Editorial:

There’s a lesson to be learned from Costa Mesa’s battle with resident Kevin Doane over his property.

After Councilwoman Wendy Leece called for residents to reduce their use of water, Doane stopped watering his lawn.

The result was predictable: His lawn died, leaving a swath of brown in its wake. Doane was subsequently fined $400 and the city threatened to put a lien on his property.

The unemployed contractor remained obstinate, showing up at one council meeting and telling council members he would not only not comply, but that he was considering painting his yard green to satisfy city requirements for green properties.

“I will not pay that, ever,� he told the council. “I’m not going to water my yard. I’m not going to put in grass.�

On the last hour of the last day left to pay his fine, Doane marched into City Hall with a bag full of change. He paid his fine, but with a twist.

Well, Doane has now spruced up his yard quite a bit. He’s planted daisies and drought-resistant plants as well as rudimentary gray stone planters. And he’ll get his $400 back if it’s spruced up to the city’s satisfaction within 60 days.

So let’s take a step back from this teachable moment, and figure out what we’ve learned.

First, Leece was right. We’re in a drought. Folks should cut back on their water usage.

Secondly, Doane overreacted by depriving his yard of water. That was not Leece’s intent, and no one wants to see properties brown over.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, we should all recognize this drought as a major crisis and take some action to conserve water.

Three quick suggestions:

 Plant native, drought-resistant plants.

 Know exactly how much water the various parts of your yard need, and water them accordingly. Many people over water their properties.

 A yard does not have to be grassy. You can work up an attractive yard by getting creative with wood chips, mulch and stones.

Those are just a few suggestions. If you want to take it further, give Leece a call. We’re pretty confident that she could offer more alternatives.