[Muncle]

Okay, I messed up. This story's 2 years old even tho it's came up on today's web page!!! Never mind.

http://tinyurl.com/2zpla3

200 Villagers want to secede
Residents sign petition to leave development, be part of Lady Lake
Megan Shannon
Staff Writer

Thursday, February 09, 2006


THE VILLAGES — Charlie Harvey and 200 others no longer want to live in The Villages.

A petition has been passed around The Villages of Lady Lake. So far, 200 of Harvey’s neighbors have expressed their desire to secede from The Villages and become citizens exclusive to Lady Lake.

Villages and Lady Lake attorneys say the process is much more difficult than just collecting signatures. According to Bruce Duncan, attorney for the Villages Center Community Development District, the residents might not have control over the succession.

“I will not look into the matter until it heats up,” Duncan said. “It’s a laborious process that definitely takes 120 days or more.”

Town Attorney Derek Schroth said it is up to the district’s board of supervisors to file for contraction, the opposite of annexation. Then Lady Lake must approve it, he said. If the town agrees, the residents vote. He doubts a petition filled with signatures is going to work.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said. “They are already paying Lady Lake taxes but getting Villages service. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Harvey said he plans on speaking with Lady Lake commissioners before the town meeting next week to discuss contraction. He said he is not sure if the people can sway The Villages to let them go.

According to a Villages official, there are about 7,049 residents in The Villages of Lady Lake. This number was calculated by multiplying the number of households per village by 1.9, which is the average number of residents per household in a retirement community.

The Florida Statute concerning center development districts states that contraction requires written consent of all landowners whose land could be deleted from the district. The statute limits the contraction to no more than 50 percent of the land in the initial district. No more than 500 acres should be contracted. The petitioner would also have to pay $1,500 to Lake County and Lady Lake.

According to Lady Lake consultant Sean Parks, the Villages districts within Lady Lake exceeds 500 acres. He said the districts cover approximately 1,000 acres.

Duncan said he does not understand why anyone, particularly in that district, would want to secede from The Villages.

“Those people still get free cable and they pay amenity fees that are considerably lower than what rest of the residents pay,” he said. “All Lady Lake portions are very old districts.”

Residents living in that district pay amenity and maintenance fees to The Villages but also pay Lady Lake taxes. Town Attorney Derek Schroth said things would generally stay the same for Lady Lake’s tax base. It would be The Villages that would lose money in tax revenues.

Harvey said the district gets very little from the district. He said Lady Lake is taking care of the people.

“The thing we say on this side is they do very little for Orange Blossom and unincorporated Lake County,” he said. “They don’t have to do much because Lady Lake takes care of us too.”

Harvey bought land in Orange Blossom Gardens in 1988. He and his wife, Rose, said people used to be much more friendly in The Villages until the growth became overwhelming. Harvey said the original amenity fee was $79 a month for use of the Paradise Center and other recreation centers. He said the fee has been increased to $113 since then. His district still receives free garbage pickup and free golf, he said, but only after fighting for it.

“We went on strike in 1989 when they tried to take away the free golf,” he said. “It was only because we fought that we still have these things.”

Harvey said he and his neighbors are sick of paying for developer debt.

“Our amenities are paying off these bonds,” he said. “We pay for everything they build on the other side of U.S. 27 down to CR. 466 and into Marion County.”

According to Florida Statutes, the petition would have to include which services and facilities are currently provided by the district to the area being removed and the future land uses for the area provided in the future comprehensive plan.

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[samhass]

I sure hope they know what they're doing. BTW, 200 signatures does not constitute a mandate. I wonder how this move would affect their property values. If they intend on aging in place, will they even care? IMHO, I think it's a bad idea for the residents.

[redwitch]

Considering it requires 100% of landowners, I don't see this happening until they find a way to change the law. It really makes no sense and I think they'd lose a lot more than they would gain.

Oh, well, as we know, TV isn't for everyone -- not even for some of those who live here.

[Mikitv]

Am I wrong but doesn't your article state the date as 2006? Is this an update from the original article?

[redwitch]

Good catch mik!

[Muncle]

Originally Posted by mikark

Am I wrong but doesn't your article state the date as 2006? Is this an update from the original article?

That's a good question. I'm going to assume that it is not updated, that it is the original Feb 06 article with nothing added. I will attempt to find any follow-up on this issue, but in the interim, I believe it can safe to again assume that I screwed it up and go really old news and thought it fresh. Mea culpa, :bow: mea culpa, :bow: mea maxima culpa. :bow: :bow: :bow: And yes, I know what "assume" implies.

[Sidney Lanier]

Is this for real? I know April 1st is soon upon us....

[jerseygirl008]

Muncle: Even when you mess up, you are funny. LOL Loved your banner.

[Villages Kahuna]

Let's see, those 200 folks want to secede and stop paying any amenities fees. If there's any bond payments remaining on their houses, they can't avoid that obligation, of course. But what they are saying is that by saving their monthly payment of the $128 amenity fee, they are willing to...

- Forego the use of any of the recreation centers, golf, boccé, pickleball, etc.

- Resign from any of the clubs they might participate in that meet in Villages
facilities.

- Have no complaints when TV maintenance staff stop maintaining the common areas
in their neighborhood, planting seasonal flowers, replacing mulch, etc.

- Not squawk when TV turns out the street lights on their street.

- Form their own volunteer fire department and security force if Lady Lake can't or
won't provide such services to them.

All this for a savings of $128 a month? Were these people NUTS? I can see why this idea has faded into the sunset since the petition was passed in 2006. Maybe they came to their senses.