[forgan]

Has anyone noticed the flowers around circles are looking overgrown and needing replaced? Normally they are replaced before they look bad.

[EdFNJ]

They have recently all been replaced around here (up Morse from 466 to 466A as well as the entry gates into the various "villages") but they aren't "flowers" they are just plants and they look "overgrown" but they are not. It doesn't bother me but my wife doesn't like them because they aren't the colorful "flowers" that she is used to just green stuff. Hopefully they aren't permanently using them (are they perennials?) to save the multiple plantings and replanting.

[Erika]

The flowers add so much to the overall beauty of The Villages. We certainly hope that they continue to use annuals throughout the year.

[big guy]

The plants that were used recently to replace flowers are coleus which are grown for their colorful foliage.

[Topspinmo]

IMO it's matter of opinion what's considered overgrown? I notice just as most flowers mature and in full growth they are jerked out and now have to be water constantly for month in hot season to prevent them from dying?

IMO planting, replacing, and upkeep for flowers in BV or MB road way is waste of money and dangerous. IMO also there are lot of over grown bushes planted too close to entry and exit way. Creating blind spots. IMO Flowers are fine in front of and around villas and around the squares, but not in roadway.

Worker going to get killed on BV or MB constantly attending to useless flowers that planted along roadway. Also IMO planting shrubs higher than two foot before/after side street entry ways creates blind spots which limits you're time to react, IMO cut back in order due to aging population. Now the ova's can flame away.

[Chatbrat]

Talking about blind spots--one of the worst is the plantings on the exit lanes of Walmart @ Buffalo Ridge

[skyking]

It's my understanding that they schedule replanting three times a year now. It used to be four times a year and often it looked like they were replacing the plants just as they were becoming mature. Seems like a good decision.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Chatbrat

Talking about blind spots--one of the worst is the plantings on the exit lanes of Walmart @ Buffalo Ridge

You got that right, what an idiot that done that!

[Buffalo Jim]

If you look closely you will notice that in many areas of The Villages the size of the beds where flowers have been planted for many years has been reduced . This began about 1 year ago .

As you drive along BV , Morris and other major roads you will notice that many areas where flowers were regularly featured are not any more . Instead , ornamental grasses and other plants now occupy those beds .

Now it appears that the flowers will be reduced in other ways by the introduction of the Coleus plants .

Also there are many areas where the plantings were killed by the first last year and early this year which are now barren .
It is beginning to appear that the very vocal minority who complained about the cost of the flowers have won out .

[Gerry P.]

Number one they are not circles but roundabouts.

[ColdNoMore]

I heard that they are looking for ways to save money, so they are reducing the number and types of flower plantings near the roundabouts...so as to fund a fireworks display next 4th of July on Lake Sumter.

[Yung Dum]

The flowers this year do seem to be larger than usual, but not overgrown. What they add to the beauty of The Villages far outweighs the cost of them. Nobody’s suffering because of the cost of the flowers. They are not a waste of money.

[Goldwingnut]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

I heard that they are looking for ways to save money, so they are reducing the number and types of flower plantings near the roundabouts...so as to fund a fireworks display next 4th of July on Lake Sumter.

Having set through multiple budget meetings and workshops this year for several of the numbered (residential) districts, and PWAC, this was never discussed in any of these meetings. Specifically, this would have been covered by the PWAC budget for the Project Wide Fund, and neither the subject of reducing the plantings nor funding fireworks displays was discussed. The multi-year landscape contracts call for 4 bedding plant replacements per year and these contracts have not been modified to reduce the number of plantings.

Additionally, the funding for the landscape maintenance comes from the Project Wide fund which is funded from the annual maintenance assessments received from the numbered districts (included in your annual property tax bill from the county). A fireworks display would be funded by the Recreation Department which is funded by the monthly amenities fees collected. Two separate and independent budgets and funds that do not and cannot mix.

With respect to changing the number of plantings each year - currently 4 - this would be considered a level of service change and would require agreement by all parties to change, this would include the residents, the number districts, and the commercial districts, and since it would impact District 12 the developer would have to agree (they pay the maintenance assessments for all unsold and yet unbuilt properties). Also, due to interlocal government agreements a level of service change would have to be consistent across all areas of The Villages so this would mean all parties north and south of CR466 would have to agree to this change. I don't see it happening.

Fireworks over lake Sumter will not happen because the falling embers from the shells could fall on resident homes (and residents) and represents too large a liability. The lake is simply too small (too narrow) to support a display. Any risks that other communities may take to provide fireworks displays is there decision, The Villages has a lower tolerance for such risk.

The trolls would come out from under their rocks again and complain about how much of their money is being wasted on the displays, how you can see them in neighboring communities for free, the traffic it would cause, how it's too risky, how their little dogs are frightened by the noise, how the embers are polluting the lake, (shall I go on?), and of course the favorite how "the developer" should be paying for this and not the residents.

Your having "heard that they..." is nothing more that a resident wish and not a reality.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by big guy

The plants that were used recently to replace flowers are coleus which are grown for their colorful foliage.

You are right and the flowers or plants are beautiful.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

Having set through multiple budget meetings and workshops this year for several of the numbered (residential) districts, and PWAC, this was never discussed in any of these meetings. Specifically, this would have been covered by the PWAC budget for the Project Wide Fund, and neither the subject of reducing the plantings nor funding fireworks displays was discussed. The multi-year landscape contracts call for 4 bedding plant replacements per year and these contracts have not been modified to reduce the number of plantings.

Additionally, the funding for the landscape maintenance comes from the Project Wide fund which is funded from the annual maintenance assessments received from the numbered districts (included in your annual property tax bill from the county). A fireworks display would be funded by the Recreation Department which is funded by the monthly amenities fees collected. Two separate and independent budgets and funds that do not and cannot mix.

With respect to changing the number of plantings each year - currently 4 - this would be considered a level of service change and would require agreement by all parties to change, this would include the residents, the number districts, and the commercial districts, and since it would impact District 12 the developer would have to agree (they pay the maintenance assessments for all unsold and yet unbuilt properties). Also, due to interlocal government agreements a level of service change would have to be consistent across all areas of The Villages so this would mean all parties north and south of CR466 would have to agree to this change. I don't see it happening.

Fireworks over lake Sumter will not happen because the falling embers from the shells could fall on resident homes (and residents) and represents too large a liability. The lake is simply too small (too narrow) to support a display. Any risks that other communities may take to provide fireworks displays is there decision, The Villages has a lower tolerance for such risk.

The trolls would come out from under their rocks again and complain about how much of their money is being wasted on the displays, how you can see them in neighboring communities for free, the traffic it would cause, how it's too risky, how their little dogs are frightened by the noise, how the embers are polluting the lake, (shall I go on?), and of course the favorite how "the developer" should be paying for this and not the residents.

Your having "heard that they..." is nothing more that a resident wish and not a reality.

Thank you for ANOTHER sane, thoughtful, logical and enlightening post.

Your fan,
Grace Helene Gantner