Ohio man refuses to take down zombie Nativity scene

From WLOX-TV: 

Jasen Dixon’s nativity scene featuring zombies was ordered to be taken down Friday, however, it’s still standing in Sycamore Township.

On Tuesday, Sycamore Township ordered the nativity scene to be taken down.  Dixon had until Friday to take the scene down.  If he did not take down the exhibit, legal action would have been taken and he would be fined $1,000.

According to documents obtained by FOX19 NOW, Sycamore Township does not allow structures to be located in the front or the side yard to occupy more than 35 percent of the area. Also, the primary structure must be three feet from the street, and six feet from the house.

“They actually said that it is taking up about 35 percent of the yard, and it’s not. We did the calculations and it’s like 14, 17 percent,” said Dixon.

No officials from Sycamore Township came by the zombie nativity scene Friday.

FOX19 NOW’s Lindsey Wopschall reached out to Sycamore Township officials to ask if they plan to come by the home to serve Dixon the violation, but they did not wish to comment on the matter.

Some background, via The Columbus Dispatch: 

Dixon manages a haunted house attraction and decided to create a zombie nativity, which he considers a holiday decoration.

…Township administrator Greg Bickford says he could care less about the zombies, but the size of the front-yard structure is not permitted.

And here’s what people are seeing: 

You’ve not seen a baby Jesus in the manger quite like it. His eyes are bruised and glaring, his face slashed with scars and his teeth protrude from his mouth like rotting vampires’ fangs.

The three kings who have come bearing gifts are pretty unusual too. One of them has a skeletal face beneath the crown, his jaw open in a scream and his eyes popping out at some invisible horror. On the straw ground in front of Jesus is the severed head of a second Magi.

This is what you get when the manager of a haunted house in Ohio decides to create a Nativity scene outside his home in a Cincinnati suburb – a Zombie Nativity. “I wanted a nativity scene and I worked with what I had,” Jasen Dixontold the local TV station Fox 19 with admirable understatement.

The creator, meantime, seems to be enjoying the notoriety. He’s created a Facebook page for the scene, with pictures and video.