Ridgewood Ordinance Allows Flying of Flags in CBD

The Ridgewood Council adopted an ordinance Wednesday night clarifying the village’s land use regulations to allow the flying of official government flags downtown.

The policy had been taken up by the council and reviewed by the planning board after an incoming business was told by the Historic Preservation Commission that it could not hang a flag off its storefront.

Flags had not been specifically prohibited prior to the adoption of the new ordinance, but zoning was previously “silent” on the issue, said Matt Rogers, the village attorney.

The ordinance clearly separates flags from the village’s policy on signs, and allows poles of up to 20 feet on residential properties and 30 feet on commercial sites, with a minimum setback equal to the height of the pole.

Flags mounted atop buildings are permitted within the building’s maximum allowable height under zoning ordinance, and flags protruding from downtown buildings are not subject to building setback requirements.