A Los Angeles homeowner has conceded defeat in his fight against the city to keep a tree house on his property. After seven years and more than $50,000 spent on legal fees and permits, the battle ended this weekend with a demolition crew.
The tree house, which was built and owned by The Simpsons producer Rick Polizzi, was a staple of the Sherman Oaks neighborhood for 24 years. The structure was three stories tall and inspired by the show's "Treehouse of Horror" episodes. Originally built for his daughters, it eventually evolved into a centerpiece for a family-friendly, light-up Halloween display called Boney Island open to the community.
In 2017, a neighbor complained about the large crowds of children accumulating during the 10-day Halloween event. The city shut down the Boney Island attraction—which Polizzi later revived and turned into a fundraiser at the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum—and cited Polizzi for the tree house's permit violations. Since the tree house was built around the three sweet gum trees in his front yard and couldn't be moved, Polizzi began applying for the necessary permits to keep it for all to enjoy.
