![Ed Johnson in front of his house on Jefferson Ave. in St. Paul. ] JEFF WHEELER ï jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Ed Johnson has transformed his St. Paul home into a neighborhood Halloween attraction for the past few years. This year the city is requiring him to have a permit and he doesn't think he can meet the requirements in order to be open in time for Halloween. He was photographed at his home in St. Paul Wednesday afternoon, October 5, 2016.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/TFPAZGE2LR6ORIFE33WMK34C7M.jpg?&w=1080)
Fans of being frightened, take heart. Ed Johnson's haunted house on Jefferson Avenue has gotten the green light after all.
After meeting with city officials on Tuesday and revising his plans, Johnson said the city of St. Paul has said his haunted house can proceed.
Because of lost time, Johnson said it will be a scaled-back version. And, he said, he will not charge admission and instead ask for donations to the Lupus Foundation.
Two weeks ago, a city inspector ordered Johnson to stop work on the project. He'd staged a haunted house in his yard in the W. 7th area of St. Paul for the past four years. But he did not have the required permits for the structure.
That all changed this week. Renee Johnson, Ed's wife, posted on Facebook late Thursday: "Good news we have a permit to continue to go forward on a scaled back haunt due to time, next year will be the full haunt … KEEP THE HONKING UP!!! Hope to see everyone Halloween Weekend!!"
The haunted house will still go for three nights — Oct. 29-31. And next year?
"Look out, it's really going to be good," Ed Johnson said.
James Walsh
