Gracie, allow me to go on record here that if the Town of Lady Lake rules and approves a restricted access gate, I will accept it and move on. And I won't go back on my word either.

because their community was built with developer funding and not public dollars - and the ownership there pays for the maintenance of same, not the county.

Paradise Dr is in Lake County. So were bonds used to build the roads?

You were trespassing. Stonecrest is a totally owned by the Developer and the residents. It is not a CDD. Your not the Villager that broke they gate are you? We've had people ramming the gate with their cart. To access Stonecrest legally you go to the front gate and get a gate pass.

Tax Free Municipal Bonds were used to build the transportation system and infrastructure of the Villages. About $427 million starting in 1998.

...........

And just to follow up on NJ's comment, even though our roads are private, our by-laws mandate that we allow public access via car or cart to anyone that wants to use the golf course, clubhouse, and restaurant in Stonecrest. I have no problem with that as it would be disingenuous of me to say otherwise.

Unfair accusation IMHO

Where is the accusation? I asked a legitimate question to a legitimate problem that has occurred.

boyhowdy

Any news from the big meeting yet? No text messages or phone calls?

Fruitland Park negotiations
 

Several folks have mentioned that the timing of The Wall might have something to do with the negotiations with Fruitland Park. I know that the developer does not want outside business (not owned by the developer) to have golf cart access to the outside businesses. Outside business owners did not pay for the paths therefore why should they benefit from them and take business away from the developers businesses. This makes sense to me. However, the stealth of The Wall, no advanced notice, no explanation, no respect for village residents leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Do you think that this tactic will do more harm than good in the negotiations with Fuitland Park? Would you want to do business with someone like this?

FYI = Paradise Dr was built long before 1998. Most houses on this street are from the 70's and 80's. I have no idea what funds built these roads but doesn't seem likely that 1998 bonds were used.

You claimed he/she was a trespasser even though he said it was an accident, among other things. Calling someone a trespasser is accusing one of a crime, which in my book is very serious.

Rusty, you are correct, no bonds were used for the villages on the east side of 441. But they did have the amenity clause built in to their purchase agreement which you can see in the Orange Blossom declarations that I transposed and posted in the Nuts and Bolts section several years ago.

At some point, transfer of the rights to collect the amenity funds were transferred to the VCCDD. But I don't know all the ins and outs of that.

They followed a cart into a private residents though a gate marked for residents only. How is that not trespassing?

That's correct, no one but the attorneys and powers that be know "all the in and outs" of the situation, and we should all just try to act as reasonable adults and let the legal and civic system work its magic to solve this mess.

I am currently out of The Villages and enjoying life in the cool mountain air. Can't tell you what a different perspective you get on this thread when you are not in the bubble. It just sounds ridiculous that people from one community are arguing with people from another community that might ride on their golf cart paths. Really??? What is the big deal. Why is everyone so hostile to the "other side".

The issue is with the developer, not each other. Go united to the meeting and say there should be open access and for goodness sakes don't go in there fighting like a bunch of school children about "mine is bigger than yours".

Can't wait to hear what happened in the meeting - I bet it was a shouting match and out of control. You really need to step outside of the bubble to realize how silly this all is and it is seriously making me wonder if I want to continue to live in this community.

But where is the fun in that......;-)

All factual posts.

I Love the Villages !!!!

Could not be happier that you do.

ANYONE (meaning NON VILLAGES RESIDENTS) of legal age can rent a golf cart from one of the Villages Golf Cart locations. The new "thing to do" is to go bar hopping in the Villages. My dental hygienist was telling me that for her 21st birthday a group of about 30 friends rented carts and spent the night bar hopping from square to square. They felt this was "safer" than driving!

Wall or no wall.....access to the cart paths is greater than you realize....

So you expect hundreds of trashers coming into the Villages ?? As to the trails going to Walmart, I think it safe to say that the vast majority of those using that pathare Villagers. Stone Crest residents are not going to like the inference that they are excessive trashers.

Hey I like trashy. I drink my beer from a mason jar and pick my teeth with a match book cover, and I like my Beechnut.

There are no legal paths between Stonecrest and the Villages. The land owner has graciously allowed golf carts to run across his property since I got here in 2004. So there was nothing to trash because this was nothing more then undeveloped land. Once the new ALC is completed, they have graciously put in a paved path in front of their facilities. The only unpaved section is where Stonecrest and the Villages have been trespassing across Duke energy Property. However when Duke Energy tried to close the route off there was such and uproar that they backed off. There are now negotiations between Wal-Mart and Duke Energy concerning that little stretch of illegal dirt road. Hopefully in the end it will be improved so its paved all the way to the Villages. I just can't wait.

2 hours into this meeting and no news?

Don't you see the total picture. The Morse family did not build the Villages retirement community because they wanted to be nice guys. Everything they did was done to sell homes and make money. Of course we love the village's life, that is exactly why people move here, But, people moving here sells homes and selling homes makes lots of money. Has the Developer ever followed the example of Del Webb communities and donated anything to the residents.

All the amenities that exist in Stonecrest were purchased and developed with the developers money and then turned over to the residents. Just shows the development business can be very lucrative. Just think how much more money you can make if you build it with bonds and then make the residents pay off the bond.

Yes, they drove their cars to one of the Villages Golf Cart locations, parked the cars, and took the multi-modal trails between the squares. Probably safer than driving since after 9 pm, the multi-modal trails are virtually traffic-free and the only thing they would hit might be a tree and not a car. Of course, the Villages Carts would be closed after 9. Would they just leave the cart at the back door of the Villages Carts store?

Steve it really won't do any good to argue this point. Over the past fifteen years we, Stonecrest and TV residents alike have been guilty of treaspassing on others properties.

It's better to focus on the issue at hand. Whether or not there is a right of way for all golf carts at the disputed property.

I know Ed. But I got tired of reading how those Stonecrest residents destroyed the gate. You saw how quickly I got rebuffed. I guess its ok to point fingers but boy if you put the shoe on the other foot your a scum ball. Enough said about this point.

The meeting has been running now for some time I'm surprised there has been no news. Maybe there are no survivors, I'm sure its a tad lively in there.

There will be a gate. See breaking news on **************.com

Thanks, EdV....this has gotten heated enough without calling each other criminals. I for one await the news also.

The meeting is over and there will be a gate.

Breaking news on

**************.com

Surely you didn't take his comment as being serious??? IT WAS HUMOR !!!!!

I don't that it's considered trespassing if he owner of the property allows you to do it.

And true to my word I will accept it. It's been an interesting ride for the past five years, but it's time to move on.

I bid all of you my best.

EdV

After what the United States has been through with mass shootings these past few years, I can't find any humor at all, Warren. Suggesting people need to shoot each other if they disagree is soooo sad and depressing for me.

Ok. This is solved I'm happy. The least is the Villages will have access, Traffic will continue to Wal-Mart from the Villages, Wal-Mart will continue their negotiations with Duke energy which means I should still have access to all the businesses on the East Side of 441/27, Mr. Mores should be kept from building a home on the site. I can live with this solution.

So now we have to see what kind of gate, i.e., with or without a button to allow carts without a gate card to enter. Hopefully with a button. To me, that would address the concerns of residents on both sides of the "wall".