CHUBBUCK - People seem to spare no expense when they deck the halls on certain city blocks.

But every year, Chubbuck Mayor Steve England and his Police Department must help neighbors find middle ground when elaborate holiday decorations stir more ire than good cheer.

England said such complaints are relatively rare.

Chubbuck typically gets them about twice per year.

This year, there has been one complaint so far.

He said a resident contacted police about holiday decorations posing a disturbance.

England said police encouraged the resident to remove a sign that said, "Honk if you like our lights."

"The last I heard, they were able to work out a compromise with these folks," England said.

The ordinance Chubbuck uses to govern holiday decoration complaints is a reference in a city code referring to nuisance and disturbing the peace.

"To a degree, that's a little subjective," England said. "According to the ordinance, sound shouldn't be able to go beyond 50 feet of its source. If we get involved with an officer or our ordinance people, we try to see if we can't work out a compromise.

"If a person determines (he or she wants) to lodge a complaint, it can go through the courts, but typically we work it out prior to that. In fact, I don't know of one that's gone that far."