Owner Of 'Flintstones' House Announces Lawsuit Against Hillsborough
HILLSBOROUGH (KPIX 5) -- The legal battle is heating up between the city of Hillsborough and the owner of the popular, if not polarizing, "Flintstones" home -- a familiar sight for thousands of commuters along the Interstate 280 corridor on the Peninsula.
Homeowner Florence Fang announced that she is planning to file a lawsuit of her own against the city. She is alleging the city infringed on her first amendment rights of freedom of speech when it demanded she remove several dinosaur sculptures from her backyard.
"They have a lawsuit that says tear down the whole thing -- even the retaining wall. I do not understand," Fang said.
Fang's attorney, Angela Alioto, also claims her client has been the victim of racial discrimination.
"I absolutely believe she's been treated differently. There's absolutely no question in my mind. I don't think that any prior owner of the Flintstones home has had any issues that could compare to this," Alioto said.
The city of Hillsborough filed a lawsuit describing Fang's home as a "highly visible eyesore" and a "public nuisance."
Assistant City Attorney Mark Hudak says Fang did not have the proper permits when she began her renovations and ignored several stop work orders. He says the allegations of racial bias are completely untrue.
"It's nonsense and it's offensive nonsense. Everybody at Town Hall has treated Mrs. Fang with the utmost respect and completely fairly," Hudak said.
Hudak says Fang has a pending permit application before the city. He says he hopes their issues can be resolved through the permitting process and lawsuit eventually dropped. It is one of the few things on which the two sides agree.
"I want a quiet, peaceful, happy retirement," Fang said.