We believe the city of Denton is too selective in its code enforcement actions, and we’ve said so before.
The latest example of the city’s heavy-handed tactics was citing longtime local business owner Andre “Frenchy” Rheault on Thursday for flying too many American flags.
Yes, you read that correctly — American flags.
Frenchy, if you don’t know him, is a proud American and Vietnam veteran. Many know him for two things — the bright orange paint that is a trademark of his lawn and tree service vans and his penchant for flying American flags. He routinely parks a van or two festooned with flags near special events to add a little patriotic flavor to the local landscape.
He also flies flags near the location where he parks his Frenchy’s Lawn and Tree Service vans, a storage yard he rents in the 1000 block of Dallas Drive next to On The Cuff Embroidery. He has a dozen poles with U.S. flags mounted to the security fence at the front of the yard.
Rheault received a citation Thursday from the city’s Community Improvement Services Division about the flags and told us that he must either take down all but one of his American flags from outside his business on Dallas Drive or get a permit for “wind devices” to occasionally keep them flying.
City spokeswoman Alison Ream said an inspector visited Frenchy’s yard on Dallas Drive after receiving a complaint. The city issued two notices of violation after the inspector’s investigation.
This isn’t the first time Rheault has gotten crosswise with the city’s Community Improvement Services Division. Frenchy’s big orange vans with their signs on the side have been a fixture in Denton for many years.
The billboard-like signs promote community events and congratulate local people on their accomplishments or on milestone events such as birthdays.
Last year, some people complained about uneven enforcement of the city’s sign ordinance, pointing to Frenchy’s vans parked around the city as evidence of uneven treatment. The city investigated and eventually wrote Rheault a citation for parking his vans at two events.
He fought the ticket in municipal court but lost. He had to scale back the mobile public service announcements he offers on his orange vans. These days, drivers have to travel past the yard on Dallas Drive to see who might be celebrating a birthday, whether the animal shelter is full or what charity event is coming up.
The city tells us a company can fly a U.S., Texas and corporate flag on its grounds without a special permit. But more flags are considered “wind devices,” similar to banners, pennants, streamers, balloons, sky tubes and similar devices used in outdoor promotions, Ream said.
A business can apply for up to three 30-day permits each year, Ream said.
Rheault said he heard that another exception might be in the works for certain holidays. In that case, he and others, such as the American Legion or Rotary Club, can fly more than one flag for up to 72 hours over that holiday.
We’d like to see such an exception, along with a permanent change in city code to make sure that no local business or resident is ever penalized for a patriotic display featuring American flags. Maybe encouraging such displays would help cover up some of the other eyesores disguised as advertising that line local roads and freeways and vacant lots.
In fact, we often hear from readers about piles of trash, construction debris and other refuse that is left to lie in medians and along local streets. How does this debris get overlooked?
Several people have told us that they support Frenchy and believe that his displays fall right in line with Denton’s reputation for being different and proud of it. If the city wants to continue to capitalize on that reputation — and tourism remains a powerful economic engine in these parts — then maybe we should try to find a way to encourage local pride instead of tearing it down.
We’re not calling for the city to show favoritism to anyone — just to be fair and even-handed in its enforcement policies. Take a look around town and we think you’ll agree that city code enforcement officers should have plenty to keep them busy. They shouldn’t be wasting time and taxpayer dollars citing citizens for flying American flags.
