Fight over American flags flying in Palm Springs backyard

A Palm Springs man is causing a stir in his neighborhood by flying American flags on his property.

The flags are causing some neighbors to complain.

The two American flags fly in the backyard of the Palm Springs home owned by 78-year-old Don Karvelis.

“I’m a patriot person, I love the United States, I love the flag, and I love what it represents,” said Karvelis.

Karvelis bought the sprawling, beautiful property ten years ago and the place includes a guest house, which he rents out as a bed and breakfast.

But neighbors in a house on the other side of the back fence, don’t like the American flags, telling Karvelis the flags interfere with their mountain views.

“I’m very happy with them, and my other neighbors on the other side are very happy seeing them, and I fail to see any reason why i should be forced to take them down,” said Karvelis.

The retired college professor says the flags fly only when guests stay at his bed and breakfast, which he says is just about every weekend.

He says he decided not to raise the flags everyday, a move he had hoped would satisfy the complaining neighbors.

But that did not appease them.

“They want to be friends as long as I do everything they want me to do,” said Karvelis.

He also cut down three three pine trees in his backyard two years ago, which he said was another concession aimed at improving the mountain views for his neighbors.

“Karvelis says the flags were installed by a previous property owner about 20 years ago.

He says the complaining neighbors moved into their house about four years ago.

As part of their effort to bring down the flags, the neighbors threatened legal action and they filed a complaint with the city.

At one point, the neighbors flew trash bags from the chimney at their house. A kind of visual “retaliatory strike” aimed at Karvelils.

“They were trying to irritate me, because at one time, one of them had told me that if you keep flying those flags, we’re going to fly something you don’t like,” said Karvelis.

After the city got involved in the flag fight, Karvelis applied for a permit from the Palm Springs Building and Safety Department to fly the stars and stripes.

But, city ordinance required Karvelis to reduce the height of the poles from 14 feet to 13 feet.

“It will be a relief to know the matter is settled, and I don’t have to hear further complaints about it,” said Karvelis.

After we spoke with Karvelis in person, he told CBS Local 2 he had in fact reduced the height of the flag poles to 13 feet.

He is now waiting for city employees to conduct a final inspection.