The Glade 4.0

ROWLETT - A maze created by a Rowlett homeowner has been a Halloween treat for hundreds of children for years.

Byran Norfolk took weeks to plan out the haunted maze for this year and a week to actually build it, but no children will actually get a chance to give it a go this Halloween weekend.

The problem, according to the homeowner, was an unhappy neighbor who has been called a "Halloween Grinch." Due to the neighbor's complaints, the maze was canceled.

Since 2001, Norfolk has spent the week before Halloween setting up the maze.

“We have kids go through here three, four, five times," Norfolk said.

The winding hallways take thrill-seekers through a series of makeshift rooms filled with clowns, monsters and a chainsaw-toting zombie.

Thursday, Norfolk began disassembling the maze after a single neighbor complained to the City of Rowlett Code Enforcement Department about sidewalks being blocked. A sign in front of Norfolk's house reads, “Due to complaining neighbor, the 9th annual haunted maze has been canceled."

Rowlett officials told Norfolk any sidewalk obstruction violates the law. In this case, children would be forced to take a detour into the street to get by the maze.

“It’s kind of sad that we live in a country where one person can shut down the fun of hundreds of kids," said Rob Morgan, a neighbor.

Morgan’s wife, Angela, agreed.

“There's going to be a lot of disappointed people this year," she said.

Norfolk said since the haunted maze tradition began almost a decade ago, this is the first time anyone has ever complained.

“Be a neighbor," he said. "Come up to the front door to say, 'Hey, you guys are blocking the sidewalk,'" he said. "Don't call the police."

Rowlett code enforcers told Norfolk the maze would be fine as long as he moved it off the sidewalk. But, the creator of the popular neighborhood attraction said he would have to redesign the entire structure, an impossible task just three days before Halloween.

WFAA tried to find the neighbor who complained, but Rowlett officials said whoever called chose to remain anonymous.

Boo Hoo the evil local government is enforcing the law. What's the world coming to?

Boo Hoo the evil local government is enforcing the law. What's the world coming to?

[..] and crappy laws that emphasize the problem with "public property".

And if the guys display was extending into the road?

irrational sentiment Elmo.

As far as I am concerned. Children getting hit cause they had to walk in traffic is worse.

This I type as packs of feral urchins that live around me run unsupervised and roughshod over the area. I'd welcome a few distracted drivers through the parking lots to clear some of them out I think. Maybe set up a bag limit.

Women: 10 points
Teenagers: 40 points
Race officials: 50 points
Children under 12: 70 points
Senior citizens: 100 points

The children had to walk into traffic because some selfish individual blocked the proper lane for foot traffic with his Holloween display.

The children had to walk into traffic because some selfish individual blocked the proper lane for foot traffic with his Holloween display.

The quotes are for the idea that the public can own property at all Stathol.