After Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis posted his defiance of the orders of the Greenville, North Carolina, city council, it looks as though the latter is beating a retreat. Call it, city caves to Camping World. In a weekend session closed to the public, Greenville’s city council has told staff to write up an amendment that will allow Lemonis’ company to go ahead and fly the giant flag it installed in violation of city regulations.
City caves to Camping World, despite obvious bad intention of the RV dealer
We’ve covered the ongoing saga of Greenville versus Camping World. Back on January 9, Greenville’s city council made a unanimous vote to deny Camping World’s application to amend the existing Greenville ordinance. Council members agreed that Camping World’s flag is both beautiful and patriotic, but they could not overlook that current ordinances only allow flags up to 216 square feet in size and a maximum height of 70 feet. Camping World’s flag is 15 times that size. They were also dismayed that the company had simply ramrodded the flag and its huge pole through in clear violation of city ordinances—and by ignoring the permit the city had issued for a smaller flag and pole.
Last Friday, Marcus Lemonis took to social media site X to state his position with regard to Greenville’s demand that the flag be taken down. “The flag is not coming down. You can fine me all you want…”, the defiant CEO posted. And in a slightly more conciliatory tone, Lemonis also messaged the city mayor. “I’m happy to meet next Friday at 2 p.m. Eastern. I’ll come to you. Mr. Mayor Connelly, please join us. I’ll wait to hear from you.”
Council votes to capitulate—after public leaves the room
Come the very next day, the city council met as a part of its planning retreat. The council didn’t publish any notice to citizens that the matter of the Camping World flag would be discussed at the closed retreat. But discuss it they did. A unanimous vote was taken—after the public and media had left—to direct city staff to draft an amendment to ordinances that would allow Camping World to go ahead and continue to fly the giant flag.
Councilman Matt Scully was among those councilors who approved of the change. He told media outlet The Daily Reflector that he wasn’t altogether happy with the decision. “We’ve allowed a very wealthy person and company to come in and essentially do what they want and are essentially getting away with it. At the end of the day, we just want to get this resolved quickly,” Scully said.
What reasoning could have made the city council cave in to Camping World? The councilman told the media that the council members had long discussions on the matter, but in the end, the advice of the city attorney weighed heavily on the decision to capitulate.
All over but the shouting?
Is it “all over but the shouting”? Not quite. City staff will draft the amendment. That draft will be sent along to the Greenville Planning and Zoning Commission for its review and recommendation. That will happen in February. From there the whole matter will go back before the City Council in March for final approval.
Council member Scully added in his comments to the Reflector, “We did talk about the importance of having public comment and debate at P&Z and City Council,” he said. “This is going to be a very public process. We don’t want to do anything that hides anything or makes it seem that we are hiding anything, we want to be as transparent as we can be.”
Perhaps as the amended document passes through the zoning commission, and when the whole thing comes back up before the council—in public—in March, a little more light will be shed on just how Camping World and its “big gorilla” CEO managed to get their way in the North Carolina flag flap. One would think something big was used, as Matt Scully’s strong opinions on the matter hit the press.
“They [Camping World] essentially lied on their application because they knew full and well what the ordinance stated and what they were allowed to build but they built it anyway and then sent us a text amendment that was essentially impossible to pass,” Scully said.
“The whole thing in my opinion was a sham and publicity stunt and it’s unfortunate that it has divided our community in some ways and had made the city look unpatriotic in the eyes of some of the public and it’s been a huge waste of time of our staff in my opinion.”
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Wonder what advice the attorney gave…?
Pull their license to operate and shutter the facility.
May not agree with the law but there are alternatives to blatant defiance.
Maybe CW would like to drive 80mph in a 25mph school zone too…
Apples & oranges…
Sounds as though the council just didn’t want to be bothered upholding the legal requirements that CW agreed to and signed. Amending the code for one particular party may leave them wide open for others to demand an exception to other zoning codes.
Sounds like the council just didn’t want to take their valuable time pursue it further.
The people that elected the council members LOST!
The municipality could have just as easily denied CW access to the property.
Close off the access from the road.
There also could have been a public hearing concerning the matter. Not a closed door session.
You almost have to wonder what Lemonis offered the Mayor and council in return.
Money talks!
Hi, Bob. At least this will (probably) end the relatively “free” ($250/day, i.e., peanuts to CW) publicity Camping World has been receiving while this was ongoing and for however long it took to resolve it (months? years?). That is, until their next similar inexpensive advertising blitz.🤨 Have a good afternoon/evening. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Lemonis’ actions brought to light the existence of a code\regulation which had no basis in reality. There are probably 1000’s of others out there. City councils, HOA’s, and other bureaucrats are often out of control and simply regulate because they can…until they can’t.
A flag is a symbol of patriotism. The size of the flag is the size of his ego.
Money talks!
Thank you, Russ and Tina! How disappointing. Safe travels!
Looks like CW has more clout than the city of Greenville, North Carolina. Wonder what would have happened if anybody else would have tried flying a larger flag in Greenville. Agree with other posts, money talks.
To cast blame all around as ego is probably fair. Egos on both sides.
But consider this. City planners and regulators never build anything, they only stop people from doing what they want to do.
The flag won’t be killing birds like all the giant fans do that pollute our skylines.
The council has left themselves wide open to others wanting to ‘bypass’ ordinances.
Plus, approving it behind closed doors violates the Sunshine Act.
I still think money passed from one hand to another.
Why have restrictions that are not enforced for everyone?
We had that happen when a resident put up an illegal fence blocking the view of an intersection.
I questioned our commissioners and was told they could not do anything since the fence was already installed.
By letting Marcus Lemonis get his way. It only gives him more ammunition to do it over and over again. He constantly does it. If it was a small family business they wouldn’t allow them to put that large flag up.
Sounds like the bottom line is that CW has more money than the Greenville. Sucks all the way around. He shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it.
I am zoning admin. for our Township; I and the Bd of Supervisors have had to deal with similar actions and violations of our ordinance. Specifically billboards (which require “Commercial Zoning), along hiway rights of way and or on private land zoned as Agricultural use. We are not allowed to approve spot zoning but rather would have to create a commercial district. Gets very complicated, use limited, time and money consuming to fight these things. Lemonis (CW) is clearly in violation by not complying with an issued permit. I would like to know what the city atty advised! Must have found a loophole….!
Hi, Doug. And in the meantime, just think of all the almost-free publicity Camping World (Lemonis) is getting. I have a feeling he’ll continue to do this at any of their locations since the fee for violating the ordinance is much less than comparable advertising coverage (area-wise and time-wise) would cost. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane
Another case of big business’ money screwing the laws of the land.
Not sure my comment on this was seen ,made last week in a different section. Camping World in Spokane Washington did exactly the same thing with oversize & height flag. About 15 or 20 years ago. Spokane fought it and I believe the city was eventually defeated in some hearing or in court. It was in the newspapers in Spokane and Idaho.
So Lemon is meets with the mayor, offers to “fund” some city projects. Problem solved. While I appreciate CW flying a flag, they should have to follow the rules like the rest if us. But their pockets are deeper than the city I suspect