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Orange County board rules that large Confederate flag violates county size rule

The debate over a flag is not about its content.

Posted Updated

By
Sarah Krueger
, WRAL reporter
ORANGE COUNTY, N.C. — An Orange County board on Monday ruled that a large flag flying above U.S. Highway 70 West is violating county rules because it is too large, a ruling that ruffled some feathers after the decision was announced.
The flag is located near downtown Hillsborough and is planted on land owned by Robert Hall.

He was told in August that his flag, which is 375 square feet, or 15 by 25 feet, needed to be taken down because it was larger than 24 square feet, the maximum allowed under county ordinance.

Hall appealed that decision, which was heard Monday by the county Board of Adjustment.

By a majority vote, the board ruled to uphold the previous decision that said the flag was in violation of county size rules.

Constance “Connie” Gergen Lowe, the attorney hired by Hall, said her client has followed county regulations.

“My client went through the proper permitting procedure to get the flagpole approved for the height that it was. It was considered a land disturbance on his private property, so he had to go through the county and apply for it. Of course with a 63 foot flagpole you’re not going to hang a little flag, you’re going to hang a big flag”

Lowe said Hall spent over $10,000 to erect the flag and its pole.

After the board issued it's ruling, Lowe said her client would likely file a lawsuit to keep the flag flying.

"We (had) already expected this," Lowe said, adding that since her client's flagpole and flag went up before the county approved its size ordinance, the flag should be grandfathered in and allowed to remain up.

Others disputed the presence of the flag.

"I only see hate," said one woman named Robbyn, who declined to give her last name. "I can't see their heritage."

She said she often drives by the Confederate flag.

"Every time I pass it, there are lots of things that go through my mind," Robbyn said. "The first thing is disgust (and then) I think about racism."

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