You do know that Janet Tutt is appointed to her job by the developer and cannot be fired by anyone other than that developer?

Just to shed a little light here. As a member of a Club in TV one of my functions is to set up off Campus trips. We plan the trip and hire a local bus to pick us up. We've been told that we can no longer have a bus come on ANY DISTRICT parking lot within TV to pick us up. This includes all the property within TV and the parking lots of the stores along 466, 466a, 441,44 etc. that are owned and operated by TV. Now as far as The Villages Transportation they still can use the Parking area. They have 1 large bus they will use for day trips. The cost was $125.00 more then the current bus company we were using. AAA does trips out of TV and since they have locations within TV they are still allowed to Pickup within TV. There price for a trip we just booked was $13.00 P/P more than what we were paying. We are trying to work something out but it's not easy. The real kicker is 90% of the people who went on our trips would bring their golf carts and in the back lots you can put 4 golf carts in 1 parking place if you park right. I can understand keeping the lots around the square available for square shopping and parking but there has to be somewhere to park. Also incase you're not aware the District Office is now above Johnny Rockets & Starbucks so all the workers now park in that lot in the daytime and a large fleet of District owned vehicles park there at night. So yep parking is an issue really ?:undecided:

You hit the nail on the head!
 

We seem to be looking for solutions to problems that don't exist or throw out the baby with the bathwater, in this case, lumping in parking at regional rec centers because of problems with parking at the squares.

Our social group on more than one occasion has chartered a bus to take us to places like Orlando or Tampa and we park at one of the regional rec centers and meet the bus there. There has NEVER been a problem with the parking lots being even remotely filled on these occasions.

OK, let me make sure I have this right....if you run bus trips AND have an office in TV, it's OK to have your buses pick up from the squares or Rec Centers. AAA, TV Transportation and the Lifelong Learning College are perfect examples.

So, all the "outside" companies need to do is rent one of the many empty office spaces in TV and that should solve the problem...right?

Your social group should have just rec'd the memo from Janet Tutt in regards to using "outside" bus transportation.

I agree 100%. We've gone on neighborhood/club cruises and/or one-day excursions and have been prohibited from leaving our car in our neighborhood recreation center lot. We have, along with other neighbors, in some cases, 80-year-olds, hauled our luggage several blocks from our home to the bus while the recreation center parking lot lies empty in our absence. Many retirement communities offer shuttles from a resident's home to club outing pick-up points. A convenient parking place would be a small and inexpensive alternative, and a means of accommodating an aging resident population.

The last AAA trip I took picked up at their SS office. No less convenient than the previous spot. If you take a Senior Adventures tour, you park for free at the Recreation Plantation. Frankly the parking at LSL was a nightmare this winter. Can't imagine how much worse it would be if bus loads of people were parked there, too. Those trips are available to non-residents. Do we want them taking up spots? Also, we will soon have thousands more Villagers crowding into what we have now. I'm glad that TPTB are being proactive. Maybe I'll go north for the winter to escape the throngs of incoming.

Maybe was......not is. Janet Tutt has solid line reporting to the 11 CDD's, the VCCDD, SLCDD, BCDD and the NSCUDD. The VCCDD, SLCDD and BCDD are established through the State of Florida subject to local government approval, like all CDD's. I will ask the question, but I would suspect if the CDD's wanted to change management they could. Since the Districts must comply with Chapter 190 as must the transition by the Developer, I don't see a long term reason for the Developer to play in that arena even if he legally could.

I think day trips are a lot of fun for a great many people. I myself do them infrequently. I think TV is trying to mandate way too many rules for the way people would like to live their lives. I guess pretty soon we will have to wear ankle monitors so TV knows when we leave the Bubble

You are right of course. However, some just like to bash Ms Tutt.

Diane, you are close but backwards. TV cares where we are in the bubble. They don't care when we leave. Seriously, without all the rules there would be anarchy. :girlneener:

Not too long ago, I was on my merry rounds and turned onto Viola in Dunedin. Had to sit and wait while a bus was loaded. Golf carts and cars were parked in several driveways. Wondered why this group was not loading at a rec center. Guess now I know why. Think this solution would work for day trips. Not so sure about several carts and cars in driveways overnight or longer.

The main issue is being lost. The issue is not the buses making the pick up and drop off, it's the cars left behind for the duration of the bus trip. Rec center parking lots are over flowing now. Shopping centers don't have enough parking and it is a challenge to find parking at the squares.

If buses were allowed to pick up passengers at these locations, soon there would be 100 buses doing it and that would add 4000 cars taking up space in an already challenged parking situation. Granted during the off season parking is much less an issue, but I don't think you could make a rule for just certain months.

As for Villages transportation being allowed to do it, they don't create a parking problem as they also provide at home pick up and drop off.

So personally I agree with the developer, don't add to the parking issue by allowing outside business a parking solution to their problem. Let them find a solution to solve their business issue. Church lots is a good one, and I am sure there are other near by business that could use the added revenue and have available space.

This church lot idea sounds like a good one and seems to have been presented by a number of TOTVers.

The VCCDD, SLCDD and BCDD may have been established through Chapter 190 BUT they will always be controlled by the developer and Janet Tutt works for them, not the other residential CDD's. She has no real control over residential CDD's, witness the line painting on multi-modal path done by one CDD which she opposed.

Goodie for you......I know of many people that are not as lucky as you...

In my time spent in the villages I have met many who because of medical reasons can not drive, particularly at night, and many who can not afford to buy a newer car that they will feel safe making a 2 hour trip...

I would add to that a liability issue. Once you give that permission to park, people are sure to blame the Villages if something was done to their vehicle. :rant-rave:

Commercial operators need to conractually provide for their operations. If parking were not a problem we would't be having this conversation.
Imagine if there had never been buses coming into the Villages parking areas and there was an announcement that they would now be invited in, the uproar would be heard to Canada.
Bus trips are great- the operators need to take responsibility for the care of their customers.

How is that any different than when a villager parks to go into a rec center? Whether a villager is enjoying the amenity of free parking to go into a rec center or free parking to participate in a Villages endorsed club activity, the risks are the same. Why discriminate against those Villagers who want to enjoy themselves outside The Villages?

You are conflating two different issues. Most would agree that businesses that organize tours for profit and certainly those that allow non-Villagers to participate should be either banned or charged for the right to use Village property for their benefit. However, when the trip is organized by Villages clubs and it is Village amenity-paying residents who are being denied use of what their amenities are paying for, the situation is completely different.

The Rec center parking lots are designed for peak use. They have to be since there is no alternative parking. All rec centers are not at peak usage at all times. It is possible to determine which centers may be experiencing a peak condition long in advance because the rooms have to be reserved and the purpose noted. It doesn't require a logistical genius to determine which parking lots may have excess capacity at any given time. All one would have to do is set up a permit system where the Village club wanting to sponsor a bus trip could put in a request for a parking permit and the recreation department could assign a rec center parking lot for that event.

What astounds me by this whole discussion is that those who favor the bus ban do so knowing that their friends and neighbors are the ones who are paying the price by having to jump through hoops because an amenity that they are paying for is being denied them. Whatever happened to the concept of "The Florida's Friendliest Home Town"? It seems to be being replaced by the country's most bureaucratic home town.

My goodness. I wasn't discriminating against anyone !! How would I be discriminating ?? Just making a simple statement ! I also do have some things to base my opinion on. If someone goes into a rec center and something happens, well maybe okay. However, when someone has permission to leave their car somewhere when they are gone and something happens, some people would blame the establishment.
I've seen it happen. It also happened at AAA when someone left their car. It got vandalized while they were on one of the bus trips and they wanted AAA to pay their deductible.
Years ago we went on a cruise. We got the bus at Walmart and decided to leave our van up in the very front of the parking lot. Our van was stolen. You can't believe how many people said I should try to sue Walmart.

I'm sure the lawyers could come up with a release statement associated with the permit to have the bus pick them up that would absolve TV of any liability. Compared with liability issues associated with swimming pools, golf courses and golf cart paths, which TV manges to deal with, parking lots are pretty low on the pecking order.

People seem to forget that rec center parking lots are for people actually using the rec centers. Our fees are not going to guarantee that everyone can do everything they want whenever they want. If people were hired to figure out what parking lot is available for every bus trip, I'd hate to hear the outcry when fees go up to pay for this service. All this whining is giving me a headache. My 4-year-old grandson is now having a tantrum because I wouldn't pick up the car he dropped. Sounds like a perfect future villager.

Not much different than people meeting in a back parking lot to carpool to another destination.

I don't believe I am conflating two different issues. And when parking lots become full and the club member gets what they are paying their amenities fee for, others are denied what their fee is supposed to cover. This is the same issue of going to the square and roping off 20 seats for your friends. This denies others the access to those seats who pay the exact same amenities fee. If the squares and rec centers had lots of excess parking than it could work. They don't so it has the potential to create problems for others.

You are ignoring the issue of having permits. If you are saying that all parking lots are always filled to capacity, then I think there is a little smoke being blown.

It is not even close to the same situation as roping off seats. To bring that up tells us that your mind is made up and to hell with a rational discussion.

Perhaps I missed the document that states what the rec center parking lots are to be restricted to. Could you provide a link to it?

Fees going up to pay for administration of a parking permit? Give me a break.

Well you have your opinion and that's ok. Also, I said she has no control over any of the CDD's, they don't report to her. She is a service provider and manages those that provide, and facilitates those services to the CDD's. She has more of a global view then the individual Districts which, IMO, is what it should be. Which is why the striping issue is where it is.

I also have a problem with buses picking up people for a day trip, or outside bus companies dropping people off at squares, country clubs, etc. People like to go places, and many people don't drive long distances any more. It's fun to go with a group. Where would the best place to leave for a trip?

I estimated there were about 350 parking spots behind the sales office in Brownwood. If the bus pick up is in that parking lot who would benefit?

The sales force and tour speakers who tell the potential buyer[s] about the day trips.
The coffee shops before the trip for the early birds that want to bring coffee and donuts on board,
The restaurants who feed the people after the trip who don't feel like cooking.
And the person who rides the bus and kinda, sorta helped pay for the parking lot maybe a little. [that's a push]

And please show me where I said the parking lots are always filled to capacity???? Never said that. So please do not try to tell me what I am saying. In fact I did say it could work on selective months.

And it is very close to the seat roping issue. It is a select group of people wanting what they want for themselves and disregard the use of common parking lots for others for what they were designed to be used. The more I think about it, it is the exact same issue. And I went back and read all my posts and only saw rational discussion.

This poster, l2ridehd, was being discussed on our lanai this very morning. It was said this guy is one of the wisest and most reasonable people in The Villages.

Agree there has to be someplace a bus can pick people up for a Day Trip. The coffee shops do benefit the restaurants benefit and the resident is going somewhere for a day. The new transportation outfit using the LSL bus stop takes people to the Airport and cars are parked there for days sometimes a week or more. Why is that right that parking lot is packed just about all the time.

WHERE do you who want these bus rides go, that make you feel so intense about it??? A shuttle to the airport is very important I would say and a real need to all who live here.

:clap2::clap2::clap2:

Well said, Gracie. He has posted much helpful information on many topics as well provided some logical analysis and viable solutions for various difficult situations over the years.

Once the snow birds leave The Villages, is parking still an issue? I understand that the high people/car season is January to the end of March. If parking is not an issue for most of the year, then why exclude this activity for the whole year? It just seems to me that the Village government could be more accommodating to Village groups wanting to arrange their bus trips. Is there another concern other than just parking for this banning of outside buses?

Keeping The Villages for Villagers is important.

Did you see the thread I started about Tupperware Parties disallowed at the rec centers? It is the same principle.

If you allow it for one, you allow it for all. What if the gambling casinos were sending buses here hourly?

Clubs take them to Ball Games, Concerts, Universal Studios, St. Pete's Beach, Seafood Festivals, Other Clubs Events, Tampa Downs, Dog Races, Hudson Diner Theater, Capone's Comedy & Diner Show, Tarpon Springs, Strawberry Festival, Football Games, Drive Inn Movie to watch live telecast of Jimmy Buffett Concert, etc.

... to name just a few!

Sorry, I skipped the Tupperware Parties discussion. So, this talk about parking space issues was incorrect and not the true reason for the banning of outside busses. As I am not currently in The Villages, I will write a letter to Ms. Tutt and ask for a clarification on this issue to post on this site.