Raleigh, N.C. — A popular Halloween display in the Historic Oakwood neighborhood is at the center of a permit dispute after homeowner Jesse Jones said the city now requires a Special Event Permit because nearby streets close during the festivities.
During a Raleigh City Council public comment session, Jesse Jones said the elaborate display draws thousands of trick-or-treaters and visitors from around the world and that he has previously paid for off-duty police officers and street closures. He said the added Special Event Permit requirements, including insurance and barricades, could push costs to around 6000 some dollars and make him question whether to continue. Neighbors say the display grows each year and that public safety for children in the crowd is the overall concern.
After Jones spoke, city leaders met with him to discuss possible solutions. City officials said they expect to know more about potential options by Wednesday.
Historic Oakwood is Raleigh largest and best-preserved Victorian-era neighborhood, a National Register historic district of ornate 19th-century homes. City notes describe it as a National Register historic district of Victorian-era homes dating from the 1870s to 1920s, immediately east of downtown Raleigh, bordering Oakwood Cemetery. The neighborhood sits immediately east of downtown, bounded roughly by Person Street to the west and Oakwood Cemetery to the east, and is known for the Oakwood Candlelight Tour as well as walkable grid streets near Person Street. That residential historic setting is why one block of Halloween decorations can spill into street closures and city permitting when regional crowds arrive.
Jones asked the city to help cover safety needs without treating the home display as a special event, saying he wants to keep the tradition focused on the holiday rather than paperwork.
