade into this controversy.

Junius Heights residents DID vote this in and the city plan commission and the city council approved it. One can hardly say they are not familiar with historic districts as JH adjoins Munger Place and Swiss Avenue (HD since the 1970s). There were many meetings (one in the block next to Mr. Escobedo and many three blocks up at the school on his street)then there were at least two mail-in ballots - in addition to the official public hearings. From what I recall less than a handful ever spoke against it while the council chambers were packed with residents for the district.

Trey do you really want to see astro-turf next door to you in Plano?

Update: Just got an email saying that Dallas has reconsidered the Little Forest Hills 'Keep It Funky' sign decision and now agrees with homeowners that they are not political or election-related and won't be subject to fines. How generous...

Randy, political signs CANNOT be prohibited EVER, it's our first amendment right. Campaign signs can be but "political" signs are expressly protected.

"Native Trees Shrubs and Flowers Make the Best Bushes for Texas" is a sign I erected to pique some asshole who reported me, and they can't say squat.

Secondly, to all, St. Augustine WILL NOT GROW IN SHADE. St. Augustine need 4-6 hours of direct sunlight at a minimum, otherwise it just fades. No Fescue or other cool season grass will persist or thrive there through Summer without inordinate amounts of water.

There are a few native ground covers and others that will work, that's what I do. I'm a landscaper.

Of course, if he doesn't want to have a lawn, there are many wonderful groundcovers, perennials that could fill his yard an require little water.

Finally, Dallas is NOT an arid climate. We are on the edge of the Great Plains, grassland. We are also close to the great Eastern Piney forest. Our rivers are treed, our highlands typically feature a savanna of Grasses, Oaks, Elms and Cedars.

I think the city just hates anything that reminds them of football.

Who gives a crap when he bought the house?!

The important question is when he installed the turf (4 mos. ago, I believe) and when was the ordinance passed? (2006) This isn't some grandfathering situation. He installed it AFTER knowing (or not, it doesn't matter) it violated the CD. Or are we only going to enforce rules on the new guys?

He should have been crusading against the artificial turf provision back in 2006 if he was so passionate about it. I personally think a nice xeriscaped yard with some spanish daggers & crushed or decomposed granite base and all that jazz would look super. Minimal water required!

Randy: Regarding HSM and your "limited paint colors" - bullshit. Your only limitation is a spectrum of certain colors that end up being flourescent. Its outlined in the guidelines real sciencey-like, so have a looksey sometime. It took me all of 2 minutes to fill out the form, writing in the explanation : "House is now red and cream. I am repainting it red and cream." Approved a couple days later.

Astounding how many supposedly savvy folks on unfairpark can live in or around Dallas, which has the most conservation and historic districts in the nation, and still be completely ignorant about such issues.

If I were Escobedo, I would not be risking $2,000 fines, folks looking into where the green carpet came from and opening up to discovery all parts of my life for something he should have known was against the rules in the first place. He lives a block or two from Munger Place Historic District and about three blocks from the Swiss Avenue Historic District.

Rich folks on Swiss haven't gotten a pass on such bones of contention over the last 30 something years - and this guy is starting at a deficit now that it has been revealed he was lying about understanding English.

Yeah I will feel sorry for the guy until code enforcement dings me for putting out a limb a day early.

And for all of you defending him, I'm giving your street addresses to astroturf salesmen since they know you are fine with it on your street.

This home owner was taken to task by the Landmark Commission and the City of Dallas some years ago when he was starting to build an illegal carport sturcture onto his house. He had to appear before Landmark and the City of Dallas at that time. He is fully aware of "Historic" and city restrictions to his property. These meetings are recorded with the City. He knows better.
As members os Junius Heights, we agree with the restrictions. He may look OK now but think about the dead of winter. Historic regulations are implemented to protect his property as it to protect his neighbors. Obviously the neighbors that turned him in where not approval with his decision.
I suggest that he re-install this fake grass in his back yard where he does not affect his neighbors or the historic district of Junius Heights.