A resident of the Bayport Villas accused the Community Development District 8 Board of discriminating against villa owners and favoring “wealthier homeowners.”
Rich Cardillo spoke Friday morning to the CDD 8 board, lobbying for a change that would allow patio villa residents to have stone landscaping rather than grass.
“You are denying a right to people who have less wealth,” he charged. “People in the rich areas can put down all of the concrete they want.”
He said the stone landscaping is aesthetically appealing and also can benefit the homeowner’s budget as watering is not required.
Originally, when the Developer was in charge of CDD 8, patio villa residents could have stone. Initially, the District continued that policy. However, a problem with drainage began to occur in some areas and representatives of the Developer met with District staff to warn of potential flooding. The Developer’s representatives encouraged the District to stop allowing stone replacement at the patio villas.
Cardillo argued that residents who see the stone landscaping of their neighbors, desire to have the same thing, but are being denied.
If a 100-year storm would occur, it could produce 10 inches of rainfall, said CDD 8 Supervisor Sal Torname. That could put property at risk in patio villas.
“I don’t care if you spent $5 million for your house or $50,000 for your house, rocks are not a replacement for sod,” Torname said.
Cardillo had asked the CDD 8 board to modify its policy with regard to courtyard villas, which it declined to do.
