Kevin Doane, a man who is quickly propelling himself into the realm of local lore because of a dispute over his rights and obligations as a property owner in Costa Mesa, first appeared at a City Council meeting at the beginning of last month to tell the audience about his plight.
The out-of-work contractor allowed the front lawn of his Mesa Verde home to deteriorate into a patch of dirt after he stopped watering it to save money on his monthly bills. He refused to pay the repeated citations the city issued him, which eventually totaled $400, and he came to the council Dec. 2 to let them know.
“No. 1, I will not pay that — ever — and you can do whatever you want to do,” the stocky, gruff man told the council, threatening to spray paint his dirt green or dump a truck load of green rocks on it if the city continued to complain.