The latest round in the Camping World versus Greenville, North Carolina, flag controversy has played out. Last month the city called out Camping World for installing a huge flag pole and U.S. flag at its Greenville site in violation of local ordinances and a building permit it had been granted. Now the city zoning commission has put itself at odds with the city council. The Greenville Camping World controversy is far from over.
Planning commissioners take up Greenville Camping World flag issue
After city officials told Camping World managers their flag and pole had to go, and reinforced it with threats of fines, the company got defiant. Camping World CEO, Marcus Lemonis, adamantly told the city the flag would stay, come what fines may. In a potential retreat, city council members met privately and later announced they were going ahead with plans to amend the zoning codes, effectively allowing Camping World to have its way. But there was one more hoop to jump through—the city’s planning and zoning commission would need to weigh in.
And weigh in the commission did. Greenville Planning and Zoning Commissioners met yesterday, February 18, and sent their own flag up the pole. The commission voted 5 to 4 against Camping World in a tie-breaker required vote. The commission essentially denied the city council amendment to the zoning regulation in the case.
Some of the group expressed frustration with Camping World for failing to work with the city before erecting the oversized flag pole. The commission’s vice-chairman, Zach Woodmansee, was concerned about potential public reaction, with some potentially suggesting the commission was unpatriotic. “It was a close vote, there was no vote against patriotism,” reported local media outlet WCTI. Instead, Woodmansee declared it “A vote against a bad actor in our community, that wasn’t adhering to our code, and when we tried to amend our code for what he was wanting, the code still didn’t adhere to flag policy, U.S. flag code, and for that five of us voted to deny.”
The public had an opportunity to testify in the case, and no one spoke in favor of allowing the zoning change.
How will city commissioners react?
This is not a case of, “It’s all over but the shouting.” The next move is up to the Greenville City Council. On March 13 the council will meet to further consider the matter, and take into account the planning commission’s recommendation. Should the city council decide to go ahead with granting the zoning amendment, Camping World will have to apply for a new building and zoning permit. That would include providing engineering specifications, allowing proper inspections, and obtaining a certificate of compliance.
Meanwhile, each day Camping World owes the city another $250 in fines for violating the ordinance as it now stands.
MORE ON CAMPING WORLD FLAG FLAPS
- Council caves to Lemonis’ demands over Camping World flag display
- Camping World flag flap finished
- Camping World flag issue still unresolved
- ‘No!’ Camping World refuses city council’s directive to lower the flag
- Another Camping World giant flag controversy
##RVT1197b
Wrong state. This is in Greenville, North Carolina, not Greenville, South Carolina.
….update….thanks for fixing it
Oops! Thanks, John. It’s been corrected. Have a great day! 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Looking at the picture, it seems that if the flag pole fell in the right direction, it could possibly drop onto the road at the bottom of the picture.
None the less, CW ignored the permits already in place and just did what they wanted.
I wonder how the commission and council would handle this if were another business or homeowner.
Granting CW an exception leaves the town wide open for others to want the same treatment.
But then again, money talks.
Hi, Bob. Like I’ve mentioned before, the daily fines Camping World is paying are a lot cheaper than it would be paying for this much publicity otherwise. Just sayin’.🫤 Have a good afternoon/evening. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Camping World is not trying to be patriotic. Quite the contrary… they are using the flag as an advertising gimmick.
They should be made to remove it and replace it with one that meets zoning standards. They should also be held to pay all fines accrued to date.
Yep!
Good for the city council.
Very good for the planning and zoning commissioners!!
Thank you for the update, Russ and Tina! You GO, Greenville! Have a great day and safe travels!
Be obedient to our quasi governmental parents and you’ll be fine is the continuing lesson here. Restating the obvious, there’s no information that this is anything except some arbitrary code that self important bureaucrats have to turned into law. Not unlike so many HOAs around the country.
I think you missed something…🤔
However…venting is always a good thing 😃
Key Point:
“Some of the group expressed frustration with Camping World for failing to work with the city before erecting the oversized flag pole.
It had nothing to do with being “patriotic”…it was being unwilling to bow to a bully and to stand for what is right and lawful.
It is what it is:
“A vote against a bad actor in our community, that wasn’t adhering to our code, and when we tried to amend our code for what he was wanting, the code still didn’t adhere to flag policy, U.S. flag code, and for that five of us voted to deny.”
And what a great bonus it is to accrue some revenue for the city’s trouble! 😃🇺🇸
Doesn’t really matter – they’ll just add in another hidden fee to somebody’s purchase each day to cover the cost.