Ordinance derails group's plan to fly Confederate flag

If likely riling up the black community wasn't enough, a local pro-Confederacy group has learned that its plan to erect a flagpole to fly a Confederate States of America flag violates the city's zoning ordinance.

The group wants to erect the flagpole near the Confederate monument on Buford Street and fly a Confederate States of America flag each year on Confederate Memorial

Day. A South Carolina state flag would be flown the remaining days of the year.

But the request is at odds with a city ordinance that prohibits banners, signs and flags on a public right-of-way, a city official said.

The group also must obtain an encroachment permit from the South Carolina Department of Transportation since it's a state-maintained street and right-of-way.

Gaffney City Council heard the request at its August meeting and forwarded it to city attorney Fulton Ross for a legal opinion. Ross delivered his opinion to council last week in a closed-door briefing but no action was taken on the matter when council returned to open session.