Fig & ice......
Posted on 08/02/2007 1:12:35 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
LAS VEGAS (AP) - An auto dealer vowed Thursday to fight a city order to take down the 109-foot pole from which he flies an American flag about the size of a competition volleyball court. The City Council voted Wednesday to order the Towbin Hummer dealership to take down the flag after officials said the pole was too high and neighbors complained the flag flapped too loudly.
"The American flag stays," dealership owner Dan Towbin declared. "I'm not convinced that people are complaining because of noise. This is about vindictiveness and power."
Towbin says the 30-foot-by-60-foot flag fits with his oversized dealership selling oversized cars, but rejects opponents' claims that it's an advertising tool.
"All I can tell you is we never sold a vehicle based on a flag," he said.
The council action followed a similar decision in May. Towbin sued the city, and a state judge last month sent the issue back to the council, ruling that he should have been allowed to have an attorney represent him before the body.
Towbin's lawyer, David Chesnoff, said Thursday that case remains pending.
"We're going to do whatever we can to keep the American flag flying," he said.
City regulations limit poles to 40 feet, but the council grants case- by-case exceptions.
Towbin got permission for a 100-foot pole in 2006, and the city has approved eight other flagpoles of that height or higher. Assistant City Attorney Bill Henry, however, said Towbin acknowledged last year that the council could revisit the decision if it bothered neighbors.
"We think it's arbitrary that they decide who gets it and who doesn't," Towbin said Thursday, adding that noise meters he put at a neighboring house didn't support complaints about loud flapping.
"If I was convinced I was truly disturbing people, I would have taken it down a long time ago," he said.
Whoever heard of such a thing.
Seriesly though; Is this an advertising gimmick or is Towbin all that patriotic?
figantice???
I bet you know I meant gigantic.
figantice?........
“Seriesly though; Is this an advertising gimmick or is Towbin all that patriotic?”
hard to imagine a car salesman doesn’t consider the impact on sales of a particular gesture or 30x60 flag.
190 foot pole? volleyball court sized flag? that seems a bit excessive. even for a hummer dealership.
If he's got another one like it at his residence, he's patriotic.
If not, it's an advertising gimmick.
I think it's fine, in a commercial zone. if it meets the local requirements for height and noise. I love to see big Old Glories flying.
How did this story get out of Vegas?
Fig & ice......
Figantice. As this thrad is so figantice.
Look. It even is a keyword!
lololol
Really does not matter to me whether he flies the flag to bring attention to his dealership or because he is very patriotic ... I love to see flags of great proportions. Can’t imagine that anyone would complain about the flapping noise, if there is indeed any, unless they were not particularly aligned with what the flag stands for.
i meant 109 foot pole...
Close. Not quite. Off by 81'.
Well the son has his own reality show on a&e and has a huge flag inside his dealership. His son owns the number one car dealership in the world.
http://www.aetv.com/kingofcars/
It will go down in FRHistory along with Hugh! & Series & Beeber-like device!.........
No, you meant a figantice pole.
Me, the next al baby?????
NOOOOooooooo!
It’s a American flag. Where’s the advertising gimmick to our flag.
For Vegas? I guess if he installed a volcano, two pirate ships and a light that could be spotted from Mars, that would be okay, but the flag isn't?
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