Covenant Question
 

We received a copy of the Covenant's yesterday. It states you can't have lawn ornaments. It goes further addressing hoidays and time limits and we still have a qustion. Are the small solar lights that go into the ground prohibited in the rear of the property? Is this classified as an ornament or lighting? We ae purchasing a Villa and the covenant's don't appear to distiguish between a house with no fence and a Villa with a fence.

Thanks!

Here is where you call to get the right answer:
Community Standards
Phone: 352-751-3912

I see the solar lights on a lot of houses front and rear. I don't think they are probably OK but as Bogie Shooter wrote check with Community Standards.

Just look at most houses around, even though it's not allowed most have some type of lawn ornament (birds, whirry gigs, frogs, planters, iron hooks for bird cages, etc.) in their front or back yard. I think it all comes down to what your neighbors will tolerate, if no one makes a fuss, folks do what they want within reason. If you go by the rules I'm guessing solar lights are not allowed in the rear, but like Bogie said, check with Community Standards if you want to go by the rules.

The lawn ornament restrictions were put in place after a lot of the Lake and Sumter County portions were built out. You will see lawn ornaments in those neighborhoods. I believe the restrictions started before District 3 was built out.

The lawn ornament restrictions were in place before construction was started in Sumter County. And are still in place in Marion County.

Holiday decorations are an interesting subject. The rules state that holiday decor may be up a total of 30 days. so, if you decorate for christmas on november 10, you have to have them removed by december 10. this year one of my neighbors put his up on the 15th november; when called on it on november 16th by the deed compliance group he refused to remove them, and nothing was done about it. no fines, no nasty letters, no nothing. obviously they were not removed at the 30 day point (december 15) and remained up past January 1. why do we have non-enforced restrictions?

What about flag poles and American Flags?

How did you know there were no fines, no nasty letters, no nothing?

Allowed.

Since these enforcements are complaint driven I'm guessing one of the bah humbug neighbors turned them in. Wow - that's Village friendly!:yuck:

We have non-enforced restrictions because common sense also prevails. If a resident wants to have Christmas decorations up from November 15 until Jan 1, in my humble opinion, only a Grinch would care.

I think that they are allowed to be up 30 days AFTER Christmas.


I cannot imagine ANYONE being so unkind as to call someone on Christmas decorations. I have never lived anywhere like that. I think being up from November 16th to January 16th doesn't seem all that out of line. That happened all of the time in all of the places I have lived in my 74 years. November 16th may be a little early, but ....


Travelguy? Did it annoy you?

Bogie,

I have sent you a PM.

In MHO the Christmas season starts when Santa rides down 34th St in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Decorations go up the day after Thanksgiving.

But I digress...travelguy, it's not a problem unless you make it a problem. Or if someone makes it a problem for you.

No, I disagree. Rules are rules.......that's Villages friendly.

We tend to be more the rules are in place for a reason and also don't want to start out as a problem to our neighbors. I'll call to make sure we are within the guidelines.

Thanks to everyone.

Some individuals just have no sense of what's tasteful. So, they put up cheap "decorations and banners" all over their yards as long as they can get away with being offensive. If they like their tasteless junk so well, perhaps they could move it all inside and enjoy it privately within their homes. Many of us are becoming tired of people who think they need to display signs and banners in their lawn. We would appreciate some enforcement. If it takes calling in complaints, so be it. Please help protect our property values.

gracie...i am not a scrooge. tsk.tsk. however, rules are rules and lawn decorations and such can evolve from holiday decor to year 'round pink flamingos! or homes painted purple.

I happen to like the pink flamingos in my yard - and being North of 466 there is no problem in having them! They go very well with my numerous garden gnomes and alligator with golf balls in his mouth.

[B]Typically, homeowners put their Christmas decorations up the day after Thanksgiving and take them down by New Year's or the "Twelfth Day of Christmas."

Why do we have '"non-enforced restrictions?" My guess is the powers who have the ability to enforce these restrictions feel this particular restriction is not important enough; OR they have other things to take care of and this person's decorations were low on the list of priorities. It would be interesting to ask why situations such as this are NOT handled at all.

Going a step further, are there really residents who mark their calendar with the dates that neighbors put things up for holidays, and keep track of the exact time they take them down?

Also, the restrictions say no, but is there really anything wrong with a bird house, bird feeder, bird bath, plant in a pot or a landscape boulder??? I guess there is no real answer. [/B

You will find there are people on this forum that probably do mark their calendar with the dates that neighbors put things up for holidays, and keep track of the exact time they take them down. Certain people have stated quite strongly in past posts, that "rules are rules" and are meant to be followed and enforced, with no exceptions. They are more caught up in the rule itself, than the intent of the rule. :shrug: