Good recommendation.

While I can see your point, you would then have some Villagers begin writing posts about "The Grass Gestapo".

It probably is best to let Community Standards be a complaint driven process.

I would not depend on TV's help exclusively.

If the property is in Sumter County you can file an official, written complaint with the County. They will investigate and will take (legal) action if warranted. Be sure identify health and safety concerns as a result of the conditions. ;)

Don't know about other counties but I suspect they also have codes regarding your valid complaints.

Often these situations require tougher remedies. Make the consequences for the owner more unpleasant than the lack of maintenance.

Hope it gets resolved soon.

Don

If nothing positive happens after reporting the proper authorities, I would suggest trying to engage the owner. There could be health problems, mental and/or physical, and or financial challenges. The neighbor might not be a ass**** landlord, just a person with bigger problems. Then the neighbors could chip in and help.

I had the same problem when I moved to north KC 2 years ago in August 2012. The neighbor's yard and landscaping directly to the left side (corner lot, no neighbors on right), looked like crap. I planted 17 trees, put in landscaping and added a sprinkler system. Our home was a spec home and of course, the condition of the yard was less than desirable.

I never said anything to him regarding the yard, was always friendly and cordial. By the summer of 2013, my yard looked like the 2 golf courses I manage (neighbors even kidded me about the maintenance dept. doing the work). Slowly, he started coming over and asking me on things he could do to his to make his look like mine. I told him to get a sprinkler system (the same person that did mine, did his) and if I was doing something to mine, he needed to do it to his (fertilizer, aerate, etc.).

Going into this fall, his yard has made a 180* turnaround and really looks great. 2 additional neighbors across the street even improved the looks of theirs.

To make a long story short, kill them with kindness and shame them incessantly in a subtle way with the way your yard looks; some it will work on, others are no hope.

With the way people are nowadays, don't **** your neighbors off by staying on them, they could become your worst nightmare, let the "powers that be" do your complaining for you.

I have a son-in-law that was kind of like your neighbor. His yard was not a pig sty, but it always looked ragged and lumpy and bare in spots. He came around when he started to learn from his new neighbors. His challenge was that he grew up in a row house in a large east coast city and did not even know what a lawn was.

We have called Community Standards and will see what happens.
Indydealmaker, I would agree that if there were health, money, or other issues, we would probably help them as best we could but this is not the case. They are in good physical shape (golf, bowl, dance, party) and take several cruises/trips out of the country every year. They definitely have the bucks. They told us after they moved in that they had problems selling their home up north because of upkeep....we were hopeful things would change....

I don't understand what makes them tick. I am sure one of the primary reasons they moved here was the overall appearance of the community. I wonder what their cruiseline cabin looks like when they check out.

I have seen the inside of their house, even with weekly cleaning service, would not want to eat a meal there! You know, I think so people just don't get it....maybe it was the environment they were raised in...