PITTSBORO — An updated flag ordinance for the Town of Pittsboro may have hit a roadblock.
The town’s Board of Commissioners held a public hearing Monday and also reviewed an initial draft of updated rules regarding flags within town limits, a process that started in response to several Confederate flags that have begun flying in recent weeks.
The proposed ordinance includes a specific definition of flags which would include not only flags such as the U.S. flag and military flags but also would include the type of promotional flags that fly in front of car lots and restaurants. Current rules are not entirely clear on signs that include flags, town Planning Director Jeff Jones told the board.
After hearing from Jones and multiple public speakers, the board decided to send the rules to the town’s Planning Board for consideration and changes.
Several residents, all with an association with the Pittsboro Veterans of Foreign Wars branch, raised concerns both about the future of the VFW’s flags as well as concerns over restrictions of freedom of speech. VFW Commander Andy Cochran noted that the VFW flies seven flags on six poles — five flags representing the branches of the military, the American flag with a POW/MIA flag. The current draft of ordinances would not allow the set-up based on the number of poles and flags. In addition, he noted that if the setback restrictions were in place, the VFW would have to move several poles as well.
Under the initial proposal, residential properties would be permitted to have one flag pole and up to three flags with the pole being no more than 24 feet tall. In addition, the flags, limited to 24 square feet in area, would be required to be set back at least 50 feet from all property lines. Commercial regulations would be similar, except three poles would be allowed with a maximum of 45 feet height and a 40 square feet flag. Those flags would only need to be 20 feet from all property lines.
Other speakers spoke of concerns about the lack of ability to fly American flags in town as many of the setback restrictions would prevent the smaller downtown lots and businesses from having any flags at all. Speaker Linda Bienvenue argued against the proposed ordinance saying the board was “taking away freedom of speech” and “giving in to bullies.”
Mayor Pro-Tem Pamela Baldwin tried to reassure the speakers that wasn’t the board’s intention. She said that “no one is planning on taking any rights away in terms of the flag” and that she in particular was “very respectful of all veterans.”
“Our intention is not to remove the American flag,” she said.
Jones noted that after reviewing the initial draft, he felt it would be helpful for the commissioners to drive around town to get an estimate of the flags that would be considered in violation of the proposed ordinance. He estimated that eight or nine of the approximately 30 flags town staff identified could be potentially deemed non-conforming. Those flags included the two Confederate flags recently erected in town and flags at the Chatham County Agricultural and Conference Center, Pittsboro Fire Department, Chatham County Annex Building, Pittsboro VFW Post 7313 building and at the building where the local Boy Scouts meet.
Jones reiterated that the board needed to “treat everyone fairly” and believed that the “impact needs to have more time.” He said he understood that “there is an urgency to expedite to remove things we don’t want to see,” but that it was important to “find that balance.”
If the planning board can come to a consensus on appropriate language for the rules, the commissioners would reconsider the ordinances.
Reporter Casey Mann can be reached at CaseyMann@Chathamnr.com.