Kids in the Villages

[Marine One]

My husband and I are looking at 55+ communities in FL. We heard about this one so I started reading some blogs. I was quite surprised to discover there are charter schools on the property, apparently funded by the residents. The kids can also use the facilities. Sounds like an employee perk provided by the developers. Gee, that's darn nice of them but The Villages is a 55+ community. I have some questions: Are the local public schools inadequate or in some way inferior? Are these schools located near residential areas, where the peace and quiet is disrupted by screaming, yelling, etc.? Also, is there a problem with teenagers driving through the property with their car stereos going full tilt? In another blog, residents were complaining about the lack of security. Also related, I read a post from a single mother who had been offered employment by The Villages. She seemed to think she was entitled to move in with her kid! If this is a trend or becoming a serious issue under consideration, we will never move there. We've had our fill of out-of-control kids and their obnoxious parents in our current neighborhood. Thanks, and I would appreciate some answers to my questions.

[graciegirl]

Kids aren't allowed to live in TV if they are under 19. If they are visiting they may not visit for longer than 30 days in a year.

I think the Charter schools are paid for by the developer and are there for the many people who work for and in The Villages... and I don't know if the local schools are inferior but I have heard that the Villages Charter schools are superior.

I haven't seen any teens driving through with car radios blaring and being obnoxious but sometimes grandkids do drive the golf carts. Sometimes adults drive golf carts in an obnoxious way and cars too.

The schools are located near or in The Village of Belvedere and I have heard residents there say they can hear the games on Friday nights, but since that is where the LifeLongLearning College is, in the High School, many in Belvedere think that their village is the best.

This is my opinion about people complaining about security. It is very safe in all areas here. You can look it up on any crime occurrence website. Property crime is very low and rape and murder and armed robbery are unheard of. I think people from areas that were more crime ridden carry their fears with them.

Single mothers with small children aren't allowed to have them live in The Villages. Married mothers with small children aren't allowed to have them live in The Villages. Period. It is enforced!

You need to come here and see for yourself. And don't drink the water....or you WILL come back. You will find that you will love it like we do.

Kindest wishes,
Gracie

[downeaster]

My husband and I are looking at 55+ communities in FL. We heard about this one so I started reading some blogs. I was quite surprised to discover there are charter schools on the property, apparently funded by the residents.

Not funded by the residents. Funded by Florida taxpayers.

The kids can also use the facilities. Sounds like an employee perk provided by the developers. Gee, that's darn nice of them but The Villages is a 55+ community. I have some questions:

Are the local public schools inadequate or in some way inferior?

Not to my knowledge.

Are these schools located near residential areas, where the peace and quiet is disrupted by screaming, yelling, etc.?

The only school near residential area of The Villages is the charter school. Not living near it I cannot attest to any yelling and screaming. You would more apt to hear that sort of thing near a golf course.

Also, is there a problem with teenagers driving through the property with their car stereos going full tilt?

Not in my neighborhood. There is an occasional loud stereo equipped golf cart or loud Harley Davidson driven by a 55+ resident disrupting the peace but that is part of living here.

In another blog, residents were complaining about the lack of security.

I know of no residents complaining about security. I give the local police an A+. I believe Community Watch contributes to our security.


Also related, I read a post from a single mother who had been offered employment by The Villages. She seemed to think she was entitled to move in with her kid!

If the "kid" is over 19 she is OK. Under 19, no "kid".




If this is a trend or becoming a serious issue under consideration, we will never move there.

We've had our fill of out-of-control kids and their obnoxious parents in our current neighborhood.

My sentiments exactly. That was nine years ago. Moved here and problem solved. Not my only reason for the move. There were other reasons and those problems were also solved.

Thanks, and I would appreciate some answers to my questions.

I am sure other positive comments will follow.

[otherbruddaDarrell]

Well said Gracie.:thumbup:

[redwitch]

Children under 19 are not allowed to live here. However, grandkids from infancy to adulthood visit here frequently. Most are very well-behaved. A few are not. I seriously doubt if you could ever find an over-55 community where there weren't children. They don't live here or there, but they do visit -- year round. It is one of the joys and privileges of being a grandparent.

As to the charter schools, they were created by the developer to attract workers to TV. There are a special villages where families are welcomed. These villages are not considered to be part of TV.

The high school swim club uses some of the sports pools for practice. I'm not convinced it is fair to residents who want to use these pools, but it is what it is.

The library across the street from the high school frequently has kids there. The high school kids are usually quiet and polite. The biggest problem is trying to use one of the computers after school.

There have been issues with skateboarders using the tunnels, especially near the high school. Haven't seen it in awhile, so I'm guessing they "cleaned" up that problem.

TV is a great place to live. However, if you come with the attitude that you don't want "out-of-control" kids or their obnoxious parents, I suggest you find a very large plot of land, fence it off with an electrical fence and enjoy your solitude. The reality is that there is no community that isn't going to have children -- either as beloved guests or as residents. Some of these children will be extremely well-behaved. Some will be out of control. The majority will be somewhere in the middle -- polite, happy, loud at times, bratty on occasion.

[starflyte1]

redwitch, did you mean "now" or "not"? Thanks! Pat

[redwitch]

redwitch, did you mean "now" or "not"? Thanks! Pat

Typo corrected ("not").

[dog friendly]

Grandchildren are allowed to stay more than 30 days, I do not know why people keep saying that they can only stay 30. We we do have teens hanging around the square, usually behing Barnes and Noble, and some do manage to get in trouble, several of the lights were broken, the fence in the kids play area was damaged and many of the chairs are thrown in the water, also trash cans.I think these teens are not from the Villages but from outside area's because they drive their cars and trucks here. So it is certainly can have a few problems, but it has much more good than bad. And I love seeing the kids from the Village schools. It makes me feel not so old with only old people around town, sometimes old folks can be worse than young folks..... just my opinion

[njbchbum]

with the copious amount of reading that you have done - was there anything that you found to like about living in the villages?

[graciegirl]

Grandchildren are allowed to stay more than 30 days, I do not know why people keep saying that they can only stay 30. We we do have teens hanging around the square, usually behing Barnes and Noble, and some do manage to get in trouble, several of the lights were broken, the fence in the kids play area was damaged and many of the chairs are thrown in the water, also trash cans.I think these teens are not from the Villages but from outside area's because they drive their cars and trucks here. So it is certainly can have a few problems, but it has much more good than bad. And I love seeing the kids from the Village schools. It makes me feel not so old with only old people around town, sometimes old folks can be worse than young folks..... just my opinion

Dog Friendly.

I think you are mistaken about grandchildren being allowed to stay more than thirty days a year.

Here is a link to the deed restrictions that says that any person under the age of 19 can stay no more than 30 days per year.

I found this on The Villages.net website:
http://www.districtgov.org/departmen.../download.aspx

You will have to read several pages until you get to that information.

This will ease the mind of our new poster as well.

And...I forgot to say WELCOME, Marine one. Semper FI!

[Barefoot]

We lived in Belvedere for two years, very close to the Charter School. The kids do monopolize the puters in the libary after school .. not a problem ... just plan an earlier visit.

The kids do frequent the Southern Trace Plaza, at noon hour and after school. Sometimes they can be annoying in the tunnels, walking five abreast in the dark tunnel and expecting people to watch out for them. Not a problem, just plan your day to be at the plaza earlier. Or later.

All in all, the Charter School kids are well behaved and not a problem. I think the trashing in the Town Squares comes from it being a venue that is open to the public.

[Pats2010]

My husband and I are looking at 55+ communities in FL. We heard about this one so I started reading some blogs. I was quite surprised to discover there are charter schools on the property, apparently funded by the residents. The kids can also use the facilities. Sounds like an employee perk provided by the developers. Gee, that's darn nice of them but The Villages is a 55+ community. I have some questions: Are the local public schools inadequate or in some way inferior? Are these schools located near residential areas, where the peace and quiet is disrupted by screaming, yelling, etc.? Also, is there a problem with teenagers driving through the property with their car stereos going full tilt? In another blog, residents were complaining about the lack of security. Also related, I read a post from a single mother who had been offered employment by The Villages. She seemed to think she was entitled to move in with her kid! If this is a trend or becoming a serious issue under consideration, we will never move there. We've had our fill of out-of-control kids and their obnoxious parents in our current neighborhood. Thanks, and I would appreciate some answers to my questions.

Come on down and see for yourself. Take a lifestyle visit. They will put you up in a Villa for 3-7 days with many amenities at a very good price.
I was there last December and I drank the Koolaid and loved it.
I don't remember seeing many kids and everything seemed clean as a whistle.

[bkcunningham1]

State and federal fair housing laws don't allow discrimination on the basis of age for housing; with a few exceptions. One of these exceptions is 55-plus communities.

In order to qualify for these exceptions to the discrimination laws, there are certain criteria for these communities. One of the requirements is 80 percent of the occupied units must be occupied by at least one person 55 years of age or older. This 80 percent rule is why there are residents in TV who are younger than 55.

As for the charter schools, TV is a master planned community. A charter school for employees was part of the plan to keep the community self-contained. TV's charter schools are Charter Schools in the Workplace. It is a unique not-for-profit corporation setup under Florida law.

I think there are about 2600 students in TV's Charter Schools in the Workplace program. This helps insure you have employees who are happier to stay in your area and stay with their jobs in TV.



http://www.floridahousinglaw.com/pdfs/housing_older_persons.pdf

[Pturner]

Hi Marine One,
Welcome to Talk of the Villages. I think the only way to get the flavor-- I should say flavors-- of TV is to come visit for yourself. A lifestyle tou r is a wonderful and inexpensive way to check us out!

Keep in mind that TV is home to about 80,000 people, so you will find kids visiting here. Still, it feels very muchlike a retirement community. You don't see kids running around everywhere. they are here visiting and you will mostly see them accompanied by adults.

There are two developer-owned villages just outside TV where families with children may live. Many TV employees live there. Personally, I love the employees here and appreciate the services and they provide.

[pauld315]

Hi Marine One,

There are two developer-owned villages just outside TV where families with children may live. Many TV employees live there. Personally, I love the employees here and appreciate the services and they provide.

Do you know the names of these villages ?

[pooh]

Do you know the names of these villages ?
There's Bison Valley, Oak Meadows, and I believe it's called Spring Arbor Village.

[Marine One]

and Semper FI to you too, Graciegirl! I want to thank all of you for your replies. Most of you were sensitive to my concerns and replied in a thoughtful manner. I did send away for the video and we do plan, as many of you suggested, to visit. We also plan to visit potential residences in the Tampa region, as we are retired military and could use the facilities at MacDill AFB. In response to one comment, yes, from my research I find The Villages has lots to offer. Of course, we understand that your kids/grandkids visit and I'm sure most of them are well-behaved. Given what you've said, I don't think they would be an issue. In reply to the female who suggested we buy a plot and install an electric fence, I don't find that amusing. We take our privacy, serenity and peace of mind seriously.

[pooh]

and Semper FI to you too, Graciegirl! I want to thank all of you for your replies. Most of you were sensitive to my concerns and replied in a thoughtful manner. I did send away for the video and we do plan, as many of you suggested, to visit. We also plan to visit potential residences in the Tampa region, as we are retired military and could use the facilities at MacDill AFB. In response to one comment, yes, from my research I find The Villages has lots to offer. Of course, we understand that your kids/grandkids visit and I'm sure most of them are well-behaved. Given what you've said, I don't think they would be an issue. In reply to the female who suggested we buy a plot and install an electric fence, I don't find that amusing. We take our privacy, serenity and peace of mind seriously.

There are lots of retired military living in TV, Marine One, including us. MacDill isn't that far away, about a little over an hour so you could still use the commissary or exchange with only a short drive.

Enjoy the video, and if you can, come for a visit. It's not like anything you've imagined a retirement community to be.

Pat

[redwitch]

I wasn't trying to be amusing. From the sound of your post, it sounds like you want to be in a community where children are pretty much non-existent. That community doesn't exist and the only way to get that is to isolate yourself. Kids are an integral part of TV. They're at the Squares, the stores, the pools, the rec centers. Most of us love seeing and hearing them. They are part of what makes us smile. There are special summer programs for grandparents and their grandkids. It is rare to not see kids dancing at the Squares.

Not all that visit here are well behaved. Not all parents or grandparents do their job well or at all. If you check the threads, we rail pretty much non-stop about the irresponsible grandparents who let their grandchildren drive golf carts. You will hear crying babies, screaming toddlers. You will see 5 YOs running into the street. Pre-teens and teens will walk with attitudes and their iPods and whatever else is trendy. From the sound of what you said, I think you would consider these kids to be out of control and their parents (and grandparents) obnoxious. If you did not mean to be so detrimental and judgmental in your original post, I apologize for my response. If you did, then my response stands 100%.

[chuckinca]

and Semper FI to you too, Graciegirl! I want to thank all of you for your replies. Most of you were sensitive to my concerns and replied in a thoughtful manner. I did send away for the video and we do plan, as many of you suggested, to visit. We also plan to visit potential residences in the Tampa region, as we are retired military and could use the facilities at MacDill AFB. In response to one comment, yes, from my research I find The Villages has lots to offer. Of course, we understand that your kids/grandkids visit and I'm sure most of them are well-behaved. Given what you've said, I don't think they would be an issue. In reply to the female who suggested we buy a plot and install an electric fence, I don't find that amusing. We take our privacy, serenity and peace of mind seriously.


My brother is retired AF and he usually uses the BX at the military facility at Orlando Intl Airport - closer than Tampa.

Also - a large new VA clinic is opening soon at the north end of TV.

GARRY OWEN!


.

[ajbrown]

Dog Friendly.

I think you are mistaken about grandchildren being allowed to stay more than thirty days a year.

Here is a link to the deed restrictions that says that any person under the age of 19 can stay no more than 30 days per year.

I found this on The Villages.net website:
http://www.districtgov.org/departmen.../download.aspx



Reading my morning TOTV, I had trouble with the link, so figured I would help out. This is just an overview of the restrictions GG refers to.

http://www.districtgov.org/departments/community-standards/deedrestrict.aspx

[Ohiogirl]

Marine One,

I might have missed it but I don't think anyone explained yet that although kids who are visiting ARE allowed to use the facilities, with guest passes, they do not run amok at the rec centers or adult or sports pools. They must use the designated family pools if they are under 30 years old, and I for one have rarely seen them at the rec centers, aside from the occasional pickleball, tennis, bocce or shuffleboard court, usually with their parents or grandparents. They have to be 10 yrs old to golf, and I have rarely seen any on the golf courses - I think if they are under 19 they may need to be accompanied by their parent/grandparent.

There are more of them during traditional school vacation times, but with more families doing home-schooling, you might see kids any time of year.

When we visit relatives who live in a small (maybe 1200 condos, villas and houses) retirement community in Ft Myers, there is one large pool and there always seem to be 2-5 kids visiting and splashing in the pool. The Villages is so big that they are just not a big presence, IMO.

[graciegirl]

Marine One,

I might have missed it but I don't think anyone explained yet that although kids who are visiting ARE allowed to use the facilities, with guest passes, they do not run amok at the rec centers or adult or sports pools. They must use the designated family pools if they are under 30 years old, and I for one have rarely seen them at the rec centers, aside from the occasional pickleball, tennis, bocce or shuffleboard court, usually with their parents or grandparents. They have to be 10 yrs old to golf, and I have rarely seen any on the golf courses - I think if they are under 19 they may need to be accompanied by their parent/grandparent.

There are more of them during traditional school vacation times, but with more families doing home-schooling, you might see kids any time of year.

When we visit relatives who live in a small (maybe 1200 condos, villas and houses) retirement community in Ft Myers, there is one large pool and there always seem to be 2-5 kids visiting and splashing in the pool. The Villages is so big that they are just not a big presence, IMO.

In Hadley, as well as many other villages, there are two pools. One for only 30 and above, (near the mail drop) and one a family pool for all ages. I.D.s are checked and they cannot be unaccompanied by adults if they are underage. Jumping in and rafts aren't allowed and I have seen that enforced too.

PLUS. I have heard older adults tell the parents the rules. We aren't shy here. lol.