[Cassie325]

Ok gang....this is from the "horses mouth"...not that I am a horse...but I have personal experience....for those of you that remember my partner (50+) and I have an 11 year old daughter.

We OWN a home in The Villages and LOVE it here....however we also know that children are not allowed to live here...nor "visit" more than 30 days a year.

Now....we could have come in here and just tried to "get away" with the child being here...but we have rented a condo outside of TV's and will live there most of the time....this is the sacrifice we have made because of how much we love it here and respect the "rules".

However when we first decided to move here...we toured and picked out a home in Bison Valley. There are only 10 realtors from Properties of TV's that are allowed to sell them....you do NOT need to be an employee of TV's. That is what they started out as....but then places like Lakeside Landing...and now The Villages of Parkwood were coming in and allowing families to be here....well they need to compete. The houses are beautiful and more expensive than the other two places...again you do NOT need to be an employee....that was very clear.

HOWEVER.....our realtor was VERY clear that you were not allowed to access the pools or golf courses...like TV residents are....while there is no amenity fee...there is no real privileges other than golf cart access....(honestly...I would rather drive my PT). The other family communities offer their own pools and fun stuff....Bison has nothing extra.

NOW....if the pool guards are not checking ID's....that is not the fault of anyone but the guards. As far as golf cart accessibility....yes they can access the rest of the community...although they do not have gate keys....but remember that there are several other communities in the area whether they are adult only or family...that can access TV's by either golf cart on dirt roads....or by a street legal cart....

I know I am a little younger than a typical villager....but I LOVE it here...pay our amenity fee...and don't really use the pools...or the golf courses. My partner uses them as she should....but honestly it really is not the folks in the family villages that should concern you. These are the people that are working here....one must a very unique person to want to raise their child in or near a retirement community that really doesn't pay the very best...aahhh....yes I am very unique....and I do not work for TV's.

TV's would be smart if they created an area for swimming and recreation (with a fee attached) for the families....then there would be no temptation to use any of TV's pools.

I also want to point out that just because a family lives in Bison Valley, Spring Arbor or any other "family village" owned or not by TV's, it does NOT guarantee them a place in TV Charter School....I only wish that was the case.
I work for a great company, work from home, benefit the lives of MANY....and make good money. I am young and need to keep working right now to save for my early retirement in TV's....so I do NOT want to work a full time job to send my daughter to the charter school. I have to pay a heavy tuition to keep her in a decent and safe school.

If we lived in Bison Valley....and did not work for TV's and did not have the means to send her to private school.....well....she would have to attend Wildwood schools. This was not going to happen in my life time. I wish to the good lord she could go to the charter school.....but these are the choices we have made.

Ok.....so here is my life story and my 2-3 cents....at least for the moment.

I LOVE TV's and respect the rules, the residents and community. I own here and pay the fees....but also pay (as I should) dearly to have another home...outside TV's...

I guess my point is that I really don't think it is the families at Bison Valley that you need to concern yourself with....it is the fact that anyone who is living just outside TV's (with kids or not) can truly access the paths or with a street legal if they want to....

I really think there are two different issues.....1) do you want, care, mind the fact that the kids are around....2) should only villagers be allowed golf cart access on the paths....perhaps....but what can anyone do to fix that?

Sorry for the long note.....hope I didn't upset anyone....it really is to late for me to be talking more or less writing....I love you all and hope you don't think me any differently now that you know...that not only am I one of you....but also one of the outsiders......aaaaahhhhhh.......