LOUISA, Va. (AP) — A 1,500 square foot Confederate flag visible from a major Virginia highway will soon be flying from a diminished flagpole. A building permit issued by Louisa County shows that the flag’s owners plan to reduce the current 120-foot flagpole down to 60 feet to bring it in compliance with county regulations. The flag has been a subject of dispute for several years.
It was built on private property about 15 miles east of Charlottesville in 2018, after the Charlottesville City Council voted to remove two Confederate statues. It is visible to motorists on a brief stretch of Interstate 64. Louisa officials said the flagpole exceed the 60-foot maximum allowed by the county, and several years of legal battles ensued. The Daily Progress in Charlottesville reports that the building permit was issued Feb. 24 and is likely to end the legal battle.