- December 4, 2025
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Annie Williams live-streamed as the firetruck that stood proud at her home for almost 13 years was towed away.
She couldn’t hold the tears back anymore.
Williams turned off the live-stream, went into her home and bawled.
She already had to watch her family’s Chrysler New Yorker be hauled away.
Williams and her family were working swiftly to become compliant with Orange County Code Enforcement in hopes they still would be able to go all-out for their Halloween and Christmas displays that have earned the home the title of the Williams Holiday House in Oakland and Winter Garden.
A Winter Garden resident filed a complaint with Orange County Code Enforcement on the Williams Holiday House. Because the house resides in unincorporated Orange County, it fell upon the county to send code enforcement officers out to the property to investigate.
When the Williams family returned home from vacation, Williams said she found notices from code enforcement regarding violations on the property, putting the future of the holiday house in jeopardy.
The violations were for three vehicles on the property as well as three large tents, two carports and a water feature on the property that were erected without zoning approval and building permits.
The Williams Holiday House started with Joe Williams’ love for Halloween.
In 1976, he started decorating the home and as the years went on, the display became bigger.
Williams said her family buys antiques, decorations and more to add new features to the display throughout the year. From animatronics to antiques to decorative items, the family spends thousands of dollars each year to create a holiday escape for the community.
On Halloween, it became tradition for the family to hand out thousands of large candy bars and drinks. Leftover candy and drinks are donated to police departments and local schools.
Eventually Williams said the display was drawing the attention of so many people, she decided to create a Facebook page and a QR code in case people wanted more information.
Williams said typically, the family starts decorating for Halloween Aug. 15. However, the complaints have derailed those plans this year.
In years past, people begin coming by the house to see the display take shape. In the days leading up to Halloween, as many as 1,500 people will be outside the home every night. Then on Oct. 31, an estimated 3,500 people visit the Williams Holiday House.
In the past, the Williams allowed people to enter their home as they kept the animatronics inside and made their home into a haunted house. But after the COVID-19 pandemic, the family moved the displays outside into tents, which later also were used for storage, so they could continue to have the haunted house aspect without allowing people into their home.
“This is why we ended up with tents, because the animatronics can’t be out in the weather,” Williams said. “There are some that can be, but most of it can’t. It has to be under some kind of protection from the elements.”
Williams said people from all over the country have visited the home to see the display.
“It’s all about celebrating the holiday season, making people scream and laugh, and letting everyone have a really good time,” Williams said. “It puts a lot of smiles on a lot of people’s faces and especially the young children.”
People have offered to donate to the family, but Williams said the family refuses donations.
“It is about doing this for the community,” she said. “This is our way of giving back.”
The Williams came home from a vacation to see signs on their Hudson, Chrysler New Yorker and firetruck.
Code Enforcement received a complaint Sunday, Aug. 3 regarding “vehicles in a state of inoperability or disrepair, dual-rear wheeled vehicles and structures on the property without permits,” according to Megan Marshall, the Code Compliance chief inspector.
Code Enforcement staff visited the property Wednesday, Aug. 6, and observed one vehicle (Chrysler New Yorker) with no license plate and another vehicle (Hudson) with a flat tire.
Williams said the Chrysler has been used as a Halloween prop for 30 years, and several photographers have come by the property to take photos of the classic car. For Halloween, the car has a mannequin inside for the Witchy Woods Taxi Service.
Williams said the firetruck was an antique from the Clermont Fire Department and had been on the property for almost 13 years. The firetruck was a popular vehicle among children. She put a stuffed “PAW Patrol” dog on the truck for the children to see. It needed to be removed because it was a commercial, overweight, dual-rear wheeled vehicle and as a result, it was not allowed to be on the property.
Williams said all the cars on the property are licensed and insured, and every vehicle is fully operational.
To become compliant, Williams said the flat tire on the Hudson was replaced; she reported the fix to Code Enforcement.
The family decided to remove the firetruck and Chrysler New Yorker to become compliant.
“We had no way of saving (the firetruck),” Williams said. “I did offer it out for sale, but we gave it away. It went for scrap.”
In memory of the firetruck, Williams kept the stuffed “PAW Patrol” dog as well as the firetruck’s siren and one of the red lights.
Williams said it was devastating to have to remove the Chrysler and firetruck.
“All year-round, we have people stop and take photographs by the firetruck,” she said. “We even have people out here and they climb all over it. The kids play with it. People take photographs on it every single year. People sit on the back of it. I am so devastated for the little children. It’s heartbreaking for them. It was the one place they could come and play with all the things on the firetruck because you can’t go to the city and play with one of their firetrucks. … A lot of people have said Oakland Avenue is not going to be the same without the firetruck.”
Besides the vehicles, the Williams family also was found in violation for the three tents on the property, as well as the two carports and a fountain, all of which were erected without permits and zoning approvals.
Williams and her family already took down two of the three tents that store the holiday décor. As a result, some of the items have been destroyed due to being out in the elements.
Marshall provided the Williams family with potential solutions for the violations, especially regarding to the tents. She suggested a storage container.
The Williams family is meeting with Orange County Code Enforcement officials Friday, Aug. 22, to work on a resolution.
Williams said she has hired an engineer to create plans for an accessory structure under 5,000 square feet that she can put on the property to become compliant.
Williams said her family wants to be in compliance, but the family needs time to be able to do so.
District 1 Orange County Commissioner Nicole Wilson, said every complaint Code Enforcement receives has to be taken seriously. By state statute and county ordinances, a Code Enforcement officer must investigate.
She said she is grateful for the people in Code Enforcement, because it is a “thankless job” as they try to balance keeping everyone safe, while also being reasonable and considering the situation with respect to the homeowner.
“Hopefully, whoever the complainant was, they will see there are efforts being made, or if they felt there was a danger, this will address it,” Wilson said.
Wilson said she wants the county to work with the family in any way it can before the matter has to go before a special magistrate to be resolved.
“We’re working in the right direction,” she said. “It should be totally done before we get close to a holiday.”
Wilson said decorations are allowed and people should continue to decorate their homes.
In the meantime, Williams said she is working with the county to see if she can keep the one tent up until January to give her time to go through the permitting and building process and still allow the family to decorate. After January, she would dismantle the tent.
“It’s all up in the air at the moment, because I’ve also got an engineer doing drawings for the fountain and the structure above it,” Williams said. “To be honest, if I can’t get my fountain through, I’m not doing anything. There will be no more decorations ever. … You can build whatever storage and sheds and everything you want, but if you actually can’t display this stuff under a temporary tent or something like that, I can’t do it. I just can’t.”
Williams said although she is allowed to decorate the house and the property itself, the fear remains.
“There’s a fear I have that anything I put out here, what next is going to hit me? What else am I going to get told about?” she said.
The violations and becoming compliant has been mentally and emotionally draining for Williams and her family, but she appreciates the outpour of community support.
“We do have some fabulous neighbors around us,” she said. “Yes, obviously we want to go back out and do all the decorating, and we love our community. We love nothing more than them coming here and seeing their faces, seeing them laugh, seeing them scream, enjoying themselves.”
