Bothell church's star decoration sparks controversy
BOTHELL, Wash. -- A battle is brewing in Snohomish County over a church's Christmas decoration.
The controversial bright white star sits 90-feet in the air atop a flagpole, and now the county is threatening to take it down.
The county wants the church to pay for a permit to display that star, but the church has refused.
Pastor Brad Sebranke's church put it there as a giant Christmas light for the whole community.
"Just reminds them what the seasons really about," he said.
But county officials say because the church doesn't have a permit for the flagpole, it must come down or the Park Ridge Community Church must pay a hefty fine.
"Just so we can make it safe," said Snohomish County Deputy Executive Gary Haakenson. "It's 90-feet tall, and it's up in the power lines. And we just want to make sure everybody's safe underneath."
A cell-phone company built the pole a few years ago, never used it, then just left it right on the church's property.
So Sebranke has taken to decorating it each Christmas with either a cross or the star. And he doesn't believe he should have to pay.
"In the county, there hasn't been, for at least 10 years, a flagpole permit issued," he said.
So far the county has fined the church $1,500.
"Their interpretation is the county shouldn't be regulating it and ours is we should just for the safety of everyone involved," said Haakenson.
But of course, there's much more to this controversy than just a flagpole.
It all started last year when somebody complained to the county about the star and the cross, and the message they send from way up there.
But Sebranke doesn't see what the big deals is over a church displaying a cross or a star.
"We're not forcing that image on anybody," he said. "Churches have spires. They have all kinds of symbols up in the sky."
The county says the permit fee is much less than the fine.
But Sebranke says he won't budge; he says this issue is about the principle, not money. He has a hearing with the county on Jan. 4.
The controversial bright white star sits 90-feet in the air atop a flagpole, and now the county is threatening to take it down.
The county wants the church to pay for a permit to display that star, but the church has refused.
Pastor Brad Sebranke's church put it there as a giant Christmas light for the whole community.
"Just reminds them what the seasons really about," he said.
But county officials say because the church doesn't have a permit for the flagpole, it must come down or the Park Ridge Community Church must pay a hefty fine.
"Just so we can make it safe," said Snohomish County Deputy Executive Gary Haakenson. "It's 90-feet tall, and it's up in the power lines. And we just want to make sure everybody's safe underneath."
A cell-phone company built the pole a few years ago, never used it, then just left it right on the church's property.
So Sebranke has taken to decorating it each Christmas with either a cross or the star. And he doesn't believe he should have to pay.
"In the county, there hasn't been, for at least 10 years, a flagpole permit issued," he said.
So far the county has fined the church $1,500.
"Their interpretation is the county shouldn't be regulating it and ours is we should just for the safety of everyone involved," said Haakenson.
But of course, there's much more to this controversy than just a flagpole.
It all started last year when somebody complained to the county about the star and the cross, and the message they send from way up there.
But Sebranke doesn't see what the big deals is over a church displaying a cross or a star.
"We're not forcing that image on anybody," he said. "Churches have spires. They have all kinds of symbols up in the sky."
The county says the permit fee is much less than the fine.
But Sebranke says he won't budge; he says this issue is about the principle, not money. He has a hearing with the county on Jan. 4.
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