A man's front yard nativity scene featuring zombies was declared an accessory structure, in violation of the zoning code, because it had a roof

A man in Sycamore Township, Ohio received a zoning violation on December 3 for his front yard nativity scene, which featured zombies (ed. - not pictured above). The man was cited because the display had a roof, which classifies the structure as an accessory structure. In response to the notice of violation, the man removed the roof on December 4, however some in the community feel that homeowner Jasen Dixon was targeted due to his use of zombies.
Some social media comments have accused the trustees of being anti-zombie. The trustees have said the reason Dixon’s Nativity scene fell under scrutiny is not because of the zombies, but because of the zoning violations presented by the accessory structure.
Dixon first presented his zombie Nativity scene last December and received notification from the township for two zoning violations – one for the accessory structure in which the zombie Nativity figures were displayed and the second for debris in front of the garage.
Sheila Vilvens of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the owner is still required to appear before a judge on December 22nd for the one day violation.
In an update to the original story, Cincinnati.com reports that vandals targeted the zombie nativity scene on December 7. "They ripped Mary's head off and flipped over baby Jesus' bed. We found him out in the yard," [home owner Jasen Dixon] said. "(They) knocked over one of the wise men and broke Joseph."
FULL STORY: Embattled zombie Nativity scene survives

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)