[Kahuna32162]

I can’t help but notice that the enforcement of this rule is only targeting “outside” bus companies. The Villages Transpiration, operating out of Lake Sumter Landing, attracts large numbers of customer’s who park in the lots surrounding the hub for sometimes weeks at a time. I also see from their website that they have begun to offer special trips to concerts, shopping and even large buses to the cruise ports. This does seem like a double standard in my eyes and to me, looks like The Villages trying to bully out the competition from other bus companies. Will The Villages transportation be subject to the same kind of restrictions? Or will their customer’s be allowed to continue to fill the lots in front of Cody’s and Barnes and Noble? With the coming addition of the new restaurant in the old TGIF location as well as the continued retail expansions expected to occupy current vacant spaces, what is the plan to accommodate that increase in parking needs?

We are members of the Villages Parrotheads and have enjoyed quite a few of the day trips offered by the group. The buses hold approx. 48 passengers, which translates to about 24 cars parked at the furthest back portion of the Barnes and Noble parking lot for approx. 12 hours. I have never seen a time when the spaces in that lot were so limited that customers of other venues had to seek out alternative places to park. The lot is so empty on any given day that hundreds of bicyclists met up there almost every morning because of the wide open spaces.

As the Villages continues to grow and expand, Lifestyle groups will do the same. I believe that enforcing these restrictions on “non” village transportation companies is wrong and sends the wrong message to anyone trying to plan outings and events for the members of their groups to enjoy.