[slipcovers]

Originally Posted by Harry Gilbert

So does that mean I also cannot use the State owned beaches in Florida if I am not a Florida resident? Or the boardwalks at the jersey shore since I dont live in those towns and do not pay their taxes?

You can use the beaches in Florida, however, you must pay a parking or entrance fee. You can not park on any street on Cape Cod and you need a resident sticker for beach parking lots. These fees go toward maintaining the beaches, seawall, cleanup, etc.

[Irish Rover]

I don't have a dog in this fight since I only lease there every year (14) BUT...... I always see posts about people who retire there and sell their cars in favor of a golf cart. Maybe Stonecrest people do the same thing. Don't mess with the Vets!!!! AND loosen up, you're supposed to be living in Paradise.

[TheVillageChicken]

All this veterans rights, holding ponds, denial of access to the elderly is smoke screen. The Stonecrest advocates are trying to use a trumped up moral/fairness rationale. Motive aside, the developer is clearly viewing this as a legal issue and holds the high ground and all the horsepower. Calling in some minor league former polititian to battle the immense clout of the developer is actually laughable. The gate will stay. The debate will have a long life, but the gate will stay.

[njbchbum]

Originally Posted by Harry Gilbert

So does that mean I also cannot use the State owned beaches in Florida if I am not a Florida resident? Or the boardwalks at the jersey shore since I dont live in those towns and do not pay their taxes?

You got great answers from graciegirl and slipcovers, so I will just add this...

Once again - the taxes that are paid by local residents outside of the Villages DO NOT go toward supporting the MMPs within the Villages. Those who pay the assessment within each CDD DO pay for the MMP and are entitled to use them.

If the state of Florida and the owners of the NJ boardwalks determine to permit folks to use those facilities without charge - sobeit - you are free to use them. But you can bet that there will be rules and parameters for their use - nothing comes without an obligation. And the obligation atached to the use of MMPs in the Villages is the payment of an assessment for that usage.

[mickey100]

Originally Posted by slipcovers

You can use the beaches in Florida, however, you must pay a parking or entrance fee. You can not park on any street on Cape Cod and you need a resident sticker for beach parking lots. These fees go toward maintaining the beaches, seawall, cleanup, etc.

If you are a senior, you can access the National Seashores or national parks for that matter, for free, with the Golden Age pass. The Cape Canaveral national seashore is a beautiful area. There are many areas where you can access local beaches in Florida without any fee, or maybe just paying a parking meter like the locals do.

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by slipcovers

You can use the beaches in Florida, however, you must pay a parking or entrance fee. You can not park on any street on Cape Cod and you need a resident sticker for beach parking lots. These fees go toward maintaining the beaches, seawall, cleanup, etc.

There are no entrance fees to 99% of the beaches in Florida. Take a trip to Pinellas county and see beach entryways every block. Of course, if you want to drive, you will have to put money in the meter for parking the car not for using the beach. You are free to take the bus, bike, or walk and pay no money.

[DaleMN]

Incredible.

[Steve9930]

Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa

Peachtree City, Georgia, (the correct name) sounds like a really nice place. A little too far North for my taste, but it looks like a nice town.

Interesting comparison with The Villages, however.

Peachtree City has 90 miles of golf cart paths for a population of under 35,000 people.

The Villages has around 100 miles of multi-modal paths for a population of around 100,000 people.

Perhaps that demonstrates one rationale for not wanting to add more folks to our paths.

This is particularly in light of the February 2003 Golf Digest Magazine article about the traffic congestion caused by Peachtree City's golf carts in an article entitled "Golf Cart Gridlock".

But, again, what is really relevant is that a person who wants The Villages' lifestyle should buy a home in The Villages.

It's really that simple.

Carl, Always good to hear you chirp in on the conversation. Thanks for correcting the Peach Tree vs Peachtree. Yes it looks interesting up there in Georgia. I want to go up there and take a look one of these days. There have been some good points brought out in this thread and then there is always the garbage.

I live in Stonecrest and to set the record straight as I'm pretty tired of people putting words in my mouth. I really don't care if I have Golf Cart access to the Villages. I've been in the area for over 10 years and if I used my fingers and toes to count the number of times I used the gate when it was open I'd still have some left to continue the count. Its far easier to use a car and if I wanted to drive over using a cart I'd get a street legal cart. This comment wasn't for you Carl it was for someone else that keeps trying to tell me how I feel about this whole mess.

The fact of the matter in this discussion is you do not need the gate back open to use the paths in the Villages. All it takes is a street legal vehicle. You can convert a Golf Cart to street legal for around $1500 if you do the work yourself. Insurance runs about $140 per year. Once you do that all the paths to the villages are open for your use. Those people that wanted access have already made such a conversion either by doing the work or buying a new cart. Personally I do not know why they keep bringing up this point with the Village Management as they will never reopen the gate because that means access up at Fruitland Park which is one of the reasons this all started in the first place. Its also far more cost effective to use your car then pay all that money to get a street legal cart.

The additional traffic you may see now is from Spruce Creek as the crossing over 441 is now open. This however in my opinion is going to continue this battle as they now have precedence for crossing 441. I'm sure a point that will be made with the state authorities which are the ultimate authority in granting any crossing because 441 is a state highway. They make the final decision in the end as to yes or no for a crossing. They do petition the local authorities for their comments which has a great deal of influence. A fact I learned when I was helping to get the crossing up at Spruce Creek several years ago. Got frustrated with Tallahassee and gave up . Although it would be nice to be able to cross over at the Hospital via cart. There is a cross walk there I believe and a buss that is supposed to transfer people across on a regular basis. So there is a way to get across to the facilities if you have a doctor there. For the life of me I do not see why you would want to run a very slow vehicle all the way through the villages to the VA Facility. What a long uncomfortable ride. If I could not drive I'd call a cab. I would have to agree with the folks that see more here then what was said.

To those that throw the stones about using private property remember you do that every time you go to Wal-Mart, Aldi's, Lowes, or Cracker Barrel. You use Mr. Browns property to do so on 441. So you are just as guilty as those you accuse. Enough said there.

So I don't know why everyone is making such a fuss. One the gate is never going to be reopened, two the chance of the state allowing a Golf Cart crossing at the Hospital is maybe 50/50, and three if you want to ride around in the villages without living there buy a street legal golf cart or you can rent one at Spanish Springs for the day at a very reasonable price.

There is very little of a positive nature that ever comes up when some one starts one of these threads on Village Outside Access.

[slipcovers]

Originally Posted by slipcovers

You can use the beaches in Florida, however, you must pay a parking or entrance fee. You can not park on any street on Cape Cod and you need a resident sticker for beach parking lots. These fees go toward maintaining the beaches, seawall, cleanup, etc.

Originally Posted by mickey100

If you are a senior, you can access the National Seashores or national parks for that matter, for free, with the Golden Age pass. The Cape Canaveral national seashore is a beautiful area. There are many areas where you can access local beaches in Florida without any fee, or maybe just paying a parking meter like the locals do.

Yes, You can use the beaches in Florida, just like I posted, BUT you must pay the parking meter, several dollars if you intend to stay all day, the available spaces are hard to find in Winter months. The locals have a resident sticker, more available spaces designated for them.

National parks are funded by the government. A fee is a fee, tolls, entrance or parking meters. Whatever. I live in a coast town with miles of beach, anyone can go and enjoy them, however, they cant park without a resident sticker.

[Erijo]

Where do street legal carts go? On the regular road or on the MMP? If it is on the road, why not just use your car? All of this "discussion" would be avoided.

[justjim]

Originally Posted by Erijo

Where do street legal carts go? On the regular road or on the MMP? If it is on the road, why not just use your car? All of this "discussion" would be avoided.

Street Legals are allowed on roads that are posted 35mph or less. Once in TV a street legal can access any trail. There are several TV residents that have street legal carts and, of course, others outside of TV too.

They only suppose to travel 25mph. Regular golf cart 20mph.

Street Legal Golf Carts became more popular when a tax break was offered as an incentive to purchase during the so called "stimulus program" of 2009.

[mickey100]

Originally Posted by slipcovers

Yes, You can use the beaches in Florida, just like I posted, BUT you must pay the parking meter, several dollars if you intend to stay all day, the available spaces are hard to find in Winter months. The locals have a resident sticker, more available spaces designated for them.

National parks are funded by the government. A fee is a fee, tolls, entrance or parking meters. Whatever. I live in a coast town with miles of beach, anyone can go and enjoy them, however, they cant park without a resident sticker.

No disrespect, but just because you buy a resident sticker up where you live, doesn't mean that's the way its done in the majority of places in Florida. We got to the beach at least once a month down here, often during the winter high season, and we've never had to pay parking. Just saying.

[Steve9930]

Originally Posted by justjim

Street Legals are allowed on roads that are posted 35mph or less. Once in TV a street legal can access any trail. There are several TV residents that have street legal carts and, of course, others outside of TV too.

They only suppose to travel 25mph. Regular golf cart 20mph.

Street Legal Golf Carts became more popular when a tax break was offered as an incentive to purchase during the so called "stimulus program" of 2009.

They may also cross roads where an intersecting road posted at 35 MPH or less crosses a road with a posted speed limit greater than 35 MPH. Some of the Parcars that are street legal versions have a switch you can turn on that reduces the top speed when you are on say one of the paths. There are a lot of street legal carts that travel faster then 25 MPH. They therefore can cross over to get to Home Depot, Sams, and Rolling Acres. It really is not that difficult to change a Golf Cart into a Street Legal.

[ricthemic]

Has anyone ever considered snowbird stonecrest owners/renters with their out of state IDs and Village friends/relatives that provide them with village guest passes which allows them access to to unlimited pickle ball, unlimited cheap executive golf, rec center activities etc with their golf carts. Another reason to have the gate and regulate the sale of gate cards