Thread: Permits...

Tweet

Hey fellow haunters =) I have a question...

I was talking to my hubbie this morning, about turning our backyard into a cemetary this year. I thought it would be neat, to do a very simple type of walk through, where the guests would just basically walk past it, no zig zagging through or anything.

My hubbie liked the idea, but is a little wary of it, thinking that we may need a permit to do something like that.

Do any of you aquire permits before opening your haunts to the public?

Depends if you are charging or not, and city ordnances.

If it's a free walk through display, TYPICALLY no permits are needed. (if you're going and BUILDING some structures, some neighbors might cause trouble that might need a building permit)

Here's a thread where the city had issue with a private haunt.
Our haunted house is being messed up by the township inspectors

If I recall, what the problem hinged upon was the fence they had out by the sidewalk (not to mention the killjoy neighbor who called the city in, in the first place).


Check with your city - most have no issue, as long as you're not asking for admission or donations of any kind (as Unorthodox said).

In years past I had the city pay me a visit due to neighbor complaints.
After two years of the city coming down on me we came to an agreement.
Basicaly I have a time frame for how long my haunt can be up ( 15 days) I fall under the temp drama set code.
I do not need any permits or the like. I build my haunt up on my front lawn ,so that probably made me an easy target. I'm sure if your haunt is in your back yard and kept low key until Halloween you most likly will not have problems.
If I understand right you will not have a structure, or will you?

If you can't anything in your city ordinance, then try contacting the city secretary for guidance---that person will usually point you in the right direction (at least that's been my experience).

One haunter has his non-haunt business well established , then transformed it into a haunted house in-season but he still had a next door neighbor who didn't like him and what went on there so he erected a huge tower (think "Radio Tower") in his yard then installed spotlights in his tower, aimed down into the haunter's yard to ruin any dark efects.
A Judge hearing both sides couldn't settle it, then "Mr. spotlight" went turning them on again and the Judge got mad!
The next year the haunter bought the nasty neighbor's place from him, the end!

I have always somewhat marveled at next door neighbors who could be friends since you hear and see everything that happens and they are right beside you!
I promoted neighborly friendship once by not complaining about the vast difference between our property taxes because I probably rightly had it figured that the county would not have lowered my taxes, just increased his!
We were next door to one another, our old houses were the same age and same size, our lots were the same, but he had a 1 1/2 story barn/garage at the alley , I didn't AND the inside of his house could have been right out of Better Homes & Gardens Magazine, mine was nowhere close to this.
I valued his dailey pleasantries. No tensions. He was not getting a senior citizen discount either we were almost the same age.

Originally Posted by Gym Whourlfeld

One haunter has his non-haunt business well established , then transformed it into a haunted house in-season but he still had a next door neighbor who didn't like him and what went on there so he erected a huge tower (think "Radio Tower") in his yard then installed spotlights in his tower, aimed down into the haunter's yard to ruin any dark efects.
A Judge hearing both sides couldn't settle it, then "Mr. spotlight" went turning them on again and the Judge got mad!
The next year the haunter bought the nasty neighbor's place from him, the end!

I have always somewhat marveled at next door neighbors who could be friends since you hear and see everything that happens and they are right beside you!
I promoted neighborly friendship once by not complaining about the vast difference between our property taxes because I probably rightly had it figured that the county would not have lowered my taxes, just increased his!
We were next door to one another, our old houses were the same age and same size, our lots were the same, but he had a 1 1/2 story barn/garage at the alley , I didn't AND the inside of his house could have been right out of Better Homes & Gardens Magazine, mine was nowhere close to this.
I valued his dailey pleasantries. No tensions. He was not getting a senior citizen discount either we were almost the same age.

It's not only your next door neigbors that you have to worry about . Any one in your neighborhood, or even people just driving through can cause a problem. WE are good friends with our next door neigbor, our problem came from a family that live 5 houses away. I family that can't be infected by the haunt( can't see it, hear it, and traffic is not a problem.) They just don't like us a suppose. O'well.