Mani
10-11-2013, 02:51 AM
FREE COUNTRY.
So much for Private Property...
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/backyard-haunted-garden-gets-boo-neighbors-152827346--abc-news-topstories.html?vp=1
For the past three Halloweens, Donna Kerr has transformed the backyard of her Silver Spring, Md., home into a "haunted garden," complete with skeletons, witches, scarecrows and more.
This year, however, Kerr's neighbors are trying to take the trick out of her Halloween treat.
Kerr received a 37-page temporary restraining order last Friday which seeks to shut down her haunted house. The case, filed in the District Court of Maryland, names Montgomery County as the plaintiff. Kerr and her employer, Silver Spring-based Pure Energy Real Estate, are listed as defendants.
The neighbors in Kerr's neighborhood association say her haunted house, which also includes a cemetery in the backyard, creates a traffic and pedestrian safety hazard when thousands of visitors flock there each year. Kerr's "Haunted Garden" is open five nights in the month of October, from 7 to 10 p.m.
"I think it's a great event," Kerr told ABC News. "I don't think it's put any undue burden on the neighborhood.
"My neighbors across the street, they support it."
Kerr's fans in the neighborhood and beyond have swarmed her home in support, making protest signs to keep the garden open.
Kerr has hired an attorney and both parties will argue their case Tuesday in front of a Maryland District Court judge.
"People really love it," Kerr said, "and it's such a good time."
Interestingly...I had a neighbor that went all out crazy for christmas. He used to build his own wooden life sized or larger then life sized decorations. He would spend the whole summer all weekend cutting away and drilling and sawing.
Then it would take him days and days to put up the decorations. But when it was done. OMG. Like nothing I've ever seen. Being it's South Florida there's no snow...But he'd take cotton or something and create an entire yard of snow. Then have Micky Mouse hand made signs or whatever disney character or various Christmas themed characters All over the lawn and roof. Then literally thousands of lights. Then his Garage turned into a dancing It's a small world type of puppet Christmas automated show. Fucking Genius. And then every year he'd add a new character.
We'd have people drive by all Christmas. In Fact, when OTHER neighbors had new year's party's they'd ask him to keep the lights on late so the guests could see. In fact, that's how people would know which house was ours during Xmas parties, (we are across from the house with all the decorations..Trust me you won't miss it). I remember a neighbor had a party 1 week after New Years and he said, "Can you keep your decorations up for an extra week?"
It was an icon of our neighborhood, we all loved it and marveled it, and were in complete awe. We were sad when he moved out, his 3 boys were getting too big and needed a bigger house.
And any neighbor that put effort into a haunted house was really appreciated as well, walking the kids around and friendly spooks and scares, were wonderful.
Pretty sad when now if you participate in a holiday theme your negative nancy neighbors can get restraining orders to prevent you from putting up decorations. That's f'd up.
So much for Private Property...
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/backyard-haunted-garden-gets-boo-neighbors-152827346--abc-news-topstories.html?vp=1
For the past three Halloweens, Donna Kerr has transformed the backyard of her Silver Spring, Md., home into a "haunted garden," complete with skeletons, witches, scarecrows and more.
This year, however, Kerr's neighbors are trying to take the trick out of her Halloween treat.
Kerr received a 37-page temporary restraining order last Friday which seeks to shut down her haunted house. The case, filed in the District Court of Maryland, names Montgomery County as the plaintiff. Kerr and her employer, Silver Spring-based Pure Energy Real Estate, are listed as defendants.
The neighbors in Kerr's neighborhood association say her haunted house, which also includes a cemetery in the backyard, creates a traffic and pedestrian safety hazard when thousands of visitors flock there each year. Kerr's "Haunted Garden" is open five nights in the month of October, from 7 to 10 p.m.
"I think it's a great event," Kerr told ABC News. "I don't think it's put any undue burden on the neighborhood.
"My neighbors across the street, they support it."
Kerr's fans in the neighborhood and beyond have swarmed her home in support, making protest signs to keep the garden open.
Kerr has hired an attorney and both parties will argue their case Tuesday in front of a Maryland District Court judge.
"People really love it," Kerr said, "and it's such a good time."
Interestingly...I had a neighbor that went all out crazy for christmas. He used to build his own wooden life sized or larger then life sized decorations. He would spend the whole summer all weekend cutting away and drilling and sawing.
Then it would take him days and days to put up the decorations. But when it was done. OMG. Like nothing I've ever seen. Being it's South Florida there's no snow...But he'd take cotton or something and create an entire yard of snow. Then have Micky Mouse hand made signs or whatever disney character or various Christmas themed characters All over the lawn and roof. Then literally thousands of lights. Then his Garage turned into a dancing It's a small world type of puppet Christmas automated show. Fucking Genius. And then every year he'd add a new character.
We'd have people drive by all Christmas. In Fact, when OTHER neighbors had new year's party's they'd ask him to keep the lights on late so the guests could see. In fact, that's how people would know which house was ours during Xmas parties, (we are across from the house with all the decorations..Trust me you won't miss it). I remember a neighbor had a party 1 week after New Years and he said, "Can you keep your decorations up for an extra week?"
It was an icon of our neighborhood, we all loved it and marveled it, and were in complete awe. We were sad when he moved out, his 3 boys were getting too big and needed a bigger house.
And any neighbor that put effort into a haunted house was really appreciated as well, walking the kids around and friendly spooks and scares, were wonderful.
Pretty sad when now if you participate in a holiday theme your negative nancy neighbors can get restraining orders to prevent you from putting up decorations. That's f'd up.