Originally Posted by NJblue (Post 1047750)

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.

Originally Posted by Bonny (Post 1047760)

My goodness. I wasn't discriminating against anyone. !! 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.

Originally Posted by NJblue (Post 1047757)

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.

Originally Posted by l2ridehd (Post 1047789)

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.

Originally Posted by Buckeyephan (Post 1047781)

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.

Originally Posted by iaudit (Post 1047665)

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.

Originally Posted by NJblue (Post 1047795)

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.

Originally Posted by l2ridehd (Post 1047895)

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.

Originally Posted by tomwed (Post 1047867)

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]

Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 1047897)

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.