Fences and Puppers
 

Greetings everyone, my husband and I are considering a move to TV within the next few years. However, we have two requirements that I fear are diametrically opposed and may short-circuit our quest to ever become frogs.

Is there any area in TV where we might find a lot with a fenced-in back yard (for dogs) but does NOT utilize zero-lot-line construction for the home?

We are not willing to cave on either of these requirements. Our dogs are currently free-roaming on large acreage in the middle of nowhere, so a secure fence is paramount. We are also not comfortable with anyone else having any claim to access our property (nor with us needing to exercise the claim to access theirs).

As I understand it, there are no zero lot line properties in The Villages, except for townhouses. Even the courtyard villas, which are about 10 feet apart, have at least 5 feet of property around the house. Although, they do incorporate a sideyard easement deed restriction that may allow your neighbor to landscape part of your property. I would suggest that you read the deed restriction documents.

What you are looking for is a home in the “Veranda” line. These are designer level homes where the back yard is enclosed by a wall. They are being built south of 44. A few were built north of 44.

Note that this is just a back yard, which in The Villages is not expansive.

You'd need to avoid courtyard and villas, which give access to your immediate neighbor to a piece of your property that contains the edge of their driveway, and the property abutting the external wall of your house but that they have the right to plant on. Bungalow villas also are zero-lot-line, with one of their house walls serving as the back wall of your back yard. Veranda homes also have one wall of the back yard which is actually the wall of the house next door, so again - zero lot line.

I don't know of any walled yards that are /not/ zero-lot-line, other than perhaps the Cottage Villas in Newell. But the backs of them all have short fences to provide views to the retention pond, which means your dogs can easily get out (they're no higher than 4 feet, with wide posts for the view).

There are, however, dog parks scattered throughout The Villages, where your pooch can roam free with other dogs, while you relax with other owners.

This begs another question ... if a fence is already installed, can I reinforce it in any way to keep my pups in? I have a 10-pound pipsqueak who can't jump a 4' fence but can certainly scurry out between the slats. Would I be able to do something like attach chicken wire to the slats, and maybe paint the wire green or black so as to make it inconspicuous?

Courtyard villas are NOT zero lot line construction. Yes, the next door neighbor does have access to part of your property for some use and landscaping, but they do not own it. It is called a sideyard easement.

We bought a grassed corner lot courtyard villa so that our dogs would have a secure area where they can run and play. They are hard to find but available if you just keep looking. Most also have a 2 car garage which is a huge bonus.

I have noticed that a substantial number of homes on Nash Loop, by the Hemingway Pool, seem to be non-zero AND fenced in the back.

And one wall of the house next door is the wall of your yard. That, by definition, is zero-lot. A wall of YOUR house - is a wall shared by your neighbor. Not the wall around the house, the wall of the house itself.

Not true. The definition of zero lot line is when the lot line occurs at the exterior wall of the neighbor and the property extends to the exterior wall. That is not the case in The Villages. The lot lines are located between the houses. A courtyard villa lot line is about 5 feet from the nextdoor neighbor's exterior wall. That is not zero lot line building. That is why the deed restriction document defines the sideyard easements the way they do. The only lot line construction that I am aware of in The Villages is the townhouses on the north side.

Although rare there are courtyard villas that meet your needs. I have a courtyard villa that is on the edge of the development, so I have a wall, not a neighbor's house, on the other side of my back yard. Courtyard villas have outside walls (7+ feet high) and solid fences (similarly high) that separate one neighbor from another. The size of the backyard for courtyard villas varies; I have room for a pool but the size may or may not be enough for your dogs.

Because I have no neighbor next to my yard nobody needs access to my yard. However, if I want access to the side of my house that is effectively the wall for my neighbor, for example, to power wash my house, I'd need to let them know. As noted above, the property line runs roughly between the houses; the sideyard easement referred to above is an easement that allows my neighbor on that side of the property to modify and maintain everything up to but not including the wall of my house.

I have the same issue, and a slatted fence (I back up to a pond). I initially did the black plastic chicken wire, but it fell apart pretty quick, so I removed it.

What I did in its place was to run a wire horizontally across the bottom, about 10 inches high. I used a turnbuckle to keep it taunt. It is practically invisible, but the dog can't go under it (not enough room) and can't go over it, as it's too high and hard to climb over comfortably. If your dog is really motivated you could run more than one wire up to the height you feel they can't get over it.

You can buy the entire kit for a 60 foot wire/turnbuckle set up on Amazon for about $25. So far, I'm happy with it. The dog is just a bit confused. She can't believe all the stupid things I do.

One thing is that if there is no existing fence (or wall) then you cannot put one up. Have to purchase the house with them already present.

You have one other problem you have not considered, Florida has predators and your dogs may not be safe unattended even in a fenced or walled yard. We have cats, they are allowed in the glassed lanai, and in the screened in birdcage during daylight hours, after that they are restricted to the house and the lanai.

If your plan is to allow the dogs access any time they want and you have a smaller dog, TV may not be a good choice, actually Florida may not be a good choice. Please do some additional research.

I came from a house with a fenced in back & front & my dogs were able to run around outside freely. I was initially looking at fenced properties in the Villages, but eventually decided to buy a regular house & walk the dogs.

Your decisions will probably be different than mine, but I too didn't like the idea sharing walls with the next door neighbors. Hence, the eventual decision for a regular house.

It seems to me your last sentence rules out courtyard villas.