
DINOSAUR DRAMA. Dinosaurs and other figurines stand in the backyard
of the Flintstone House in Hillsborough, California, in this photo taken
on April 1, 2019. The San Francisco Bay Area suburb of Hillsborough sued
the owner of the house, saying she installed dangerous steps, dinosaurs,
and other Flintstone-era figurines without necessary permits. In a yabba
dabba dispute that pitted property rights against government rules that
played out in international media, retired publishing mogul Florence
Fang defended her colorful, bulbous-shaped house and its elaborate
homage to "The Flintstones" family, featuring Stone Age sculptures
inspired by the 1960s cartoon, along with aliens and other oddities. (AP
Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

DINOSAUR DISPUTE. The Flintstone House is seen before a news
conference with the owner and the home’s original architect in
Hillsborough, California, in this April 11, 2019 file photo. The
Flintstone House features Stone Age sculptures inspired by the 1960s
cartoon. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

YABBA DABBA DISPUTE. Florence Fang talks with reporters after a news
conference outside her Flintstone House in Hillsborough, California, in
this April 11, 2019 file photo. Fang and her attorney say they’ve been
fighting for the rights of property owners and Fred and Barney fans
everywhere. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)
From The Asian Reporter, V31, #7 (July 5, 2021), pages 1 & 9.
Yabba dabba dispute resolved.
Florence Fang’s Fred Flintstone can stay.
HILLSBOROUGH, Calif. (AP) — Fred Flintstone fought the law — and he
won.
Technically, the owner of the fanciful Flintstone House in a posh San
Francisco suburb settled a lawsuit with the town of Hillsborough. But
the agreement will allow Fred and his friends to remain.
In a yabba dabba dispute that pitted property rights against
government rules that played out in international media, retired
publishing mogul Florence Fang defended her colorful, bulbous-shaped
house and its elaborate homage to "The Flintstones" family, featuring
Stone Age sculptures inspired by the 1960s cartoon, along with aliens
and other oddities.
The town, however, called the towering dinosaurs and life-size
sculptures "a highly visible eyesore" and sued Fang, alleging she
violated local codes when she put dinosaur sculptures in the backyard
and made other landscaping changes that caused local officials to
declare it a public nuisance.
An attorney for the town previously said residents are required to
get a permit before installing such sculptures, regardless of the theme.
Hillsborough went to court in 2019 after Fang failed to comply with
multiple stop-work orders, as well as an order to remove the features
around the multimillion-dollar property with its 2,730-square-foot home.
Fang counter-sued. The Daily Post in Palo Alto first reported
news of the settlement in late June.
Mark Hudak, an attorney for Hillsborough, previously said the town
prides itself on its rural, woodsy feel, and rules are in place "so
neighbors don’t have to look at your version of what you would like to
have, and you don’t have to look at theirs."
According to records, the settlement stipulates that the town will
review and approve a survey of the landscaping improvements. In turn,
Fang will apply for building permits. The town will also pay Fang
$125,000, and she will drop the lawsuit — which was dismissed in state
court on April 27.
No news on Barney Rubble’s role in the matter.
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