[Maddie]

Hey all. I love this forum...it keeps me up to date on everything exciting about this community. I feel like I belong here. I'm not retired, nor near the typical age to retire. I have a lovely wife and a five month old baby daughter.
I moved from Orlando and bought a beautiful townhome in your neighboring community of Lakeside Landings. My wife and I both work in The Villages.

Here goes...I go to work @ 2pm. I drop my daughter off before work at my mothers home, who lives in the villages. My wife picks her up @ 5pm and takes her home. Recently, someone informed on my mother to The Villages that she had a family living with her. That's us. My mother is now being told that we can only visit 30 times/days a year. Having our daughter for those few hours is a violation of The Villages contract.

Ok...My mother is in trouble with The Villages now because "they have logged every visit". Wow. Someone must not like my mother, I thought. I'ts obvious how we all feel about this as a close, loving family. We a devastated. We moved here to enjoy what The Villages has to offer. Now we feel scared. For two years we have enjoyed The Villages and the support it gives our small family. I don't understand why this is a concern. We chose to live no other place but here - so we could nuture our family bonding and live a good life.

I am curious how others feel about this. Surely, The Villagers have had families. I know that some retirees would love to be left to pursue their retirement without their fanily, I guess. I'm sure most would love to have their family nearby.

[redwitch]

I'm so very sorry. Honestly, I'm not even sure what the issue is. You live outside of TV. Your mother gets to spend time with her granddaughter on a daily basis. You get to see your mother on a daily basis. What, pray tell, is wrong with that?

I love kids. I think they're fun to have around. I don't like babies but that's my problem, no one else's. Whether the child visiting grandma on a daily basis is 5 days or 15 years, I really don't care (unless the 15 YO is into breaking into my home or doing something else illegal).

So, here are my opinions: (1) It's none of my business. (2) I think kids are fun and I'd probably offer to help babysit once it was potty trained. (3) Your mother has a very mean neighbor.

[villages07]

Maddie,

Hmm, that is a tough situation. Here's the excerpt from posted deed restrictions:

Persons under the age of 19 years may visit for a maximum of 30 days per year but may not reside permanently in any dwelling.

You are caught in between.... your child isn't really visiting grandma (i.e. staying 24 hrs a day) and certainly isn't a permanent resident. But, they must consider each day's 3 hr stay a visit....probably not a violation of the intent of this provision but does sound like a violation of the letter of "the law". Have you or your mother sat down and spoken with a rep from the community standards/deed compliance office? If your only contact so far is with the Community Watch person, it might be worth it to go to the source. The other option, of course, is for your mother to watch the child at your home in Lakeside Landings.

[captain1202]

Sorry, as far as this issue goes TV can "stuff it". I'm sure the intent is to discourage the full time residence of families with children. If I want to have my grandchild for few hours each day, I will do so, covenant or no. So "sue me"!! Should make an interesting court case!

[jflynn1]

I know you are not alone. Am certain that this is happening all over the villages. What about the grandchildren that are here all sumer. That surely is more than 30 days. Also the children and thier parents that are living with the Village resident. I feel sorry for your mom. Her neighbors are not very nice people. Am not sure what she can do about it. Would be interested in the outcome

[Cassie325]

I would think you could go get the baby an "in-area" guest pass...this allows them to use the amenities with the resident 365 days a year....not that the baby is going to use any of the amenities...but she would be "covered"!!!

[The Great Fumar]

SORRY BUT THEMS THE RULES .........YOU SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE WHEN YOU BUY IN HERE THAT YOU WILL ABIDE BY THE BI-LAWS AND YOU HAVEN'T A LEG TO STAND ON IN COURT.........
OH YOU CAN FIGHT IT IN COURT BUT YOU'LL LOSE AND IT WILL COST YOU A TON OF MONEY....YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST PERSON ASKED TO LEAVE THE VILLAGES AND WON'T BE THE LAST....
THE POSITION OF THE VILLAGES IS "THIS IS A RETIREMENT COMM UNTIE AND NOT A DAY CARE " .

there is one village here that you can buy into and have all the children you want...but there is obviously someone that doesn't want children playing next to their retirement home ....and I'm not sure I blame them.....they have probably spent their life saving for for a wonderful , peaceful , place to live out their life's and not next to a school playground ....
I know this sounds harsh but thats exactly why those rules are in there ...

Sorry about the toes fumar

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by The Great Fumar

SORRY BUT THEMS THE RULES .........YOU SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE WHEN YOU BUY IN HERE THAT YOU WILL ABIDE BY THE BI-LAWS AND YOU HAVEN'T A LEG TO STAND ON IN COURT.........
OH YOU CAN FIGHT IT IN COURT BUT YOU'LL LOSE AND IT WILL COST YOU A TON OF MONEY....YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST PERSON ASKED TO LEAVE THE VILLAGES AND WON'T BE THE LAST....
THE POSITION OF THE VILLAGES IS "THIS IS A RETIREMENT COMM UNTIE AND NOT A DAY CARE " .

there is one village here that you can buy into and have all the children you want...but there is obviously someone that doesn't want children playing next to their retirement home ....and I'm not sure I blame them.....they have probably spent their life saving for for a wonderful , peaceful , place to live out their life's and not next to a school playground ....
I know this sounds harsh but thats exactly why those rules are in there ...

Sorry about the toes fumar

So it goes back and forth.

[graciegirl]

Got some more popcorn Bare? And I sure could use a Martini too. I feel like I have been to a war.

[starflyte1]

I am sorry you are having this problem. Any problem with neighbors does not make life very pleasant.

What is the definition of "day"? Until that is determined, if it can ever be, there is no answer to the problem.

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines "day" as both time from night to night and 24 hours from midnight.

It seems to me the real problem is with how the rule is written. Chose the definition you need.

Good luck. Sometimes it is better to move rather than fight. Just one neighbor can make you miserable. We moved from a condo because of the condo commando. We lost $30,000, but we agree that it was the best lost $30,000 ever.

[GMONEY]

WOW,, what a conflict.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by GMONEY

WOW,, what a conflict.

I so agree Starflyte. You can complain and carry on and point out rules, but it never, never changes anything. I would move too. It isn't worth the angst.

I have one eye open and haven't had my coffee yet. I was thinking I was replying to Starflyte. I am sorry Gmoney. I am paranoid anymore.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Maddie

I moved from Orlando and bought a beautiful townhome in your neighboring community of Lakeside Landings. My wife and I both work in The Villages.
We moved here to enjoy what The Villages has to offer.

This particular issue has been discussed many times and always becomes very emotional. It reminds me of the "three-pet" controversary.

The Villages is an adult community and many residents don't want children around on a daily basis. Others residents feel strongly that they are entitled to spend as much time as they want with visiting grandchildren. I don't think there is an answer that will satisfy both "sides".

Just a suggestion. If you moved to the "family" subdivision in Buffalo Ridge adjacent to TV, your mother could day care there with no problems. As Starflyte said, sometimes it is better to move rather than to fight.

[Maddie]

My mother has met with TV about this and of course they can stand by the deed restriction. She swears that when they bought here they were not correctly explained this restriction but that's realestate sales people for you! All a bunch of crooks. I know it's their responsibility to read carefully but we all know how things can be "left out" in order to make a sale.
I had thought living around TV would have been so much better. But now I see an area with no jobs that is being run by a bunch of jerks. If TV is going to keep growing you need younger people to be here to do the work. I hear you all complaining that their isn't good service or any good manangers aound here. Well why would those talented young people come here? The school system is a attraction but what about everything else?

my mother survived cancer twice and no one is going to tell her how many times she can see her grandchild!

I know a lot of people out their that could be in the same boat at any time because you always have grandchildren visiting. All it takes is one miserable neighbor to ruin everything.

For all those that say...Oh that's the rules....give me a break!

[villager99]

i'm confused,
my young grandchildren temporaryily lived near orlando for a year back in 2006 and when i specifically asked the rec center guest pass staff if i needed to keep track of how many days they visited me in tv and used guest passes with me or their parents i was told there were no restrictions on the number of days they could visit. as long as they didn't "reside" here
so rules are apparently open to iinterpretation and/or change over time or in individual situations. i would seriously guestion if a 3 hour a day visit violates the deed restrictions.