[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Well since the genie is now out of the bottle, here are my 2 cents: This is a proposal to LIMIT the complaints to only those who live in the vicinity of the offense while still maintaining an anonymous system. I am sure this suggestion can be improved, but I think it is a start.

The CDDs through the VCDD would use this new procedure.

1. Anyone desiring to file a written, but anonymous complaint would be required to get a form from the VCDD (either online on at the office). Phoned in complaints will no longer be accepted.

2. The complainer would fill out the form, which would include the nature of the complaint, the location of the infraction, and whether it is a serious infraction. Serious infractions would involve, buildings, water flow/drainage, infraction of build lines, permits, etc. Minor infractions would typically be signs, lawn ornaments, pink flamingos, etc.

3. The completed form would need to presented in person, with complainer’s village photo ID to the VCDD. The reason for this is that going forward, only people living in the same village would be allowed to file complaints in that village.

4. There will be a charge to be paid for each complaint filed, cash only. My thought, if the fee is high enough, it will limit the number of complaints, and only the more serious ones will actually be filed.

5. If the review board finds the complaint to be valid, then the existing procedures will be used to get the property into compliance.

This is being present for discussion, please be kind with comments, thank you.

Oh thank you sir for this clarification. I feel much relieved. That is a good idea indeed.

[twoplanekid]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Well since the genie is now out of the bottle, here are my 2 cents: This is a proposal to LIMIT the complaints to only those who live in the vicinity of the offense while still maintaining an anonymous system. I am sure this suggestion can be improved, but I think it is a start.

The CDDs through the VCDD would use this new procedure.

1. Anyone desiring to file a written, but anonymous complaint would be required to get a form from the VCDD (either online on at the office). Phoned in complaints will no longer be accepted.

2. The complainer would fill out the form, which would include the nature of the complaint, the location of the infraction, and whether it is a serious infraction. Serious infractions would involve, buildings, water flow/drainage, infraction of build lines, permits, etc. Minor infractions would typically be signs, lawn ornaments, pink flamingos, etc.

3. The completed form would need to presented in person, with complainer’s village photo ID to the VCDD. The reason for this is that going forward, only people living in the same village would be allowed to file complaints in that village.

4. There will be a charge to be paid for each complaint filed, cash only. My thought, if the fee is high enough, it will limit the number of complaints, and only the more serious ones will actually be filed.

5. If the review board finds the complaint to be valid, then the existing procedures will be used to get the property into compliance.

This is being present for discussion, please be kind with comments, thank you.

It's my understanding of Florida law that everything turned into a local public agency would be very difficult to keep from public view. Thus, the system would not be anonymous. If data (names/addresses) are turned in they can be viewed by the public.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Seems like a needed change.

Friends from an older part of TV said they have heard of two women who ride around the better part of the day looking for houses they can report.

Yet they have never been identified, described or, with all the smartphones, have had their photo taken or published. Urban legend.

[Villageswimmer]

Originally Posted by thelegges

There are pictures out there, most were picked up by outside cameras. More than one resident took cell phone pics as they would do drive by in multiple neighborhoods, with more than 50 complaints in a week. The 90 yo veteran that had to change landscape that had been there many years was a very sad story.

Myths abound.
I don’t believe any of this. Last I heard, the 90 yo veteran was 80. He aged significantly in a couple of weeks.
Some people believe anything.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by tvbound

It's been interesting to follow the various threads on this issue. While I hope our eventual home will comply with all of the required deed restrictions (after all, we will have agreed to doing so when we sign the papers) if it doesn't I would have no problem being told so. As far as who is reporting me, I couldn't care less as I'm either in compliance, or I'm not. Even the police use anonymous tips, to minimize the potential of retribution or payback, and I would think the same reasoning would apply to those reporting a lack of compliance. As I understand it, the non-compliance has to be investigated by a TV representative before action can be taken, so what is the purpose of demanding to know the person who reported it? "Facing your accuser" doesn't apply in this case, since the actual accuser will be the TV rep after they've investigated and I'll know who that is when they contact me.

...and if there's someone you met at a restaurant, who has decided he has a beef with you and finds out where you live -

he can MAKE UP FAKE OFFENSES and submit formal complaints against you, and there's nothing you can do about it, and there's nothing the compliance people can do about it, for as long as he is allowed to do so anonymously.

I've only heard of this happening once. But it has, and can, happen. Pretty sure it was an ex-husband or ex-boyfriend or former best friend, someone who knew the resident and had a falling out with them. They submitted several complaints, spaced apart by a few weeks, bringing the compliance folks over to her house fairly regularly to check out the complaints. They had to, because they had no way of knowing who the person making the complaint was, and had no way of knowing that the person making the complaint wasn't even a Villager.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Velvet

The reason for crime stoppers anonymous is that it is harder to take retribution. Why would you want to intimidate someone who tries to uphold the rules? If their reports are inaccurate nothing is going to happen anyways.

If the anonymous reporting stops I would like it to be replaced by paid regular inspectors to enforce the deed restrictions that we all accepted. There should be a referendum held on this topic. Let us see what the majority of the home owners want.

I would not like to see TV turn into a trailer park.

First off - TV was founded as a trailer park. That's what it was, by definition, when Harold Schwartz built it. The "historic side" still has some of the original single-wides in it, and your snooty attitude toward trailer parks is frankly insulting. Yes there's such a thing as "trailer trash" but the Villages, even the Historic side, is generally not that. And - there are trailer trash who live in the nice areas right now. You can't tell by looking at their pristine lawns, but they are trailer trash from head to heart. You can tell them by how they behave at City Fire after their fourth happy-hour drink.

So can it with the trailer park nonsense.

Second off - MY neighborhood is gorgeous. Unlike the sardine cans that the rest of you call courtyard villa neighborhoods, MY neighborhood allows for us to display some actual personality. No, we are not allowed to put cars up on cinder blocks. No, tacky pink flamingos generally don't end up on lawns. There are very few political flags or signs displayed prominently anywhere. The lawns are in excellent condition, and people take pride in their property.

Third - anonymous reporting doesn't HAVE to mean that Community Standards can't know who's making the complaint. It only means the property being complained about doesn't get told who's making the complaint. Community Standards can still check to make sure that a) the person making the complaint is a Villager and b) the person making the complaint lives in the general vicinity of the property being complained about.

If an e-mail address is provided, then state law requires that the information be made publicly available. But a complainant shouldn't necessarily have to provide that information, or put it in writing. CS simply needs to see an ID, and perhaps mark the complaint with a code so they can identify the complainant, if that person turns out to be a harassing troll rather than a sincerely concerned resident.

[Velvet]

My parents had a house on the historic side for decades (close to Mr Schwartz’ house actually) and I was very happy to visit, but it had to be sold when they died and my children weren’t allowed to live there.

I simply believe that if we buy into the deed restrictions in the first place then we need to live by them. It is more restrictive at Mallory, but I bought there because it was close to Barnes and Nobel.

[Knighterrant]

I fail to understand why the anonymous system causes such animosity and debate. If an owner has violated a rule, what does it matter who the person reporting the violation is or where the person reporting the violation lives. The violator should correct the issue.

People who are unwilling to follow rules are typically the same people who are unwilling to listen to feedback regarding rules - regardless of how reasonable such feedback is presented. I completely understand why most people don’t want to directly confront such people.

And if I read one post correctly, there is a suggestion the person reporting the violation should have to drive somewhere to file the complaint in person and pay a fee! Ridiculous.

Here is a suggestion - if the violation is legitimate, TV should pay the person reporting the violation a fee as a thank you for their time and effort helping our community conform to the rules we agreed to when we purchased our home. TV can recoup the fee from the violator.

Such fees might discourage people from violating the rules in the first place. Less violations results in less reporting. Less reporting, and those mythical “trolls” can retire.

[Jayhawk]

Most of the people who don't like the anonymous reporting system are the very ones who are violating the deed restrictions. I've lived with DR's most of my adult life and have never seen so many who want to break the rules we ALL agreed to when we bought here. Then they complain about the so-called but unverified "trolls" who report them.

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by thelegges

The 90 yo veteran that had to change landscape that had been there many years was a very sad story.

Originally Posted by Villageswimmer

Myths abound.
I don’t believe any of this. Last I heard, the 90 yo veteran was 80. He aged significantly in a couple of weeks.
Some people believe anything.

And whether the alleged veteran was 80 or 90 had he not broken the rules "many years ago" (when he was 60, 70 or 80) he wouldn't have had any problems now. He should be thanked for his service but still have to follow all the rules we do. There is such a large number of vets here would that mean they should all be excluded from any violations?

[Two Bills]

Originally Posted by Jayhawk

So it's ok for backyard sheds and 12 year olds living in The Villages as long as not in your neighborhood?

Nevermind, I see your approving arguments on this in previous posts.

I believe that restriction is the Beloved Leaders responsibilty, not that the rule ever seems to be enforced.

[crash]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I thought this was a developer's rule. How can that be changed?

The developer doesn’t own these properties anymore that is what the cdd is for. The problem here is that is only one district so not all are changing.

[Trishakaye]

Originally Posted by Marathon Man

Yes, yes. It's always someone HEARD about two women. There are about 10,000 people out there wanting to take a picture of them, but it has never happened. Can't take a picture of a myth.

A gentleman in Village of LaBelle took a picture of 2 women in a golf cart with a clip board. The women were taking a second look to see if their complaint about a ceramic turtle had been addressed

[Bay Kid]

Heck, in Virginia our governor has a phone number to turn people in for things they don't like. Being a tatatail is the new norm.

[mcwood4d]

Originally Posted by vintageogauge

Those two women were reported to be working south of 44, they must rent a golf car to make their weekly rounds down here or maybe there are 4 of them. They gotta be getting pretty old by now, maybe they're training new recruits for the southern villages.

I've witnessed this a few times in our village (Dunedin), got out of an suv with Lake County plates and wandered around with clipboard talking among themselves and pointing. I didn't think anything of it at the time. Thought perhaps they were looking for landscape ideas. Did this with my wife while considering driveway coatings.