Jupiter couple and homeowners association settle flag dispute

Homeowners association relents

Article Courtesy of The Jupiter Courier
September 15, 2007

Jupiter - George and Ann Andres on Friday had their flag flying from a 19-foot pole in their yard in their Indian Creek neighborhood.

And two lawyers, one representing the Andres couple and the other Indian Creek Homeowners Association Phase 3B, have settled the long-standing dispute over George Andres flying his flag on a flagpole rather than on brackets attached to his townhome.

The legal battle spilled over into the state and federal arenas. As a result, laws were changed to allow Old Glory to fly on flagpoles in residential areas.

"I was happy to see the state and federal laws changed. That was a help for a lot of people," Andres said.

The former Marine said his attorney, Barry Silver, has been paid his $75,000 legal fee for defending the couple in the dispute with the homeowners association and that fines and foreclosure have been dropped by the association against Andres and his wife.

"This whole thing started in 1999, just six months after we moved in," Ann Andres said. "So it's been a long time."

"This is a big relief for me and for my wife to have this off our backs," her husband said.

"Every time we turned around, there was something coming up, and we had 28 trips to the courthouse over this. We were getting ready to take the association into federal court for violating our civil rights, and that's why they closed this case — with the condition that we wouldn't sue the board or the board members anymore."

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