Agoura Hills : Man Will Quit Staging Large Holiday Display

An Agoura Hills man who has put on an elaborate holiday light display outside his home for the past 15 years says he will quit staging the display after this season.

Grey Rock Road resident Ron Kaplan said Monday that complaints from neighbors and strict rules imposed on him in recent years by the city have taken the fun out of it. “They are putting too many obstacles in my way,” he said.

Over the years Kaplan has added to the display, which now includes about 250,000 lights, a fog machine and even a laser show. Each year the display--which costs Kaplan $150 a day in electricity bills--has attracted growing numbers of sightseers, who bring noise and tie up traffic in the neighborhood.

The city stepped in last year, putting up barricades with signs reading “No Stopping / Tow-Away Zone,” at regular intervals along the street. This year it forced Kaplan to limit the hours from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Music and the fog machine must be turned off by 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and by 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Kaplan said he will feel “empty” on Dec. 31, when the display finally goes dark. “But I’m going to go out there [that night] and be happy, because I know I’m making a lot of people happy.”