LAGUNA BEACH : Merchant Hoping Flag Wins Salute

A splash of paint has once again become an issue in the city, where a merchant will ask the City Council today to let him keep a painting of a U.S. flag on an awning above his store.

James T. LaFave, who owns Galaxy Sports Inc. at 1045 S. Coast Highway, painted his rendition of the flag on the wooden awning for the July 4 holiday in what he says was the spirit of patriotism.

When business picked up, he decided to leave it, prompting an objection from the city.

Last month LaFave took his case to the city’s Design Review Board, which deemed the painting “garish and out of character with the neighborhood” and rejected it, 5 to 0.

LaFave said Monday that he is proud of the flag and discouraged by the experience.

“I believe America was started with great intentions, if nothing else,” he said. “A lot of that intention has been lost in our layers of government.”

But Design Review Board member J.J. Gasparotti said the flag is about advertising, not Americanism.

“Nowhere on the American flag do the words Galaxy Sports appear,” he said, although they are part of LaFave’s painting. “It’s a sign, it’s not patriotism and it doesn’t accurately reflect the American flag. I thought the Karagozians’ flag was a lot better than this one.”

Gasparotti referred to an instance in 1991 when the city blocked Nick and Denise Karagozian from moving into their new home because it was painted a whiter shade than had been agreed upon by the couple and the Design Review Board.

Buoyed by strong public support, the Karagozians had a protest party to paint a side of their house red, white and blue.

Eventually they were allowed to move in after repainting the house a compromise shade of white.

LaFave, 32, said he has also received some community support.

“It’s an old building and it’s ugly, actually, without any sort of decoration,” he said.

LaFave and a store employee painted the flag in early July. He denies that it is garish or inaccurately represents the American flag.

It is “as close to an American flag as we can paint,” LaFave said. “All the lines are perfectly straight, the colors are accurate, everything is good.”

He maintains that the city should not force him to erase the flag, which he said is helping him through tough economic times by catching the attention of potential customers.

“I think the city . . . has been far too strict with the merchants and I believe they’re somewhat crippling this business environment in Laguna Beach,” he said.

The city staff is recommending that the City Council deny LaFave’s appeal.