Petition gains traction after Cass County orders Dorsett Hill Haunt to shut down

Will Shaw/KSHB

A Cass County family refuses to give up on free haunted house after cease-and-desist threatens closure.

By: Ryan Gamboa

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Ryan was the first to tell this story and has reported on the Dorsett Hill Haunt's struggles, while sharing the voices of the opposition to the seasonal attraction. Share your story idea with Ryan.

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KSHB 41 Cass County Reporter Ryan Gamboa was the first to share the voices of Troy and Lori Chamness, the operators behind a free haunted house in Cass County that was issued a cease-and-desist order last week.

The county ordered the attraction to shut down, citing code and zoning violations associated with the property. According to the County Codes Director, the property is in violation.

"We’re still not getting any answers from the county. We’re getting reached out to by so many people," Troy Chamness told Gamboa on Monday. "It’s been very heartwarming to know the care that people have for coming out here and the tradition of bringing the family out and walking through together."

Gamboa sat down with the woman who filed the formal complaint that led the county to investigate the property.

Karen's concern is that traffic issues last year posed a threat to emergency vehicles trying to access neighbors on Dorsett Hill Road. She related the concern to her own experience when she lost her husband four years ago to a heart attack. There was no saving him, but an ambulance was the only chance she had.

"I don’t have a problem doing their event, but let’s do it the right way. Let’s abide by the rules," she told Gamboa on Monday. "Minutes count. Minutes count when you have an emergency, when it’s your wife, your husband, your daughter, your son. It counts. And with all the traffic we’ve had, it’d be more than minutes."

But support for the Dorsett Hill Haunt online has only continued to grow.

Tiffany Himes, who KSHB 41 spoke with when it first told this story, started an online petition to "Keep the Dorsett Hill Haunt open!"

"The Dorsett Hill Haunt isn't just any event; it's a beloved community tradition in our area for nearly 12 years! This year, however, we face an unexpected challenge that threatens to close our beloved haunt due to just one formal complaint about traffic. In response, a cease and desist order has been issued against us, putting a halt to the festivities many of us look forward to every Halloween season," the petition states. "Despite this, our attempts to work with the local authorities and come up with viable solutions have been met with silence. We have reached out, eager for dialogue and collaboration to ensure that both the event can continue and any concerns are resolved amicably, yet we have found little support."

The Cass County Commission declined to participate in previous coverage of this story, including Commissioner Mike Moreland, who represents this area.

The petition has gathered over 2,300 signatures in less than 24 hours.

"The moment I had to tell my daughter (15) that we were most likely not going to be able to do the haunt this year, she had to fight back tears," Gavin from Garden City, Missouri, wrote. "Which made me do the same. My family takes vacation time to do this. We have invested time, energy and effort into this because we love it so much.. my kiddo just completed her mask that we made together the same day that I had to break the news... please don't take this from the community. We are begging you to understand that the simple things in life are what make it all worthwhile."

Despite the overall support shown for the Dorsett Hill Haunt, the Chamness family still has a lot of ground to make up. The property is zoned rural-residential. Under county code, haunted houses are classified as "attractions," which aren't permitted in that zoning class.

The county's codes director told me a special use permit isn't an option either, leaving them with few paths forward weeks before Halloween.

Attractions are permitted under variations of Agriculture, Industrial and Commercial zoning classifications, some needing a special use permit.

The petition is the next step in the fight to stay alive.

"We're just not ready to give up yet," Chamness added on Monday.

To view the full petition, click here.

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'Keep The Dorsett Hill Haunt open' petition gains traction after Cass County orders it to shut down

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