Some residents of a Doylestown development are up in arms over holiday decorating, according to PhillyBurbs.com.
The Doylestown Station homeowners association sent out a letter on Wednesday reiterating the fact that only white lights should be used when decorating the outside of homes, reports PhillyBurbs.com. Residents of the development say the rule has been in effect for many years.
Most residents don’t agree with the rule, some even disregard it and decorate as they please with beautiful multi-colored lights.
John Merkel tells PhillyBurbs.com that he has been decorating his home with colored lights for many Christmas’ and this year will be no different.
Merkel’s neighbor, Marie Buonnano, has also hung colored lights in years past, but because of a hefty $400 fine she received from the HOA last December, she’s decided to concede to their rule this holiday season – although she has yet to pay the fine.
Merkel does confirm that the HOA’s letter does not mention Christmas directly, referring to the season as “Winter Holidays.”
“The ‘Winter Holiday’ for me is Christmas. Who has the right to tell me what color to celebrate my religious holiday?” Merkel asks the paper.
Since the fine was handed down to the resident, another neighbor began a petition to end the band on colored lights and even though she believed she had gathered the required 25-percent of homeowners’ signatures, the board says that’s not the case.
“They told me that there were three separate categories, so it was really 19-14 against changing the ruling,” resident Jennifer Brown tells PhillyBurbs.com.
And so the ruling stands. No colored lights in Doylestown Station, unless, of course, you don’t mind the possibility of a $10 a day fine.
