Saratoga Springs homeowners face fines for flying Pride flags

Residents in a Saratoga Springs neighborhood received notices about flying flags “other than the state or national flag.” They are calling foul, as other homeowners who fly flags for their favorite sports teams or seasonal flags have not received similar notices.

Bridgett Hall said she received a warning June 25 about her pride flag flying in the garden in the Legacy Farms neighborhood.

The Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions at Legacy Farms say no flags can be flown outside of homes with the exception of the state or national flag.

Hall and news media outlets say that neighbors have never received warnings for flying sports-related flags.

Peter Harrison, the neighborhood association lawyer, says that the HOA rules must be enforced across the board because if not, that could lead to problems in the future when issues come up.

He also suggested that if residents living in HOA neighborhoods don’t like a particular rule, they are within their rights to band together and, if they get enough support, they can have rules amended.

Aubrey Bentley, who also lives in the neighborhood says that the Pride flag is very meaningful to her.

“I wouldn’t have flown the flag if it didn’t mean something to me,” she told KSL News.

Both Hall and Bentley said that next year, even if they are threatened with fines, a rainbow flag will be flying in front of their homes.