Chelmsford Will Not Seek Further Action In Flag Case: Official

CHELMSFORD, MA – Chelmsford officials will not seek further action to remove any American flags from the front lawn of a local business, according to Town Manager Paul Cohen. The business, LAER Realty, was initially told by the town its display of 200 flags was "excessive" based on a zoning bylaw. LAER responded by adding more flags, and some residents placed flags of their own after the town's order sparked outrage.

In a statement on the town's Facebook page, Cohen reiterated that the building commissioner, who issued the order, did not have any bias toward the display and did not order all flags to be removed.

"The Building Commissioner/Zoning Enforcement Officer is a former Marine, who respects the flag and loves his country. He did not seek to act in an unpatriotic way," Cohen wrote. "He was seeking to enforce his interpretation of the Town Code which considers flags as signs when displayed in connection with commercial promotion."

Cohen said he and the building commissioner/zoning enforcement officer agreed that the town "would not initiate any further enforcement action to remove any flags."

The town will review the language of the current code to determine what clarification and changers should be put forth to Town Meeting, according to Cohen.

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