Tremor30 10 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 Well, it became official tonight! Joysey Lights will be dark this year as the Brantford City Council voted 7-2 in favor of a bylaw that prohibits public display. You can check out the bylaw at the link below. It was absolutely amazing to watch city council so one sidedly support the couple complaining neighbors despite the fact I agreed to all concessions they asked for. I am so fed up with the whole subject I just don't know what to do. One of the kickers was, while a councelor was slamming me, the Mayor (who has a conflict and couldn't be included) approched me and asked if the city could pay me to move it to a park in the city! Are you kidding me? City council so pointedly slammed me for what I thought was a great display for the community and then they want me to put up a display for them. What the heck? http://www.brantford.ca/pdfs/5.2.1%20CS2012-135%20Publicized%20Displays.pdf Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SteveMaris 10 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 That's terrible. Sorry to see this... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mcas4380 49 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 sounds like the mayor might of just wanted you to move your display. still makes me sick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vkjohnson 7 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 I couldn't stand to live in a city like that. Get your priorities strait people! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gmac 32 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 a bylaw that prohibits public display. I'm no attorney, but if the display is at your home how did they deem that public? So I guess no one in your area should be allowed to put up christmas lights. Am I missing something? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
urthegman 1 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 Welcome to Liberal America!!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
autodrummer 0 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 This really stinks... but how whiny are your neighbors? There is even a Garage sale By-law in there! Looks like you can apply to still do it but it looks like a lot of work. Sorry man.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
basketballmail2 10 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 Welcome to Liberal America!!!!! Is that what Canada is called? I'm sorry to hear they shut you down, I think that is just totally lame. It's a Christmas Display it runs like what, a month out of a year? Those ppl should just get a life. Really. Can you at least have a static display? I'm too lazy to read that mumbojumbo pdf Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wbottomley 15 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 You should be grandfathered in. But.... this would be great for the networks to pickup on. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VegasLee 10 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 Very sorry to hear they are shutting you down. Here in the U.S. this would be something that could be fought. I don't know the laws or rights in your country though so no idea if you could battle it or not. The people of the community are the losers. I am sure 100's/1000's enjoyed what you did each year. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jihans 26 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but as I read it, if you don't publicize it, you don't violate the new law. So take down the website, don't do any interviews or hand out any fliers and run your display. If you don't say anything to anyone about the display you can't possibly be publicizing it... right? If people on their own happen to stop by and watch it..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PaulChristmas 13 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but as I read it, if you don't publicize it, you don't violate the new law. So take down the website, don't do any interviews or hand out any fliers and run your display. If you don't say anything to anyone about the display you can't possibly be publicizing it... right? If people on their own happen to stop by and watch it..... thats what i got out of that, don't advertise. Those who want more traffic should take note. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dale W 4 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but as I read it, if you don't publicize it, you don't violate the new law. So take down the website, don't do any interviews or hand out any fliers and run your display. If you don't say anything to anyone about the display you can't possibly be publicizing it... right? If people on their own happen to stop by and watch it..... they appear to have this covered with the "traffic nuisance" clause. You might want to kill it this year, let the enthusiasm die and pick it back up next year. or, fight city hall Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nsterzenbach 10 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 Welcome to Liberal America!!!!! So much for no politics on this site. Proud liberal decorator. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ernie18 10 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 light up their email boxes, go to the news, they're infringing on your religious beliefs, freedom of speech, i wouldnt stand for this....i would take the next few days off of work to get this story as big as possible Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tjmarty 0 Posted October 24, 2012 Report Share Posted October 24, 2012 So sorry to hear that Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Crazy Tech 1 Posted October 24, 2012 Report Share Posted October 24, 2012 (edited) You should go on TV, contact all the media you can - makes a great story - THE TOWN THAT HATES CHRISTMAS - town passes restriction that bans any display of lights. If one car stops to look at any christmas lights or person tells them about a display it violates the town by-law about advertising and traffic, get some friends and start getting signatures from people to demand this be overturned. I am sure it would not be easy to get started, but I bet once you get on the news you would pick up valid support a.s.a.p. for this - I know they tried to pass a by-law on dogs in my town and as soon as 10 of us made it known we would be at the meeting to appose it they dropped the idea. Have to figure how many more people put up lights and would not like the idea that with little effort they could be caught up in the by-law. Change your website to include a legal fund (after consulting a lawyer about it) and see if you can raise funds to sue the town to keep them in the news. Most politians are like cock-roaches, they don't like to be caught in bright lights. Good luck - hope karma comes around and smacks these anti-holiday elfs right between the eyes! Edited October 24, 2012 by Crazy Tech Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tremor30 10 Posted October 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2012 Well, thanks for understanding. I have been away from the site most of the summer due to all this underway I just seemed to loose my spirit for Christmas. I'm at the bottom of a whole and unsure how to dig out. I hear you all on fighting, but I don't know if I want to fight it anymore. It's been a long year of working towards a resolution that just never happened. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bill V 65 Posted October 24, 2012 Report Share Posted October 24, 2012 If it were me I would go about it as others have said, take down the website and refrain from any interviews for papers and tv. Then I would proceed to celebrate my faith and decorate for Christmas. If you are then given a citation, I would take it all the way through the appeals process, publicizing it every step of the way. I bet the negative publicity generated would force the city council to make concessions, and I would think that your display could remain running pending the outcome of the appeal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
urthegman 1 Posted October 24, 2012 Report Share Posted October 24, 2012 Is that what Canada is called? I'm sorry to hear they shut you down, I think that is just totally lame. It's a Christmas Display it runs like what, a month out of a year? Those ppl should just get a life. Really. Can you at least have a static display? I'm too lazy to read that mumbojumbo pdf Too funny!!! I guess I should pay more attention to detail and less to politics!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
barbotte 10 Posted October 24, 2012 Report Share Posted October 24, 2012 hey that's no good i just lost my competitor lol ..... do you have anything for sale ??? but realy i just read that by law and i would have to agree with others ... do not advertise your display and it will not become PUBLICIZED it will be like any other light display ( so you might have to removed your radio station sign) but i am sure most poeple already know that station # ....there is alway a way to twist the law .... so is that mean the town will not be putting up any light too ??? I hope that laws is not comming this way but being 6 hours away i might be safe for a couple of years..... Cheer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
beefy 0 Posted October 24, 2012 Report Share Posted October 24, 2012 Just gave it a read through and it seems one of the key points is the 'publicizing' as a few people have pointed out. Take down the site and your radio sign and you no longer meet the requirements of the by-law. Word of mouth is one thing but they specifically say that a condition of the bylaw is encouraging people to show up through advertisement. I'm amazed at how pointed the law is. It clearly states that it doesn't apply to any displays on 'public' property and events like garage-sales are also exempt. So basically, just you... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrightChristmas 0 Posted October 26, 2012 Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 Couple other options: 1) Have your property rezoned commercial 2) Start a collections to pay for the fine each year -- looks to be $5000 max. And publicize that you would love to donate the money to a local charity, but instead it is going to the city council anti-display zealots (to pay their stipend). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tremor30 10 Posted October 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2012 Well, I'm not planning on fighting anymore. I'm actually working with an art gallery/garden to move my display there. They are really interested to do it and the mayor has promised me better press. Here's to hoping it all works out! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tremor30 10 Posted October 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2012 Hey bright, the fine is $5,000 per week. And I'm sure eventually the police would show up to shut me down! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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