Gracie I am with you on this subject. Deed restrictions are there to protect everyone's investment as well as to attempt to provide a way to determine what is acceptable vs. unacceptable without bringing tastes, personalities, or just plain old common sense (or lack thereof) into the equation. These restrictions were there when each of us purchased our homes and like it or not we agreed to abide by them. Those who now wish to pick and choose which parts of the restrictions they will comply with and ignore the rest are the one's creating the problems, not the person who turns them in. I would be willing to bet that the majority of the rules infractions are simply due to oversight or, in my case at least, a failing memory when it comes to understanding and remembering the specifics of the restrictive covenants. A simple reminder or better yet a question properly phrased by a neighbor would go a long way toward eliminating any embarrassment or ill feelings on the part of the violator. If that does not work or if they choose to continue to ignore their responsibilities as a property owner after being told of a possible infraction they cannot shoot the messenger just because they do not like the message.

Some folks prefer to avoid confrontation at all costs and reporting an infraction anonymously gives them a voice. On the other hand, some people do not know how to address these types of situations in a non confrontational way and using a third party in these instances is probably a win win for both sides. Making action by the Villages Compliance Officers dependent upon a complaint being filed also keeps matters in check for those who wish to complain about the big, bad developer taking advantage of us poor old folks just wanting to live in peace and harmony.

The bottom line is this. The deed restrictions exist and ignorance does not give anyone the green light to ignore them and do as they please. Want to get along with your neighbors? Follow the rules! Simple but effective.

Amen!!

Not if I get there first.:D

If you want to catch evil spirits, call Ghostbusters. Please leave your empty bottles in the recycling bag. On the other hand, it might make good target practice for the "seniors with guns"

Look at all the posts and fun we have had with this!

BTW....a guide to the present moment ebook is a free download on google docs.....says a lot in regards to posts like this...entertaining too!

Well stated!!

Deed Restrictions
 

I am one the "Buttonwood Islanders" reported! I am not trying to evade compliance! I have been struggling with my lawn for over 4 years since I moved in. Most of the sod has never taken.I have talked to the Villages 3 times in 4 years. The first 2 years they said "water more" amd my water bills were high. I have used 3 lawn treatment companies in 4 years. The second one "fired me" last Aug. because he didn't want to put his sign on my lousy lawn. He said I didn't water enough but my water bills were high and I kept getting those letters from the water authority about overuse. I wrote the Villages Warranty Office again in Nov. 2014 outlining my 4 year struggle. A man came and agreed my lawn was bad. I asked that the Villages pay for a re-sod but all he could offer was getting a good price from one of their companies. The company came but the "good price" and what that provided me was not acceptable. Since Dec, I am working with my 3rd lawn care company. I have had the sprinkler system checked - it is ok. They have checked the soil - there is minimal to no soil on the areas where the weeds have taken over the lawn. I am embarrassed - at my wits end.

Doesn't this prove there are always 2 sides to a conflict? So sorry for all the trouble you've been having. Sounds like you've bent over backwards to improve that lawn. Have you tried calling the Sumter County Extension Service? 352-569-6864. They're very helpful and experts in turf management.

That's who I would recommend you call. I'm in no way a gardner but I think you have a soil problem. Maybe a chemical imbalance?

Right. Then the meanest, rottenest person could do whatever the hell he wanted to do because everyone would be afraid of retaliation.
My question is... if you had found out who complained what did you plan to do about it?

expensive fix?
 

sounds like a lot of people have examined the lawn and offered solutions although they might turn out expensive. Resodding can be, but if you have a lousy soil base to lay it on you might have the same problems. I am surprised there isn't a knowledgeable person in the county ag department that can't offer solutions.

Exactly my question. The possible scenarios are scary. :shocked:
A reported resident could become very belligerent and threatening, even dangerous.
Much better to have the process remain anonymous.

Well, I might take my plastic pink flamingo and sneak it onto their lawn after dark and then call compliance to lodge a complaint.

beer social followed by a pee party on the lawn.....just remember to not spell your own name....

"..chemical imbalance?" After reading some of the posts on here, I could see a bit of "chemical imbalance." :loco::loco::loco::pepper2:

Not the soil.:1rotfl:

Thank goodness for my neighborhood. I observe a lot of violations, but nothing that I would see that I would call offensive. Of course, it appears that we have more TOLERANCE than some of the posters above and residents in other neighborhoods. I had thought of buying a larger place with a larger garage, but now I see how nice our neighborhood is. Gotta love it when folks say "well, rules are rules" and then break traffic laws every day. Oh, that must be different, right? I don't cast labels of hypocrite because I have glass windows too. Gotta love this American "tolerance" that only seems to exist when it conveniently works for you. Like I said before and I reiterate, in this instance if the complainant has gone around the area making over 30 complaints, then that person most likely is not doing it to better her neighborhood, but to further an agenda or is being vindictive. So much for The Villages being "the friendliest hometown in America." But, this is just my opinion, and I do respect other opinions, even if I don't totally agree. Like the saying goes "good fences make good neighbors" or something like that. I like to modify that to say "high fences make good neighbors. That's why I live in a courtyard villa.
I'll close with two words: Tolerate and condone. There are things that many of us don't condone, but yet we tolerate. Some folks can't condone something and they refuse/won't tolerate it.

all you intolerant unfriendly people out there, you weren't just labeled, you just live in the 'wrong' neighborhood. in my neighborhood we don't need to feel better by putting other areas down....just saying.
One thing I don't tolerate is people who don't follow deed restrictions turning the beautiful place I bought into a crap hole...

And then, some folks violate the deed restrictions and make a neighborhood better than it was. Of course, I can understand how that would upset some folks also. After all, who wants someone INCREASING the home value in the neighborhoods, right? In our neighborhood, we can't install pavers on our driveway. If someone broke that rule and put pavers in and it looked good, then everyone else would want them. Just an example. Everyone has different tastes. You know what they say about opinions right? But, this was not about deed restrictions, was it? It was about one person going around a neighborhood, writing 30 or more complaints. Someone with nothing better to do. Some very unhappy person with an agenda. Of course, there are probably many on here that would not need deed restrictions to make their home conform to community standards. Then also, there are those on here that NEED a sense of regime. You WILL conform or be assimilated...:rolleyes: I don't "condone" one's breaking some of the rules, but I do "tolerate" it in most cases. I have yet to see a bad neighborhood, so apparently most violations are subtle in nature. Since I have not yet endured a complaint I can't really empathize with the poster, but I can sympathize with her. She obviously should have known better than to look for that by sounding off with her frustration on here. But, I bet she does know now, that "rules are rules."

Wow! There's actually a CDD in TV that does not allow driveway pavers as part of their deed restrictions?? Would never have guessed that from just randomly driving around. Seems to be a common practice almost everywhere I've seen. Could you share which CDD has that restriction??

The patio villas used to not be able to put in pavers. Now they can because my girlfriend got them.

Sure, the courtyard villas up North do not allow pavers. Not that I particularly care, but I do think they look nice. We even have restrictions, which were just recently modified to allow us to paint our driveways....but only a certain color. That will probably be amended once they take into consideration that the color palette for the homes was changed from one color to four. I understand but cannot confirm that they are going to allow different colors for roof tile also. Wow, I sure hope these changes don't lower the value of my property...:rant-rave:

Oh, that's the reason I may not have noticed the difference. Don't spend enough time travelling thru the Villas neighborhoods I guess. You're probably right about the colors for driveways, though. Now that the palette for the homes has changed, it makes sense that the other palettes for drives and roofs will as well. Thanks for the explanation, too! :)

I know what you mean. It seems that CYV's are situated like mini forts. Some have only one way in and are like little islands with walls surrounding them. I enjoy riding through neighborhoods to see the differences in landscaping and whatnot, but usually avoid wandering through the courtyards. They're kind of boring anyway. Just my opinion, of course.

I would like to know if the complaint came from a Villager or a landscape contractor looking for business.

I remember Gibran writing,
"You delight in laying down laws, yet delight more in breaking them.
Like children playing by the ocean who build sand towers with constancy and then destroy them with laughter. But while you build your sand towers the ocean brings more sand to the shore, And when you destroy them the ocean laughs with you. Verily the ocean laughs always with the innocent.
But what of those to whom life is not a ocean, and man made laws are not sand towers, But to whom life is a rock, and the law a chisel with which they would carve it in their own image? What of the cripple who hates dancers? What of the ocean who loves his yoke and deems the deer and elk of the forest stray and vagrant things? What of the serpent that cannot shed his skin, and calls all others naked and shameless? And what of him who comes early to the wedding feast, and when over fed and tired goes his way saying that all feasts are violation and all feasters lawbreakers?"
They stand in the sunlight but with their backs to the sun.

The Villages is not going to ruin with an empty flower pot or other minor offense but it is a major offense inSOME people's eyes. Rules and laws can be and are changed as needed and slights are just that little slights. Let's live and enjoy our retirement.

I recently returned to my home here after a 3 month absence and learned that my sprinkler system had not been operating properly. I fixed the system and when the weather permits I will rake up the dead matter and throw some top soil down. I would hope some idiot doesn't try to make an issue since my front lawn looks bad. If so, I would really want to have a discussion with the person. Some folks just can't mind their own damn business.

So your neighbors had to live with dead grass for three months because you had no one looking over your house, and you don't consider this anything to complain about?

It's not a case of minding your own damn business. It's a case of making sure your property doesn't drag the neighborhood down or the "idiots" don't have to put up with an ugly blight for however long you choose to be away. You signed up for that responsibility when you bought your house.

On the nose.

So much for tolerance and understanding. I love my village where it is friendly and helpful. We look after one another and forgiving when someone is unknowingly amiss. If it became intolerant and mean spirited, we would have to move. Life is short and how many years have we left? Even with someone watching our home, at times things happen and we don't know until we return a few weeks later. It's usually small but thank heaven, we don't have to return to harshness instead of eager helpfulness.

Yours is exactly why non-full timers should have a professional oversee their property when they are absent. You could have been emailed about the situation and given permission to fix the system - before your yard died off.

It is a neighbor's business when a yard on the block has died off or has been overgrown with tall weeds, etc.

We all signed our covenants when we moved in.

We have choices. We don't just leave and let our yards go to pot. We are adults and have lived long enough to know that if our yards aren't taken care of by somebody, they won't look nice very long.


To choose not to keep up our homes is not what most of us are about. If that person who let his lawn go when he was gone lived there full time, I am pretty sure he would be annoyed to see this neglect from others.


If we cannot afford to live here and see that our property is maintained by someone while we are gone, it is just selfish to buy here. We aren't living alone. We do have responsibility to the community. We signed that we would be compliant. Unknowingly is one thing and uncaringly is another. We all know that we must maintain our properties when we are gone.

Tolerance and understanding go hand in hand with responsibility and respect for others.

If I had read this thread before purchasing here, there is a good chance I would have said no way.

. What about this thread is a surprise?

This is what I hear:
I don't hear much "do as you please". I hear a lot of "sorry, I'll fix it immediately but please don't beat up on me or others"'. I hear some coming to their rescue to explain and I hear hard liners. Then I hear anger on both sides.....no one hearing what the other is saying.

IMHO, the people are few and far between that have a mess at their residence, some of them banks. I think the real mess makers are not reading this. They don't care. The majority by far are either looking for tolerant harmony over inconsequential things or those ready to pounce on any minor issue and mistake the don't make waves over nothing people as standing up for the mess makers.

Actually, there would be more tolerance toward a person who kept their property under observation by a professional when they leave for three months and didn't refer to his neighbors as idiots.

I agree and words like idiots and so forth are angry words. Yet, he did say he was getting right at it not being irresponsible, just angry albeit no one was watching his place. He was gone 3 months, not three months of dead grass and no mention of tall grass and weeds, just dead grass because the sprinklers quit for it seems at least two weeks. I'm not justifying anyone just being an active listener.

I relate this to my neighbor who had a home watcher but her lawn still went brown due to this summers heat in a new section of TV. I phoned her to let her know we were watering her plants and trees and to call the home watch for not upping sprinkler time as the max was not good enough. The area is new so there are few trees for shade and many lawns were beginning to look like the Gobi Desert....like a few golf courses. Things happen. We do our best and fix all we can. If our best isn't good enough or if friendly neighbors become hostile...what's left but to move.

My biggest complaint about your post was being called intolerant for being irritated over someone calling others idiots before they even complained.

I stand by the rest of it because nowhere is it said that the sprinklers were only failing for two weeks. All I "heard" out of that post when actively listening was arrogance and anger over something that was entirely the poster's responsibility to the neighborhood.