Florida Family's 'Extreme Christmas' Display Goes Too Far, City Says

A Plantation family’s elaborate Christmas display is too much for city officials who say it disrupts neighbors and creates a public safety issue.

Featuring more than 200,000 lights, a Ferris wheel, lots of Christmas decorations and sometimes live animals, the Northwest 14th Street home causes too much of a distraction, the city claims. Its police department is taking steps to limit viewing to pedestrian traffic only, a move the family says it doesn’t agree with.

“In their unbridled zeal to promote themselves and their ‘Extreme Christmas’ holiday display in their single family residential neighborhood and without any regard for public safety or the complaints of their neighbors, the Hyatts are acting irresponsibly, and are causing the City to take necessary and well considered steps,” a statement from the police department read, according to NBC Miami.

The display, police say, has caused traffic problems and could hamper emergency vehicles from getting through the neighborhood.

The city doesn’t want the display shut down, but does want it to be more consistent with others in the community, Local 10 reported.

The Hyatt family has been putting up the elaborate display for 20 years, the Hyatt Extreme Christmas Facebook page states.

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“Our hearts go out to the many families who may not be able to come and see the lights, particularly the elderly, children, disabled and special needs visitors who are unable to walk the mile long walk as police have been directed to close down the roads,” the Hyatts wrote on Facebook Thursday.

While the city has not ordered removal of the display, the Hyatts say cordoning off viewing creates a hardship. They are calling the move a “political abuse of power,” and say tax dollars are being wasted to do “everything possible to shut down a 20 year family tradition.”

The display generally runs through the Christmas season and includes a food drive to benefit families in South Florida.

Photo Credit: The Hyatt “Extreme Christmas” display/Facebook