LA MIRADA, Calif. (KNX) — The festivities will continue on Golva Drive in La Mirada, where Jeff Norton has just learned he will not be fined for his over-the-top holiday display.
For years, Norton has decorated his home in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” theme. Every Christmas you’ll see Clark Griswold and a beat-up trailer parked outside and every year, hundreds of people come to enjoy the display. You can even find it on Google Maps as “Griswold’s Christmas House Display.”
This year though, Norton’s decision to make the display bigger and better than ever, led to a fight between him and city officials — who told ABC 7 news that Norton never applied for permits to build a second story for the display and it posed a threat to Norton and all who visited.
The City’s request seemed simple, take down the second story or face fines. But when Norton said no, the city bit back and threatened to fine him upwards of $1,200.
“For the amount of revenue that I bring the City of La Mirada, I would have thought that they would have sent somebody out and said ‘Hey Jeff, look. This is what we need to do,” Norton said.
“They didn’t do anything like that. What they said is just, you know, let's go ahead and ruin your Christmas as well as everybody else’s and we’ll go ahead and fine you at the same time.”
Ultimately the support of people in the neighborhood and community led to a change of heart among city officials, who have given Norton approval to keep the display until after Christmas, according to CBS L.A.
KNX has reached out to the City for an official statement on the decision and will update as details become available.
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