I have never used this path and therefore, have no dog in this race - but, commonsense tells me this has to be a legal/liability issue. I do not believe the legal department would have done this without a good reason, and I also do not believe this was done maliciously, but I do believe it was done in the typical legal manner without giving much thought to those who genuinely need access to this path.

It could well be that the "family" only learned of this problem when people came forward and rallied in SS.

It is a pity that the "family" do not have a contact who could be told of these happenings before they become a major problem - although, on rethinking this, didn't someone approach Janet Tutt? Maybe she is the one responsible for getting this problem resolved.

How very clever. The Villages has managed to get out of a awkward situation while saving face and boosting one of their organizations, I don't care how it was done, but congratulations to all.

Wasn't this the case when the gate was first built? I only know what I've read here and that is that Harold Schwartz built the gate and residents had to use a card to open it. Someone sued and the Villages lost the case because they were limiting access to a public road.
Didn't I just read that in one of these 700 plus posts? And isn't that what is being suggested here?

I was thinking the same thing. Someone will remember what happened to the original gate and hopefully post.

The story reads:

VHA president proposes solution to golf car issue
STAFF REPORT

THE VILLAGES - Villages Homeowners Association President Bill Gottschalk accounted Tuesday a possible solution to the issue of golf cars entering and exiting the community across private property on Paradise Drive.

The VHA proposal, which Gottschalk plans to present to the Amenity Authority Committee, calls for the developer to donate to the district government the home site on Paradise Drive, which had previously been utilized as a golf car path. As a condition of that donation, the district would build and maintain a gate that would allow access to Villages residents only.

According to Gottschalk, the VHA-proposed solution is a compromised reached after hearing the various concerns of residents and meeting with both the district and the developer.

"We found that all of us-district, developer and residents-shared similar concerns about both security and convenience," he said. "Previously, at this particular location, nonresidents had unfettered access, allowing them to travel in and out of our community and utilize our facilities, paid for and maintained by Villages residents.

"At the same time, we all recognize the desire of many Villagers to access certain convenient serves, particularly medical services, like the urgent care center. In addition to these issues, the developer had a liability concern with all these golf carts passing back and forth across private property. We believe our proposed compromise balances all of these concerns and gives Villages residents both added security and greater access to needed services."

Gottschalk said the compromise is consistent with the philosophy of the Vllages Homeowners Association, which is to e an effective advocate for the residents and to work constructively with the community partners like the district and the developer to solve problems.

"We have a regular and constructive dialogue withe both, which enables us to do more than complain, but rather to actually get things domes that benefit our residents and our community." he said. "Personally, I appreciate how everyone was willing to come together to work on this issue and that the VHA could be the catalyst for this resolution."

- from 08/14 edition of The Daily Sun

Today's article gives praise to the VHA for working with the Developer on a solution. No back story on who put the wall up, why, or the timing. No apologies for the disruption, lack of forethought, etc.

I am still wondering if the action isn't tied to the Developer's desire to add on to TV inside the Fruitland Park town limits. If you read the report of the meeting Monday night with the town commission, TV's reps made a big deal about Fruitland residents not being able to have golf cart access thru the "new" Villages neighborhoods to get to Colony shopping center and points beyond within TV. So, to ward off a rebuttal from Fruitland that there is already a precedent between TV and Stonecrest at the "hole in the wall", they put up a wall blocking off external access just 2 days before the Fruitland meeting.

The solution, with gated access restricted to Villages residents, will satisfy the vast majority of the folks affected by this action. Stonecrest/Spruce Creek folks are shut out. It will no doubt require Villagers with golf carts to have a gate access card in their cart. I can't imagine you would be able to push a button to get through the gate. I also wonder if there will be an issue with Lady Lake about putting up a controlled gate.

It's a workable solution to a problem that was very poorly handled. Will we ever hear the real story behind it all?

Oh, the gate arm was broken and replaced and broken again like so many gates. They finally gave up. I am sure the new one will be sturdy.

It is my understanding that originally TV was an actual gated community, not a community with gates like we are now. Because federal monies are used for the cart paths, they can't block access into and out of TV.

Federal money was used for cart paths? Does John Boehner know about this? ;)

It was discussed here on TOTV once a long time ago. Do you remember, Gracie? Something about federal monies and/or emergency evacuation routes maybe? I can't remember.

I found it interesting that there is also an article in today's paper about possible fines for golf carts driving on the grass along side of 441. I remember when Paradise Lake flooded over the cart path (10 years ago?) and we were allowed to drive right next to hwy 441 on the grass until they built a bridge over that part of the lake. The bridge has now been removed.

If memory serves me right, there was a rope along the side of the road to keep cars and carts mixing it up on 441.
Wondering, how come we could drive next to the highway then but not now? BTW there is a way around that part of the lake without ever leaving The Villages.

I agree, the Fruitland Park situation may have been the reason for the wall, I guess we will never know for sure. I think if that is the case, you may find other open areas in the Villages now to be restricted as well.

Now we have to hope that the land owners beyond the gate still allow the access through their properties. I hope all is resolved so that those residents which use the doctor's offices and such can get back to the access they require.:coolsmiley:

I am waiting for the big debate and all the posts, to decide what the color of the gate.......should be..........or was painted the wrong color.
If you pray for rain and it rains.......don't bitch!

The Villages was more of a gated community when I moved here in 2000. You either had to have a card to enter a gate or you had to enter at a guard station.

This changed when they started building south of 466 and Sumter County balked at maintaining the roads if they had limited access. So the developer and SC reached an agreement that the county would maintain the roads and the gates could be opened by anyone at the touch of a button.

I would guess that it was because the flooding was considered a temporary situation and a temporary solution was put in place by the town. In case it looked like the wall would be permanent and the town made no temporary provision for going around it. There were no ropes put into place nor any signs directing people where to go.
Had this situation not been solved, we certainly could have petitioned the town to allow golf carts in that area. In fact, now that we know a gate will be installed, we could petition the town to allow us to temporarily allow carts in that area.