(COLDWATER) - Coldwater City officials are clarifying the controversy surrounding a massive American flag flying outside Camping World, emphasizing that the issue involves missing permits--not opposition to the flag itself.
Camping World raised the 130-foot flag several weeks ago, but City Manager Keith Baker said the company never applied for the required building permit. The city issued a zoning violation and gave the business 10 days to provide an application and blueprints, a deadline that passed on Nov. 7.
Baker said the flagpole must go through the same review process as any other structure.
"Much like if it were a sign, or a fence, or a garage, or a building renovation, it's no different... as far as just the requirement for a building permit," Baker explained.
A week after the deadline, the city is still waiting for paperwork and may pursue civil infractions if needed. Baker said the city's goal is simply to ensure the pole was installed safely and correctly.
"There is a process by which we would... get an inspection done to determine that it was installed correctly," he said. "That's all we're looking to do."