Man protests at decision not to allow new Dunkin’ Donuts by putting toilets on his lawn

An Augusta, Maine, man angered at the city's decision to oppose building a new Dunkin' Donuts is putting toilets in his garden. Under a recent proposal from a developer, David Labbe’s house and an adjacent vacant service station would have been torn down to build a drive-through Dunkin’ Donuts.

That’s how Labbe wanted it. He said he agreed to a sale price three times higher than what he paid for the property in 1999, and he wants out. But Augusta officials, backed by neighbors, soundly rejected the zoning change that would have allowed the franchise to come. Labbe’s deal was scuttled.

So Labbe has countered by putting toilets up on the edge of his lawn, flowers planted in the bowls: pink chrysanthemums in three, yellow lantanas in two. He has also posted a sign by the toilets stating an expanded vision for his lawn: It says he wants 60 to 70 more toilets. “I’m going to line the whole street with toilets,” Labbe said. “I figure I can put almost a hundred up in there.”

Labbe said the toilets are there for two main reasons: to protest opposition to the Dunkin’ Donuts and because he doesn’t much care what his property looks like now. Neighbors call Labbe's behavior childish. Not that Labbe cares what his neighbors think. “That’s too bad,” Labbe said. “They pissed me off, I’m going to piss them off now.”