Article Courtesy of The Tampa Tribune

By ANGELA DELGADO
Published October 12, 2006

TAMPA - A Catholic priest has become the latest homeowner to run afoul of the Westchase homeowners association.

Father Jeff Johnston appeared before the board Thursday night after he was told to remove a Celtic cross from near his door in the northwestern Hillsborough County community. His appeal was denied.

Board members told Johnston he was being cited under a section of the community's deed restrictions that deals with sculptures that might be offensive to race or religion. Johnston's attorney, Noel Flasterstein, told the board the cross was a symbol of national heritage. He questioned whether people would be allowed to have Nativity scenes at Christmas if the rules were applied uniformly.

"While it is a Celtic cross, it certainly is a Christian symbol," Johnston said. "It is not a garden ornament; it's by the front door."

In March, Westchase resident Stacey Kelly clashed with the community association after posting a 2-foot-tall "Support Our Troops" sign in her front yard. It was a tribute to her husband, David, an Army private serving in Iraq. Three months later, she was cited for a pair of ceramic angels that had adorned her yard for five years.