Homeowner’s Massive 60,000-Light Christmas Display Dubbed Safety Hazard By HOA

'Tis almost the season for goodwill toward all—unless you’re Neil Heuer and his neighbors.

Heuer, a semi-retired tech entrepreneur, lives in Aero Plantation, an exclusive fly-in community in Waxhaw, NC, with his wife and their children. Over the past several months, he’s been locked in a battle with Aero Plantation's HOA over his annual Halloween and Christmas displays, which his neighbors say disrupt the neighborhood and make them feel unsafe.

Heuer has been putting on the light shows, which include more than 60,000 lights, choreographed animatronic displays, and coordinated music programming, for the past five years. He estimates he's spent more than $70,000 on the exhibitions.

But after last year’s shows, his neighbors began complaining. Those complaints led to a hearing, a lawsuit, and proposed potential changes to the HOA’s bylaws that would prohibit Heuer’s Christmas and Halloween spectaculars in the future.

For his part, Heuer believes the drama has little to do with the lights and more to do with a golf course dispute and a once-anonymous newsletter he penned to bring HOA issues to light.

"I realize that this is a little unorthodox, but, you know, everybody celebrates things differently," Heuer says of his light display. "I have friends that celebrate their birthday for the entire month and I might be lucky to have a slice of cake on my birthday, but it doesn't matter. This is this is my hobby. I love to share it with people. I sit outside and record it myself, and I smile. I'm I'm just so giddy with it."

"It's it makes me happy, which is good," he continues. "Especially right now because I do feel like it's draining. It's been a very draining experience."

Heuer claims retaliation over golf course dispute

Neil and Stephanie Heuer moved to Aero Plantation, an exclusive fly-in neighborhood that includes a private airstrip, tennis courts, an equestrian center, and other luxury amenities, six years ago.

The Heuer's five-bedroom, 8,000 sq. ft. home sits on 2.36 acres and includes a pool and a four-car garage. Property listing photos show a home hidden in a copse of woods on the edge of a pond.

Heuer estimates he's spent at least $70,000 on lighting and decorations for the holidays. (Courtesy Neil Heuer)

Heuer told Realtor.com he initially got into the holiday displays because of his interest in tech and because his children enjoyed the shows.

“The kids got a kick out of it, and I thought it was cute,” he says.

His neighbors enjoyed the shows, too, he says.

“There's a time I can tell you that our neighbors came over and danced in our driveway. We sat and just talked and sat on the front porch and just... It was really nice," he adds.

Two years ago, though, things took a turn.

Heuer alleges the inciting incident was a disagreement with the HOA board’s vice president over a proposal to “rejuvenate” the community’s golf course. Heuer objected to using reserve funds on the golf course. The vice president offered to pay for the upgrades personally, promising that annual maintenance on the course would be around $8,000, Heuer said.

“After that, I started an anonymous newsletter,” says Heuer, meant to “ask questions”

The newsletter "was critical of the HOA, but there was nobody asking these questions. I was anonymous because I really didn't want to receive backlash for asking questions. I didn't want to be on the receiving side of what I'm experiencing now, basically, if that makes sense.”

When it was uncovered that Heuer was behind the HOA-critical newsletter, “they basically weaponized the HOA against me,” Heuer says.

At this year’s annual community meeting, when it was revealed that the golf course’s upkeep would run closer to $16,000, he brought up the discrepancy.

“Everybody looked around at me and said, ‘Sit down and shut up,” he says.

Heuer contends that those factors—not the light show itself—have upset his neighbors and led to a hearing earlier this year over alleged HOA violations.

Heuer's house is decorated for both Halloween and Christmas each year. (Courtesy Neil Heuer)

HOA objects to crowds drawn by light show

In a letter sent to Heuer this past August, the HOA’s legal counsel, Benjamin Karb, wrote that “Inviting unknown members of the public into the subdivision is the type of offensive activity that is a nuisance or annoyance to the neighborhood” and accused Heuer of violating the HOA’s Declaration.

"They believe the roads are private and that nobody belongs here who doesn't live here, I guess," Heuer says. "Let me tell you, 90% of the cars that go by my home I don't recognize. There are people driving by every day who aren't neighbors. And somehow, when they're here to watch my show, they suddenly have a problem. And the people watching my show are families with kids in the backseat."

In September 2026, the HOA held a hearing on the holiday display, alleging it violated the community’s declarations on exterior lighting, signage size, traffic and guest limits, and architectural alterations.

Of major concern was the flow of traffic through the neighborhood by locals looking to see the light show. Aero Plantation is not gated, but it is a private residential community, and the HOA owns and maintains the roads.

In a September 15 letter following the hearing, Karb wrote that when it came to the visitors, the board "did not find a violation exists at this time.”

However, Heuer was found in violation on lighting and signage sizes. The board was unable to make a determination on parking and whether the Heuers had architecturally altered their home’s exterior.

Ironically, the sign that violated the community’s signage limits was one Heuer erected to let visitors know that the off-duty sheriff’s deputies patrolling the neighborhood had been hired by the HOA, not him.

A sign meant to alert visitors about the off-duty deputies on the street was found to be in violation of HOA ordinances. (Courtesy Neil Heuer)

In early October, Heuer filed a lawsuit in North Carolina’s Union Superior Court alleging the HOA overstepped its authority, failed to provide proper notice and hearing procedures, and that the restrictions being enforced had never been formally adopted in the bylaws.

That case is ongoing, but in the meantime, the HOA board sent out a notice that it was adopting new parking rules in the community.

"While normal visits from family, friends, and personal guests are always welcome, the Rules explicitly address situations where activities conducted, sponsored, or permitted by an Owner attract non-resident traffic—even if the Owner did not personally invite or know each visitor. Owners are held directly responsible for any traffic, stopping, or parking resulting from these activities on our private roads," the notice reads.

Around the same time, a notice was sent to homeowners about two proposed amendments to the bylaws, one of which would establish “standards for public attractions and activities that generate substantial or recurring nonresident traffic within the community,” and another that would create “standards for flashing, strobing, pulsating, and high-intensity exterior lighting and authorize the Board to adopt implementing rules consistent with the Declaration.”

The vote on amending the bylaws is scheduled for the end of January, so Heuer plans on going big once more with his holiday display this year.

"Whatever these cockamamie rules that they're trying to change will not apply to this year,” says Heuer.

Realtor.com reached out to the HOA board to inquire about the dispute. In an emailed response, Aero Plantation HOA President David Arno wrote: “Mr. Heuer filed a lawsuit against the Association, to which the Association will respond through the appropriate legal process. The North Carolina Planned Community Act authorizes an HOA’s members to implement additional changes to a Declaration, which is what members are being asked to decide. The Board does not intend to comment further other than to remind members to voice their opinions by deciding if they want to approve the proposed changes or not.”

After a notice about the proposed amendments were sent out, Heuer emailed his neighbors, imploring them to think twice about adding more amendments to the bylaws.

“Look, you may not like our light show, you may like it. But I don't think we need more rules,” he says.

Regardless of the vote's outcome, Heuer and his wife have decided they’re moving out of Aero Plantation as soon as their youngest daughter, currently a sophomore, graduates from high school.

"There's two things I can assure you," he says. "One is that I will not live here after my daughter graduates. And my next neighborhood will not have an HOA."