Our homeowner's association is doing the same thing to us and our neighbors...I think every home should fly the American flag with pride. How beautiful would that be to drive down your street and see every home proudly flying our flag? It's sad when a few think "they" know what's beautiful and it's not our American flag. We can hang it from a small stick on the side of our home, but not a beautiful pole with lights illuminating it to show our pride in our country with gives us our freedoms...except the freedom to fly our American flag from our flag pole.

Instead of writing your two cents here, write your congressman and ask them to pass an act just like Florida did this past summer with Senate Bill 1378. Ron would be in the clear then and frankly I think it is the right way to go about resolving this issue to put it to bed once and for all. This is what I did amd you should too!

Senate Bill 1378 (Display of Flags). Senate Bill 1378 amends Florida Statutes Section 720.304 with respect to a homeowner's display of flags. The legislation allows a POW-MIA flag of limited size to be displayed, in lieu of one of the flags of branches of the armed services. The bill further allows a homeowner to install a flagpole no more than 20 feet high on such homeowner's parcel to display the United States flag (not larger than 4½ feet by 6 feet) and the official flag of the State of Florida or the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard, or a POW-MIA flag, which additional flag is equal in size to or smaller than the United States flag. The limitation that flags of the branches of the armed services may be displayed only on certain holidays has been removed.

For paying $900 for that simple job. I would have done the same quality job for that price and made a profit of $700. Hell, I'll charge him that to take it down too!

Install a flag bracket on the side of the house and hang the flag there. Surely they don't have strictures against that?

Donald Trump went through something like this in Florida not long ago...

However if I was the homeowner ( I live in this subdivision) I would erect the flag pole on the roof of my house complete with lights, Then I would get a even bigger flag and brighter lights. Then go tell these wanna be nazis to F-off

a Tampa Bay area family in Florida erected a flag pole to honor their son in the military and also for their grandfathers who also served. This brought attention to the state legislature and when there was enough people writing them that the state the legislation brought forth Senate bill 1378 and was signed into law by Governor Charlie Crist on May 28, 2008 that allows a homeowner to display, in a respectful manner from that flagpole, one official United States flag, not larger than 4 1/2 feet by 6 feet. Additionally, the homeowner may display one official flag of the State of Florida or the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard, or a POW-MIA flag. Any additional flag must be equal in size to or smaller than the United States flag.

So this shows that just because things are the way they are now does not mean that they cannot be changed. It is easier now that a precedent has been set by Florida.

So you want to make a change? Then people start writing your state senators referencing the issue Ron Tripodo

Rules is Rules. This is why I'd NEVER live in an HOA-terrorist community. It works for a lot of people and more power to them. But for me, I want my flower beds made out of painted tires. I'll live under all those "no pets, no flagpoles, no deviation on window coverings, no pickups in the driveway, no not wearing underpants, no unapproved plant replacement rules when they cart me to the nursing home.

I read your news site on a regular basis after school. I agree with you consistently on most points. But I respectfully change sides with you on this.

People in charge of these associations typically are a bit power hungry. Trying to flex their muscles. I know, I clean the community pool for one. They get a power kick out of controlling people.

However, look at what this person is being charged with "you are not allowed to have any structure outside the framework of the home." That could range from anything to a shed to separate garage. Is that neighborhood really clear of sheds and all possible examples that could fit into that definition? Most likely not.

So this patriot, albeit goon, decides to hang a flag on a flagpole. But miss association owner, she doesn't like that. The site of someone patriotically praising their country instead of tributing her power Godess level, doesn't sit well with her. So she orders him to take it down. Man refuses. Now he's really crossed the line. Doesn't he know who she is? So she takes him through this silly ordeal.

And sorry to say, but it sounds like a breach of some amendments I was hearing about one time when hanging a flag on a flagpole is against the rules. If this were anything but a flag pole to America, there would be no outrage. That's what I've been told is classified as a double standard. And I don't believe those should be allowed.

Wow... stop.

1. I agree that HOA's are shameful, but if you agree to the terms; and assuming you have the ability to waive that right (some legal rights you can't waive) then you are stuck with it.

Lets consider what a structure is - the HOA my define it some specific way - that could be problematic.

Why not just fly the flag from a tree or bush? Or affix the flag pole to same?

Also, if the electricity used to light the pole is coming from a wire attached to the house - and the wire first runs through the flag pole - then to a light placed on the ground in front of the pole, well isnt or wouldnt they be considered part of the same home structure? I mean, never mind that a person couldn't realy fit inside a flag pole, but wouldn't it be the same? Agumentatively?

This is pretty silly, btw.

HOA's should be illegal. You have township laws to deal with "structures" outside the home. Anything beyond township laws is plain harrassment.

Of course Neal would side with the HOA...he's a lawyer.

How anti-American is this homeowners' gestapo? How can an organization not allow a flagpole displaying the American flag?

I see a lot of HOA followers saying that the HOA's are necessary to make sure everyone takes care of their property to prevent your precious property value from decreasing, but many of these organizations go way too far. My mother had an idiot from her HOA who would actually walk onto the homeowners' properties to make sure that there were no violations hidden behind trees or behind the fence in their backyards. Can you tell me how this act affects your property value?

How does an American flag decrease your property value? If I were this guy, I would take down the flag pole and put a large redneck battle flag on my house.

This guy wants to buck the system and be different. Why did he move there in the first place? Can't have your cake and eat it too. They should up the fine. He just has to let everyone know he's the most patriotic guy on the block.

Is this the same Bridgemill that allows fences and jungle gyms? Would those not be considered structures?

Okay you HOA guys rules are rules but they have to comply with the law. Many HOA's prohibit or restrict satellites but FEC says those prohibitions cannot be enforced.

What if the convenients said no blacks?

The flag issue falls in those categories so the HOA should clean up it's act.

Sorry, Neal, completely disagree. The guy is not being a jerk, the HOA is. Flags are governed by different rules and he should leave it up. I agree with Mike's post. I fart in your general direction HOA. And Neal, while I often agree with you - you have elevated "Jerk" to a new level quite often - so careful. That's like Obama preaching about fiscal responsibility.

I get sick of the HOA haters. If people had common sense, we wouldn't need them. At the least, who would take care of the commons area, the homeowners? Yeah, right. They can't even take care of their own property. My neighborhood is only 7 years old. Without the HOA, would would have semi's, people that never cut their grass, people that park in their grass, people that don't pressure clean their siding, and MUCH more. Trust me there are multitudes of people that don't have a clue how to maintain their property. You don't like rules, buy a house on five acres and you can do what you want. I'm glad to have a house in a neighorhood that HAS an HOA. I wouldn't buy a house in a neighborhood that doesn't. All you have to do is read the covenants BEFORE you buy. If you don't like them, go to another neighborhood that has rules you can live with.

Run a spar from the pole to the house so it becomes "attached" and you solve the problem?

I agree with Neal here. We had a similar situation in our neighborhood in NC. The guy applied to put it up, per our covenants, and was turned down, again per the covenant. He then got enough neighbors to sign a request to modify covenants. We did that at the next meeting and he got his flagpole. It was handled pretty well all around.

Well then maybe he should just put the flag ON the house instead??

Their definition of external structure is vague IMO.

BTW..what if a resident of their little community becomes disabled in a way that would make them wheel chair bound, Would they fine a person for having a wheel chair ramp installed??

Most of the time I agree with you Neal. This isn't one of them. I believe the HOA has overstepped it's bounds in regards to the flagpole.

I don't believe a flagpole is a "structure" any more than a basketball hoop or a mailbox is.

I'm sure both sides will waste thousands of dollars on overpaid lawyers to argue about it though.

HOA's are power trips for small people. Having said that, I agree with Neal that one shouldn't complain about the rules when they move into such a place. You moved there knowing the rules so abide by them.

Then, having said that, I do not see a flag pole being considered a "structure" (as someone else said, what's a free-standing mailbox or basketball goal called?). If the rule isn't specific, then I'd countersue the HOA for $26 a day.

1. mode of building, construction, or organization; arrangement of parts, elements, or constituents: a pyramidal structure.
2. something built or constructed, as a building, bridge, or dam.
3. a complex system considered from the point of view of the whole rather than of any single part: the structure of modern science.
4. anything composed of parts arranged together in some way; an organization.

Is a pole a structure? I think not.

I will never live in a place that has people in authority trying to justify their pathetic existence by playing enforcement officer. Too many times they just try to justify themselves by nosing into everyone's business. A flag pole is not a structure but an idiot on a power trip is an idiot on a power trip and someone on the HOA needs to be spanked.

is a structure? Like a mailbox or basket ball goal? Please. Someone is grasping a straws to try to say this is why this guy can't have an American Flag flying on his property. What kind of communist neighborhood do you live in Neal?

Sorry Neal but a flag pole is not a structure. It should be allowed.

I disagree with Neal on this. A flagpole is not a "structure" such as a deck or shed. This is why I would never live in a community with a HOA. They are a bunch of power-hungry punks who live to force people to do what they feel is best. A miniature form of government, no?