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Austin Man Turns To Satan To Get Results


A South Austin man is making a statement using Satan.

He's taking on a school over his right to peace and quiet. The homeowner lives behind Eden Park Academy, and much of the traffic from the school goes by his home in a cul-de-sac, trying to avoid busy Manchaca Road.

He's using a wooden sign with an upside down cross, the numbers 666, and writing Satan as a form of protest.

"Like I said it's my way of protesting," the homeowner says. He does not want to be identified.

At the heart of the issue is a gate at Eden Park Academy. The homeowner wants the gate permanently closed, effectively shutting down school traffic through his cul-de-sac.

"We've kind of just agreed to disagree," said Eden Park Academy Principal Johnnie Smith. "We have a school to conduct and he wishes his cul-de-sac was closed but our rear exit does exit into his cul-de-sac." According to the City of Austin, the schools exit was approved in the original permit.

There is nothing stopping them from keeping it open.

"A lot of our families come from the neighborhood just behind our property, and I think that would be a detriment for our families," said Smith.

The school and homeowner have been through mediations with the Austin police department to try and come up with solutions

The school has installed an automatic gate and speed bump to slow traffic. But for the homeowner that's not good enough, so he turns to the Satan for results.

According to city code compliance there is nothing to stop him from the wooden sign, as a form of free speech.

The homeowner says he's concerned about the amount of traffic coming through the neighborhood and the speeds people are driving.

The school contacted the Austin Police Department and had an officer check for speeders; the days they were on the street they didn’t catch any.

The school says they are willing to work with the homeowner, but closing the gate is not an option.

By Adam Racusin