A COUPLE who won their battle against city officials in the US who handed them a $1,500 fine for parking on their own driveway have prompted a change in the law.
Judy and Ed Craine had used the parking spot outside their house for decades with no issues.
The couple’s story went viral with people across the globe joining in their battle.
It all kicked off for Ed and Judy from San Francisco, California, in June 2022 after an anonymous complaint to the planning department was lodged against them and two of their neighbors.
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.
Neighbours get off scot-free
The couple’s neighbours, however, got off scot-free – because they had a garage in the driveway.
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, previously 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.
“Why are you taking away something that has great utility?”
After a lengthy battle the city backed down – but only after the couple, aided by a global audience outraged at their predicament, were able to prove that the parking spot had been used as such since the 1950s.
It is now being reported that San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is taking further action to make parking less problematic for residents.
Elizabeth Watty is the city’s Director of Current Planning.
‘A bit embarrassing’
She told ABC News that the mayor is determined to prevent a repeat of what happened to the Craines.
“The directive was – how can we do better?
“How can we create some improvements around common-sense governance?
“It felt a bit embarrassing that this was a regulation that we still had on the books.
“The city is modernizing its rules to amend the planning code so that homeowners can park in their driveway and no longer receive violations under the planning code.”
Some parking rules, however, still apply, however.
This includes a ban on any more than two vehicles parked in a driveway.
Anyone who violates this law risks a fine of $1,725
