x
Breaking News
More () »

New law allows Brann's to keep flags honoring fallen military members and police officers

The flags violated a Grand Rapids zoning ordinance, but the owner of the restaurant would not take them down.

A new Michigan law will protect the once-questioned flags lining a Grand Rapids steakhouse which honor fallen members of law enforcement and the military.

The City of Grand Rapids alerted Johnny Brann, owner of Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille on Leonard Street NW, in early 2018 that his establishment’s display violated an ordinance limiting the number and size of flags and signs on businesses.

Brann refused to remove the flags, which honor five local men who died in the line of duty. He said he would have paid any fines issued by the city.

“I wasn’t going to let the fallen hero families down,” Brann said. “It meant a lot for their sons to be remembered, and I was committed to making that happen."

The controversy eventually reached Lansing, and Brann was contacted by U.S. Army veteran and state Rep. Jason Wentworth, R-Clare. 

Wentworth introduced a bill in the house last May which prohibits local governments from creating zoning ordinances that regulate or prohibit signs commemorating police officers, firefighters, medical first responders and members of the military who die in service.

The bill passed the House 91-15 and through the Senate unanimously. Former Governor Rick Snyder signed the bill into law on Dec. 27.

Seeing these flags up softens the blow of losing a loved one, said John Burri. His son, Eric, died while serving the U.S. Army in Iraq and is memorialized at Brann’s.

“Now you know that his memory will live on,” Burri said. “So, it made us quite proud and very happy to know that people are able to see these banners and the names of our fallen on this building.”

The City of Grand Rapids has not yet reviewed how the new law will affect the zoning ordinance and has reached out to the legal department for an opinion, a city spokesperson said.

“I’m happy to say that it’s over,” Brann said of the conflict. “We're hoping that now that it's legal in the state of Michigan for people to fly these flags that it will encourage people to do it all over."

►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.

Have a news tip? Email news@wzzm13.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.

Before You Leave, Check This Out