LOUISA, Va. (AP) — Local officials in a central Virginia county say a giant Confederate flag visible from an interstate highway has to come down because it violates a zoning ordinance.

TV station WCAV reports the Louisa County Board of Zoning Appeals denied a petition this week to leave the flag in place.

The Virginia Flaggers, which have installed Confederate flags across the state, erected the flag in March. It was visible beyond the tree line along Interstate 64.

The county said the flagpole was taller than the 60-foot (18-meter) maximum allowable height for buildings and structures.

Those defending the flag brought their argument in front of the panel. Many argued that the flag was representative of their history.

“We are people out to honor our ancestors and we want to abide by the law. If anything, we’re law-abiding individuals and we’re not here to make trouble, we’re here to do what we thought was the right thing to do.” Susan Hathaway, member of the Virginia Flaggers.

The flaggers’ argument that the flag was a monument and therefore exempt from the ordinance was rejected.

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WTOP’s Keara Dowd contributed to this report.

Information from: WCAV-TV, http://www.wcav.tv/