Halloween house in Riverside gets OK from city

Rob McMillan Image
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Halloween house in Riverside gets OK from city
A Halloween house in Riverside has faced a lot of controversy, but after a few tricks, it is ready to treat visitors.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- A Halloween house in Riverside has faced a lot of controversy, but after a few tricks, it is ready to treat visitors again.

The homeowners premiered their light show over the weekend, but it was called off after 11 complaints were made to the Riverside Police Department over traffic and noise.

Their city permit has been approved, and the show will be allowed to go on. The show features synchronized music and 12,000 lights that took half a year to set up and program.

"There are so many people that haven't been able to see it...so I think we'll have an overwhelming response once we go public again," said homeowner Melanie Betty.

We didn't find anyone who told us flat out that they were against the show. But people like Johnny O, who lives two doors down, says it wasn't the noise that was the big issue, it was the traffic.

"It was a little out of control, not on their side, they did everything great...but groups that big bring some problems," he said.

The homeowner's city permit, which needed the signatures of three of the neighbors, will close off about a 100-yard stretch of the road. The home is located on the 8300 block Deercreek Drive.

"There will be periodic drive-throughs of the area by police, and they will ticket any illegally parked vehicle, anybody who's parked in a homeowner's property or driveway, as well as any illegal activity that they find going on," said Betty.