It's Not All Fenney
 

I think that the majority of homeowners living in The Villages categorize all homes South of 44 as Fenney. Fenney was the first village where construction began. Right now Desoto, McClure and Marsh Bend are being built with their own amenities. My husband and I reserved a newly released lot in Marsh Bend to build "the home of our dreams". Hopefully our current home in The Villages will sell within the time frame necessary to secure the lot and build our newest home. The location of our lot is three and a half miles to Fenney Grill and three miles from 44. The area once known as "Fenney" has expanded far beyond one village.

You'll be close to the new Rec Center and to the Pitch & Putt. For now people will call this area Fenney as they did with Lake Sumter and again with Brownwood even though there are a bunch of individual villages down here. Congratulations on your new build, you are going to be in a very popular area.

Yes, they all incorrectly call it Fenny

The lots are generally smaller south of 44 and set-backs less making driveways not long enough to park two cars bumper to bumper. Perhaps some of the newer Villages may be different but up to now that is what I observe. Bonds and taxes are generally higher too. That is the new normal as The Villages continues to expand, however, that has been the trend in years past.

That's not true. My driveway is one of the smaller ones and it's 40 ft long, it would be even longer if I didn't have a stretched garage. Taxes are based on the valuation of the home, Fenney rates are no different than any other home in Sumter county and/or within Wildwood. Lake county Pine Hills and Pine Ridge have higher taxes than we have down here as do some of the other villages. Bonds I don't know how to compare but I have no problem with ours. Another nice thing about the lots down here are there are a multitude of retention ponds allowing for more lots on water, also where else can you go to get the selection of Veranda Homes that we have down here.

Congratulations on hopefully building your dream home...One thing though Marsh Bend is not 3 1/2 miles from the Fenney grill...Id say it's a mile and a half ...if that...anyway good luck on selling your home

How about calling it the LOWER 44 ??

Are you aware of the problematic 'retention' ponds in the North end of the villages.. ie google this headline: Sinkhole-damaged pond in Village of Alhambra draining again after recent $100,000 repairs

"Where?"

"Desoto!"

" Oh Yeah. Thats down Fenney, you can't miss it!" :icon_wink:

The proper term for the general area is "Southern Oaks". Before I moved here, I kept hearing references to "the village of Southern Oaks", but could never find a village by that name. I later found it's actually "the villageS of Southern Oaks" and Fenney is but one of them. Before the recent re-opening of CR501 and the new roundabout and stop light intersection on 468, there were no obvious references to McClure or DeSoto unless you entered Fenney first. From there you could cross out of Fenney and into a gate marked DeSoto. But, from there, it was basically just an imaginary line when you cross from DeSoto into McClure. But, now there are 2 new gate entrances, 1 on the other end of Fenney Way and 1 off of CR501, that say "Village of McClure'. For many, though, it will continue to be referred to, generally, as "the Fenney area" for a long time.

We'll, it's been over two years since the excavation and building of retention ponds started down here, we had no problems with any of them flooding during Irma and have had no hint of a sink hole since this all started. Maybe they'll eventually show up down here but there have been none documented unlike some areas north of 44. We live on water and I would not hesitate for one minute in building on water again.

.....and they are using plastic storm water pipe around all the new builds, not the holed, leaking, and rusty tin stuff they used 'up north' that seems to be linked with many of the so called sinkholes.

But, IMO usually takes around 15 years for the old metal street drains to leak enough to cause ground to collapse. Hopefully the are using non rust pipes for the last 10 years? I know some the ones up north are corrigated steel cause I can see them in the drained pond rotted out.

IMO I would just make sure street drains to retention pond don’t run under your property. IMO it should be disclosed what runs under your lot especially 15 or 20 foot down below pond water levels

We all have more important things to worry about for the relatively short period of time we have left on this earth without worrying about a plastic pipe 20 feet under ground. Not all, but most of these ponds have only one pipe in and one pipe out and you can easily see where they are located. I'm safe from the worry.

You are right again. Sinkholes are caused by the geological composition of this area. Google sinkholes in Florida. the worst area is over by Tampa. The Morses don't build over there.

There is a difference between a sink hole and a collapsed pipe.

Are they running out of words to put together? "Marsh Bend??"

Maybe if the district government would keep the maps posted on the website up to date, there would be less confusion. Most are over 2 years old now. You have to wonder if the district government actually knows what areas they are responsible for.

I don't wonder. Have you signed up for updates?

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Stop ruining it for those who want to complain or find imaginary problems.

:1rotfl:

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By golf cart down Fenney Way it's two miles to McClure from the Fenney Grill and Marsh Bend is well beyond that so I'm sure they're right about the three and a half miles. By car it's a different story, shorter route by going down Warm Springs.

Thanks Gracie. Our home is right on top of that little tiny gray spot in Sumter County. Seems the worst area is actually north and west of the new construction but it can all change tomorrow.

There are actually two different (but similar-seeming) things going on. It helps to understand the difference. A ground collapse can be caused by a few different things. A sink hole is one TYPE of ground collapse. It's typically caused by nature, as in "stuff happens." Another type is caused by overdevelopment and retention ponds. So yes, the Villages is in Sink Hole alley. However, the problem is exacerbated by overdevelopment and retention ponds. If this overdevelopment and building of retention ponds didn't happen, the ground collapses would likely have been minimal.

Ground collapses caused by overdevelopment and retention ponds, occur more frequently to overdeveloped areas that have retention ponds, than ground collapses caused by the natural degradation of limestone not attributed to overdevelopment and retention ponds. In this, the "denialists" are correct in their continual claims that you're more likely to be struck by lightning than you are to be affected by a sinkhole.

However, if you live in an area known for sinkholes, that has also been overdeveloped and has artificial retention ponds, you are more likely to be affected by a ground collapse (which includes potholes, by the way) than you are to be struck by lightning.

I don't think either one happens any more often around the Villages then they do in Mount Dora or Leesburg or Alahopka or Plant City, even though we live smack dab in the middle of the highest Lighting area in The country. I am pretty sure that lightning isn't caused by overdevelopment or the Morse family.

P.S. I made up Alahopka.

Happy for you.. me I love Spanish springs area

Hope you enjoy your new place.

We’re in McClure!! Marsh Bend area looks beautiful. Good luck with your build ours went beautifully!!

Where is the home you are selling? Price? Furnished/unfurnished? I am looking to buy.