Arlington haunted house closes after permit denial

The Arlington Community Haunted House closed its doors for the final time this year after local code enforcement denied a building permit. The decision forced the Murray family to shut down an annual attraction that had operated in their yard since 2015. Jackie Murray said the closure came as a shock when the build for the 2026 season was already nearly finished.

The attraction was scheduled to open on Oct. 1. The planned theme featured radioactive clowns, a story centered on a circus that set up camp near a nuclear reactor that had melted down. Brian Murray, who runs the house with his daughter Jackie, described the concept as a fun scare for families. The event had grown from a small family project into a large community volunteer effort.

Jackie Murray stated the construction was approximately 85% complete when they received an email from code enforcement. The notice confirmed the permit was denied. After meeting with officials in person, Jackie learned that building and fire codes had changed. New rules require amusement structures to adhere to specific building codes, a requirement the family could not meet due to cost.

The Murrays decided to stop the tradition rather than pay for the necessary updates. Jackie Murray said she tried to stay strong while informing the volunteer team. She described taking a drive alone to process the news before calling her crew to explain the situation. The group had worked hard to prepare the yard for the holiday season.

To preserve the items they had collected over the years, the Murrays donated their props to another local business. The Arlington Community Haunted House gave its scary decorations to Terror for a Cause: Stanwood's Haunted Experience. Jackie Murray said many of the props were adopted by the Stanwood group. Those items are now part of the Stanwood attraction, which operates on Fridays and Saturdays at the fairgrounds.

The Arlington tradition began in 2015 as a family event. It paused in 2022 during the pandemic. When it resumed, it expanded significantly with more volunteers and visitors. Brian Murray noted that the event helped the family meet many new people. The Murrays said the experience was about bringing neighbors together rather than just the haunted house itself.