[graciegirl]

Please not to worry Villa.

The rules are the same for everyone...except north of 466 the rules allow lawn ornaments without permission from the Architectural Review Committee.

Everywhere, North or South, East or West, in The Villages, children under the age of 19 can stay no longer than 30 days, even if their mom and dad are serving in the military or if there is terrible illness in the family. That is what the rule says.

It may sound harsh to some, but no one forces anyone to live here.

[villa2]

Ah, the voice of reason. Thank-you Gracie. I feel much better now. But I must go back to my book because I only have about 70 pages left and it is getting real good.

[zcaveman]

[QUOTE=graciegirl;288737]Please not to worry Villa.

The rules are the same for everyone...except north of 466 the rules allow lawn ornaments without permission from the Architectural Review Committee./QUOTE]

GG - That is only the older parts of 466 north. Any village established after June 2001 has the no lawn ornament rule. It was the older sections that forced that rule due to some of the garish displays.

And permission was never required from the Architectural Review Committee for lawn ornaments in the older areas.

[VT2TV]

Originally Posted by redwitch

VT2TV, you are incorrect in thinking that the breaking of a rule means there is no recourse for future rule breakers. That would be like saying if someone was pulled over for speeding but didn't get a ticket, that officer wouldn't be able to give a ticket to another party.

Please understand that had anyone in TV management known about the situation, the child would have been forced to leave here. This was a NEIGHBORHOOD decision. Any neighbor could have chosen to ANONYMOUSLY call Community Watch and that would have ended the child living here immediately. This neighborhood opted for compassion rather than strict enforcement of a rule. (BTW -- The mother has come home and has taken her child and moved near here but not in TV.)

As to kids driving with radios blaring, that does happen. I dread Thanksgiving weekend when one set of grandkids comes to visit. These teens are rude, arrogant, destructive and noisy. I grit my teeth and remind myself they will leave soon. If they ever get seriously out of line and I can catch them in the act, I won't hesitate to call the police, let alone Community Watch.

I don't care who we are, we all knowingly break some rules. Some of us break little rules that truly hurt no one (like having 3 indoor cats rather than the allowed 2 or jaywalking on a street where there is absolutely no traffic at that time). Some of us break rules that we know could be dangerous to others but feel we can control the risk (speeding, driving while impaired), not always a correct thought but it is what it is. Some of us choose to break major rules and deliberately cause harm.

So, I'm really not sure what your issue is about this child, unless it is confusion thinking that TV allowed the child to live here. The fact this one group chose to break the rules does not mean that it can become a widespread problem in TV. It would be different if one of the CCDs or the developer or anyone involved in the practices and development of rules within TV agreed this family could have the child stay with them. Then others would clamor for the right to break the rule and would probably have legal standing to do so. However, this was not the case. The Villages was not aware this was happening. It was not condoned by The Villages. The reality is that most neighborhoods would have at least one if not several neighbors objecting and voicing their objections to TV management. Heck, when my daughter was living with me (she was 22 at the time), it was reported twice that I had someone under 19 living with me (she looks young). She had to show her driver's license on both occasions. Have no fear, deed restrictions are very strictly enforced when it is known they are being broken.

My issue with the child,(and I am sure you will forgive me if I don't believe that this child has miraculously disappeared, and problem solved. When the thread started they were going to be here for 2 years, and the mother was overseas-hard to believe that all this has changed in this short time. And, but your own admission, you have no problem lying) is that you signed a contract in which you agreed to abide by the rules and regulations. Neither you, nor anyone else in the neighborhood, has the right or authority to change those rules.You delibertly not only broke the rules, you are actually proud of yourself, and have set yourself above the rules. You have made yourself judge and jury when you did not have the right. Plus you then have the nerve to be upset about visitors of neighbors-are these neighbors the same one who aided you in your deception?
I won't keep debating this back and forth. It will not serve any purpose, because you are proud of yourself, and don't think you did anything wrong. If people keep hiding children, it will impact this entire village. And yes, your action actually could cause problems for everyone. Does TV want to be known as the place to go if you want your kids or grandkids to live with you, and people will be glad to help you hide them. Again that would certainly impact everyone. And even your one little action could be the one that causes problems. Remember Rosa Parks?? One example of 1 woman in a little town who changed the course of history. Now that WAS for the greater good of many.
Lastly, the example you gave about the police office and the tickets is not applicable in this case. Police are allowed some autonomy to make specific decisions about the penalities on speeding. People in TV are not allowed that autonomy.
And Graciegirl, you sound like such a nice person. I enjoy your posts. I don't know if the post about no one being forced to live here was directed to me or not, but truely, we want very much to live in the Villages. The first time we were there it seemed so much like paradise this side of Heaven. My husband especially seemed happier to move here than I have ever seen him move anywhere. WE WANT to live here, we WANT to be great neighbors, we WANT to be honest and honorable, and actually, we WANT to be friends to everyone, and I include REDWITCH in that. But it has made me very sad to read some of these posts that threaten to change this wonderful place to live. And I am not just referring to this thread. But fortunately, it seems to still be so much still like paradise here, we really do WANT to live here. i can't imagine a nicer place to live. Signing off...

[villa2]

Amen VT2TV. I owned a home in a 55+ community and I have seen all kinds of controversy because a few believed the rules weren't made for them. I do not want to go through that ordeal again.

[redwitch]

Originally Posted by VT2TV

My issue with the child,(and I am sure you will forgive me if I don't believe that this child has miraculously disappeared, and problem solved. When the thread started they were going to be here for 2 years, and the mother was overseas-hard to believe that all this has changed in this short time. And, but your own admission, you have no problem lying) is that you signed a contract in which you agreed to abide by the rules and regulations. Neither you, nor anyone else in the neighborhood, has the right or authority to change those rules.You delibertly not only broke the rules, you are actually proud of yourself, and have set yourself above the rules. You have made yourself judge and jury when you did not have the right. Plus you then have the nerve to be upset about visitors of neighbors-are these neighbors the same one who aided you in your deception?
I won't keep debating this back and forth. It will not serve any purpose, because you are proud of yourself, and don't think you did anything wrong. If people keep hiding children, it will impact this entire village. And yes, your action actually could cause problems for everyone. Does TV want to be known as the place to go if you want your kids or grandkids to live with you, and people will be glad to help you hide them. Again that would certainly impact everyone. And even your one little action could be the one that causes problems. Remember Rosa Parks?? One example of 1 woman in a little town who changed the course of history. Now that WAS for the greater good of many.
Lastly, the example you gave about the police office and the tickets is not applicable in this case. Police are allowed some autonomy to make specific decisions about the penalities on speeding. People in TV are not allowed that autonomy.
And Graciegirl, you sound like such a nice person. I enjoy your posts. I don't know if the post about no one being forced to live here was directed to me or not, but truely, we want very much to live in the Villages. The first time we were there it seemed so much like paradise this side of Heaven. My husband especially seemed happier to move here than I have ever seen him move anywhere. WE WANT to live here, we WANT to be great neighbors, we WANT to be honest and honorable, and actually, we WANT to be friends to everyone, and I include REDWITCH in that. But it has made me very sad to read some of these posts that threaten to change this wonderful place to live. And I am not just referring to this thread. But fortunately, it seems to still be so much still like paradise here, we really do WANT to live here. i can't imagine a nicer place to live. Signing off...

I think you misunderstood a couple of facts -- this was not my neighborhood. I said I knew of two children living in TV. One child is unruly, the grandparents are selling their home and moving out of TV. The other child was here for two years while her mother finished her tour of duty. The grandparents have moved out even before their house sold because they were reported. I do know the other child's mother has come home and they have moved out. The girl did live here for two years.

When I told of these two stories, it was to let people know that there are times the rules are broken. TV cannot do anything if the neighborhood condones the breaking. TV can do something about ornaments in the front although some people have gotten around those rules, too (at least to an extent) and does when they notice the problem. Other rules (children, too many pets) can only be enforced when known.

In a community the size of TV, I'm sure there are others who have and are breaking the rules regarding children under 19 or more than 2 pets. Personally, I feel that if the neighbors don't care, I'm going to stay out of it -- they are the ones inconvenienced. As I said, I know that in my neighborhood it would not be condoned and would be reported and I believe this is true in most neighborhoods.

But I do resent you calling me a liar. I can understand the misunderstanding, but not the accusations that I would lie about the girl still living here; that I lied when she did live here. True, I did not report her living here; it was not my neighborhood and it was the choice of the neighborhood and, thus, not my business, IMO.

[Talk Host]

"...in the neighborhood" What is the neighborhood? At what geographic point does the neighborhood end. If there was a code violation of some significance 3 doors away, would you report it? 10 doors away? 50 doors away. Or, is "The Villages" your neighborhood?

Isn't this like the old "Domino Theory" Allow a ceramic bunny on the front porch and pretty soon, we'll have abandon trucks in the front yard and goats grazing in the side yard.

[getdul981]

VT2TV and TH.

[VT2TV]

As someone who takes pride in trying to do the right thing (and I certainly have plenty of other faults) I really should not have called REDWITCH a liar on a public forum. Regardless of what I think about her actions, liar was probably not the CORRECT word. The reason myself and others feel like it is your neighborhood is because you have intimate knowledge about the entire situation. So, although I still stand by my postings, I publicly apologize to REDWITCH for calling her a liar. I have no problems admitting when I am wrong.

[redwitch]

Okay, I promise this will be my last post on this. First, could you please point out where I said I would have no problem lying. That is so not in my character that I'd love to see where I might have said it.

I watch homes all over TV. I make it a practice to get to know the neighbors -- that way they know I'm supposed to be there and also so that they can call me if something happens in between my visits. Both instances of the children living on these streets are in areas where I watch homes. If the neighbors and my homeowner were okay with things as they were, I was not about to report it, any more than I would be willing to report lawn ornaments in the front or back yard. If someone who lives near the lawn ornament placer objects, they can take the necessary steps to have the items removed. The neighbors of these children could have taken the necessary steps to stop the actions.

Personally, I understand the rules about children and the logic behind them. I also understand that sometimes this rule will be broken (the grandmother who babysits her grandchild every day while mom works; the grandchildren who visit for the entire summer or a month during the summer and then come for Christmas; etc.). We all have to do what we feel is right. Regardless of how I personally feel, it would never have been right for me to turn these families in, even if they lived in my neighborhood: (1) none of my business; (2) compassion for the grandparents put in these horrible binds; (3) I didn't see the true harm since I understood it to be a temporary situation in both cases (and, so far as I know, both were).

And what is considered a major violation to one person may be a minor irritation to another. Trash should not be put out days before pick up, yet it is constantly -- especially lawn clippings, which can sit out all week. Bicyclists and golf cart drivers who don't stop at stop signs is a far worse violation to me than a child living in TV. Trash can and does draw vermin. Speeders and stop sign runners frequently cause accidents. Lawn ornaments may not be my thing (they're not) but other than being an eyesore to me, they do no harm. A child staying over the time limits is not right, but sometimes circumstances cause things to happen that are totally unplanned. And, quite frankly, I'm not about to report any of these violators. (I will call 911 if I think someone is drunk and driving or driving completely recklessly, but not just speeding or running a stop light.) It is all a matter of perspective, I guess.

[Diane K Gatlin]

I need answers (premove) to TV questions. How much of your property can you enclose with a birdcage. And, if you have three dogs (Mother and 2 adult off springs) is it ever overlooked. I have 5 dogs and have found homes for two, but Mama and pups are inseparable. I believe in adherence to rules, but my heart will break if I have to leave Lola as well as her heart. We have had her since she was 6 weeks old and she is now 10. All three are poms with papers, but fixed. No more babies. Lola barks too much but we have a shock collar which ends the problem when we put it on her. We now live on 26 acres which we are selling so we can move to TV. We are 69 and 67 and don't want to completely wear ourselves out keeping up with it. If anyone has an answer to my questions. Please let me know.
DianeKKG

[Rob Stevens]

Redwitch I think that you seem to be OK with rule breaking as long as it doesn't upset your understanding of the rules. I have to side with the others who wonder why you have rules if any one person can decide which rules he will follow. Everyone knows the score when they move in.

[graciegirl]

Diane, I think that you can keep three if you have them when you come here but when they pass over the rainbow bridge you should have no more than two.

That is my understanding.

Someone will clarify this.

[jebartle]

After reading this thread, I'm blurry eyed, I'm afraid that VT2TV will find rule breakers where ever they go, that is human nature....The Villages is a great place, and I know you will love your friends and neighbors here and they will love you, but I have to say, a lot can be said for compassion and kindness to your fellow man irregardless of the rules...BBQman you have my vote!..I guess you have to decide if a rule has "wiggle" room for exceptional cases.

[getdul981]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Diane, I think that you can keep three if you have them when you come here but when they pass over the rainbow bridge you should have no more than two.

That is my understanding.

Someone will clarify this.

I thought I had read that somewhere too, but I don't know for sure either.