Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

I'm going to guess that City Hall will try to tell you it isn't grandfathered because it was out of compliance in some way or another in 1986 when first placed on the property. That's only a guess.

For a useful article on the subject of grandfathering, see http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Review-of-the-Limitations-of-the-Grandfathering-Clause-For-Zoning-Compliance&id=3882315

Has any enforcement activity been directed at you? Been visited by an inspector? This is a sign of trouble brewing, and you need to figure out whether you are entitled to grandfather rights based on the 1986 ordinances.

I would have to read the specific city ordinance, and any provisions on nonconforming uses to tell you whether it was grandfathered or not.