THOUSAND OAKS : Gas Station’s 12 Flags Run Afoul of City Codes

Their 881-page municipal code regulates everything from how to prune oak trees to how to tile a roof, but Thousand Oaks City Council members were at a loss this week when presented with a new conundrum: how to define patriotism.

To recent immigrant Al Samimi, the answer is simple. Patriotism, he told the council, means love for America. And he wants to express that love by flying a dozen American flags around the gas station he owns at the corner of Rancho Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard.

But to the city’s code enforcement officers, Samimi’s patriotism smacks of promotion.

They argued that the display violates a city law prohibiting the use of flags in advertising displays. And they asked Samimi, who has owned the gas station for nearly eight years, to take down the flags or face hefty fines.

Presented with both sides of the case at Tuesday’s meeting, council members expressed ambivalence. They directed city staff to look into the issue and return with a report.

“Certainly we all revere the American flag,” Councilman Alex Fiore said. “If you got a huge . . . American flag and shined a big light on it, I think that would be beautiful and everyone would love it. The question is, when you have a lot of flags everywhere . . . that to me, is not an expression of First Amendment rights, but a device to attract people.”

Thousand Oaks’ sign ordinance allows businesses to put up pennants, balloons and banners--with city permission--for grand openings and special sales. But Samimi never applied for a permit to plant a dozen large flags around his corner parcel.

“I can understand if they say I must remove graffiti, because that’s ugly, but the flag is something that gives you enjoyment and lifts your spirit,” said Samimi, an American citizen who emigrated from Iran eight years ago.

He insisted that the flags were pure expressions of patriotism, not advertising--though he admitted that the stars and stripes match perfectly with the gas station’s new name, American Gas & Automotive.

Samimi will have up to two weeks to comply with the city’s demands that he take down his flags, Code Enforcement Officer Don LaVoie said. If he persists in flying the flags, he could be cited for a violation of the municipal code, which carries a fine of up to $1,000.

Samimi could also be liable for the city’s costs in prosecuting the case, which could run up to $5,000, officials said.