We were handed $1,542 fine and told parking in front of our home of 36 years was banned thanks to little-known law

A COUPLE has won their battle against city officials who handed them a huge fine for parking on their own driveway at their home of almost 40 years.

Judy and Ed Craine from San Francisco, California, have used the parking spot outside of their house for decades with no issue.

(The Craines were handed a $1,500 fine for parking in their driveway despite having done so for decades.Credit: ABC News)

(According to the city's planning department, cars have to be parked under cover or in a garage for aesthetic reasons.Credit: ABC News)

However, an anonymous complaint to the planning department was lodged against them and two of their neighbors in June 2022.

The pair were handed a $1,542 fine in an email telling them that they could not use their driveway despite parking in it daily for the past 36 years.

The email added that if they refused to move their vehicle, they would receive a $250 fine per day for each day it was not moved.

According to the planning department, city code states that vehicles can only be parked outside of homes if there is a garage or cover due to aesthetic reasons.

The rule was introduced decades ago to "ensure that front yards don't turn into parking lots," Dan Sider, the city planning department's chief of staff, told ABC News.

Judy Craine told the news outlet: "I wrote them back saying I thought this was a mistake."

Her husband added: "To all of a sudden be told you can't use something that we could use for years, it's startling - inexplicable.

The Craines were offered a way out if they could prove to authorities that the space had been used historically as a parking spot, which could grandfather the space against the violated code.

Ms Craine said: "We could be grandfathered in. If we show them a historical photo that showed a car...or a horse-drawn buggy in the carport."

Despite finding a 34-year-old photograph showing a car in the spot, officials said it was not an old enough source. Following more in-depth research by the couple, they found a photo from 1938 that appeared to show a car or horse-drawn vehicle parked in the space.

However, this time officials said the photo was not clear enough.

Initially, the pair gave up and agreed not to park there anymore which saw officials waive the fine.

Authorities told the pair that if they built a cover or a garage, they could park in the spot without violating the code.

However, a month later the planning department found evidence that the parking spot had been used as such since the 1950s.

Therefore, the department reversed its decision saying it has been grandfathered in as legal and the pair can once again park in their driveway without making any changes.

(A U-turn by officials meant that the couple can continue parking there without issue.Credit: ABC News)

  Ref:We were handed $1,542 fine and told parking in front of our home of 36 years was banned thanks to little-known law (the-sun)