Quote:
Originally Posted by John_W
According to the online Villages News a homeowner of a villa in Edgewater Bungalows must remove within 45 days her newly installed artificial grass lawn. The CDD 6 board voted 5-0 to have it removed or face $150 a day fine until it is brought back into compliance.
The home is in Edgewater Bungalows, her unit is two doors from the Waterfront Hotel overlooking Lake Sumter. She purchased the home in 2015 for $615,000. The owner Shirely Schwartz has appeared once before the District 6 board of Supervisors public hearing, and she said she is attempting one more issue before giving in. She said she's had over 100 cars and carts drive by the home and tell her how beautiful it looks. Unfortunately she never received ARC (Architectural Review Committee) approval before the installation.
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The photo of the landscape with the artificial turf does look appealing. It is unfortunate that approval was not sought before going ahead and doing an actual install. Over the years I have seen residents install putting greens and lawn areas that utilized artificial turf, only to have to rip them out because they have not been approved by ARC.
We are in a part of Florida which has its natural resources governed by the South West Florida Water Management District. The SWFWMD dictates what can and can not be done with landscaping, building... all kinds of things! You can catch their link here:
Welcome to the Southwest Florida Water Management District Home Page
There is a lot of information and a lot of free publications that you can obtain from the SWFWMD. One of the publications is Florida Friendly Landscaping.
Shirley Schwartz may indeed have to remove her artificial turf under the State guidelines, which the ARC has to follow BY LAW!! However, it should be pointed out that she does NOT have to replace it with grass. She can choose to utilize rock, which is in itself also not allowed by itself. If you include groundcovers with the rock, especially the ones that are recommended by the SWFWMD, she stays within the legal guidelines that govern how a homeowner that lives in a regulated community like The Villages can alter their landscape.
A very basic rule is that 15% of the landscape property has to be some form of groundcover. Good choices are Dune Sunflowers, Jasmine, ground Juniper, etc.. There is a long list. Also, that 15% is reflected by what the mature plant diameter (spread) is and includes spacing between plants.
You can have potted plants and meet all the requirements stated by the SWFWMD guidelines.
I would strongly suggest for Mrs. Schwartz to contact the County Extension Office on Rt 471 at the Sumter County Fairgrounds or talk with the Master Gardeners about her landscape options. She can achieve what she wants to do, just not with artificial turf.
Some other links:
Free Publications | WaterMatters.org
Residents | WaterMatters.org
Projects | WaterMatters.org
I hope everyone who reads this finds it useful, and if so, let your neighbors know!