[NJblue]

Sounds to me like there is some selective enforcement going on here. If this is the pertinent restriction: "Properties within the subdivision are intended for residential use and no commercial, professional, or similar activity requiring either maintaining an inventory, equipment, or customer/client visits may be conducted in a home or on a homesite", then there are a lot of "businesses" in TV that are non-compliant that are not only being shown a blind eye, but are actually given preferential treatment. By this I mean all the artists and craftspeople who use their homes to "maintain an inventory and equipment" and perhaps even host client visits. TV not only allows this activity, they support it with art shows and extensive coverage in the Sun.

While I agree with the spirit of the rules which is to keep people from being a nuisance to their neighborhood by running a business, clearly there are "businesses" that do not deter a neighbor's enjoyment of their property. Both artists/craftspeople and TOTV seem to fall in this latter category. Yet, only TOTV seems to be singled out for non-compliance.

[Keedy]

Publications are high profile and will be scrutinized accordingly. Comes with the territory, I guess.

Originally Posted by NJblue

Sounds to me like there is some selective enforcement going on here. If this is the pertinent restriction: "Properties within the subdivision are intended for residential use and no commercial, professional, or similar activity requiring either maintaining an inventory, equipment, or customer/client visits may be conducted in a home or on a homesite", then there are a lot of "businesses" in TV that are non-compliant that are not only being shown a blind eye, but are actually given preferential treatment. By this I mean all the artists and craftspeople who use their homes to "maintain an inventory and equipment" and perhaps even host client visits. TV not only allows this activity, they support it with art shows and extensive coverage in the Sun.

While I agree with the spirit of the rules which is to keep people from being a nuisance to their neighborhood by running a business, clearly there are "businesses" that do not deter a neighbor's enjoyment of their property. Both artists/craftspeople and TOTV seem to fall in this latter category. Yet, only TOTV seems to be singled out for non-compliance.

The artists and the like here in TV seem to get a great deal of support from the Villagers developers and management. So, do the senior athletes. But these activities seem more like hobbies-- something someone does to pass the time and for physical/mental health-- and not for profit.

[Cassie325]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac

The artists and the like here in TV seem to get a great deal of support from the Villagers developers and management. So, do the senior athletes. But these activities seem more like hobbies-- something someone does to pass the time and for physical/mental health-- and not for profit.

Except of course during the bi-annual Art Show where everyone sells their art.....for profit.

[golfnut]

Jan, just a question, are you planning on putting TOTV up for sale, curious minds want to know???

[Talk Host]

There has never been any recent discussion of selling Talk of The Villages. But you know the old saying, "everything .. ... ....!"

Originally Posted by golfnut

Jan, just a question, are you planning on putting TOTV up for sale, curious minds want to know???

Originally Posted by Cassie325

Except of course during the bi-annual Art Show where everyone sells their art.....for profit.

That does not seem to be from home though. I know various Villagers who have businesses where they do something for a fee but it is in other peoples Villages' homes like a carpet cleaner, masseuse, pet sitter, etc.

I would assume that various instructors at the Villages university receive compensation for the efforts.

[Autoshow]

Originally Posted by dillywho

If you cannot conduct "business" from your home, then why does the Villages owned Daily Sun accept classified ads from persons doing "business"? Seems kinda like a double standard to me. At least when you are partaking of Villagers in business, you don't stand much of a chance of being taken for a ride, or worse yet, broken into later. As for someone reporting you, don't they have anything better to do than mind everyone else's business? I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't have the time to worry about what my neighbor does or doesn't do. I have all I can do to take care of my own stuff. What do they do....tote around a copy of the covenants and restrictions to be sure their neighbors, etc. are in compliance? Get a life!!

Mail boxes are only for the US Mail,wonder why we get all that other advertisment in our boxes,some of it with out stamps.Is the postal employee paid off to put that junk in our boxes

[BogeyBoy]

Originally Posted by autoshow

Mail boxes are only for the US Mail,wonder why we get all that other advertisment in our boxes,some of it with out stamps.Is the postal employee paid off to put that junk in our boxes

The advertising mail you are referring to is often placed into the mail stream in very large quantities. As long as the mailer has the appropriate paperwork and pays the proper postage the mail gets sent to the delivery unit to be delivered. In addition to the bulk mail postage they pay fees for bulk mail permits. Some of these mailers send millions of pieces of mail, some just send localized mailings. (Such as those you keep getting that invite you to a financial seminar at Palmer.) The postal employee isn't "paid off" to deliver that mail, but they are paid - it's part of their job.

[CJ]

Is big brother in TV????? I would stand firm on the mail as I know people who have active offices in their homes running large business' which include incoming people to their home to conduct business. Frankly, it is helping stimulate the economy and to single out one is suspicious if not un-american. The mail is also a source of privacy (so I thought) and no one has a right to tamper with or read someone else's mail.

Fight this one or we all are going to the dogs!

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by CJ

Is big brother in TV????? I would stand firm on the mail as I know people who have active offices in their homes running large business' which include incoming people to their home to conduct business. Frankly, it is helping stimulate the economy and to single out one is suspicious if not un-american. The mail is also a source of privacy (so I thought) and no one has a right to tamper with or read someone else's mail.

Fight this one or we all are going to the dogs!

Nobody is "reading" my mail. I used my home address when I incorporated in New York and Florida. I did it as a matter of convenience. The Villages tells me that I am not allowed to do that. It makes no difference that there is absolutely no business conducted here.

They tell me that I can only "live" here. I cannot do anything else with my home address or house other than "live" here.

If anybody is conducting any type of business in their house, my advice is to be ready. You could be next getting an order to shut down your illegal business.

[BethS]

Hello Talk Host & Other Villagers, I myself love the Talk of the Villages, I think you do a great job helping newbies along with wanabes and even older people who go online but because of illness, etc. cannot get out to enjoy our little Paradise. In any business you know that you are never going to make everyone happy, same goes for your neighborhood, always someone watching you do something they think is wrong, not up to code, deed restrictions, etc. This is a big place and we are bound to have those types of issues. I hope that The Villages are not trying to control your website, that would be sad, you guys are the best!

[CJ]

How about then "home based business"....avon, herbalife, shaklee, amway...I bet there a lots of those in the villages and they get mail. How is this different for them and not you?

Got a suggestion: get a PO Box if they insist and keep your busines going the way you have. And also, how is it that our post office employees (villages one) is responsible for policing our mail???

This is America, supposedly the land of the free and free enterprise!