PUSLINCH – A popular Halloween display that raises money for local charities will either have to pare way back or not operate at all after council here decided there’s no way it can grant an exception to the township’s new bylaw to prohibit and regulate publicized displays.
The bylaw was passed in March and is intended to strike a balance between those who put on the displays and neighbouring properties who find the traffic, lights, noise and litter they produce to be a nuisance.
Shawn Gusz has been putting on a massive Halloween display for 12 years – the last six years at his home on Fox Run Drive.
He delegated at the Oct. 19 Puslinch council meeting seeking permission to run the display this year while he replans the sight and sound extravaganza differently next year.
Gusz said he has pared back the display already, reducing the size and length of the music and light show, which should shorten the line of traffic that files past his house and often causes slow-downs and congestion on Brock Road.
He also removed all his Facebook posts about the event, but told council he can’t control if other people publicize it through their own social media channels.
“This is a family tradition for the hundreds of people who come,” Gusz said, adding it is only a “handful” of neighbours who complain about it.
He noted he has raised tens of thousands of dollars for local charities, including $8,000 worth of items for Aberfoyle Public School last year.
“It’s a community event and it’s completely tasteful,” Gusz told council.
SHAWN GUSZ (Facebook photo)
The bylaw works on a complaint basis and as Gusz’s display has garnered complaints, he is required to have a permit to operate the display.
Staff tried to work with Gusz and offered the Puslinch Community Centre as an alternate site, but Gusz said he couldn’t make it work this year.
“I’m grateful that staff have offered that,” he said, but it would take time and different equipment and probably many volunteers to run a display at the community centre.
He said he was “blindsided” by the new bylaw, but council learned he had been informed in April that the bylaw had passed, and that staff need at least 60 days to process an application
Gusz submitted his application on Sept. 28.
“The operator had time to come up with an adequate plan but did it at the last minute,” councillor John Sepulis pointed out.
“And staff provided an alternative. I’m not prepared to make an exception to the bylaw.”
The rest of council agreed and Gusz was not granted an exception.
He can put out a Halloween display at his home, but not one that attracts hundreds of viewers.
In a follow up interview, Gusz said he’s going ahead with a display but it will be greatly reduced. No music, just video projected on the house.
“It will be a static display and that takes from the uniqueness. But it will reduce the time people are sitting out there,” he said. “We’ll see if that’s enough.”
He said he has conditional approval for a Christmas display, “but I’m not sure what the conditions are.”
“In my opinion, council and township staff took the constant complaining of a few and weighed that against everybody else. I do feel like this bylaw was targeted specifically at me,” he said, noting homes in the Audrey Meadows subdivision do an enormous display at Christmas and so far, they are not required to get a permit.
