We’d tip our hat to a group of Villagers who play a huge role in the success of Florida’s Friendliest Hometown but often don’t get recognized for their hard work.
We’re talking about the members of the Architectural Review Committee, and if you aren’t familiar with this group, they all are volunteers who put in a whole lot of hours to make sure the high quality and consistency of aesthetics and design of residences found throughout The Villages remains intact.
These volunteers meet every Wednesday morning at the District Administration Board Room in Lake Sumter Landing. They usually spend at least four hours hearing cases – frequently more than a hundred at a time – and then rendering decisions.
They’ll hear everything from requests regarding pool additions to landscaping to painted driveways to porch enclosures to pergolas to trellises to removal of trees. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg for this group, who, by the way, also puts in countless hours preparing for the weekly meetings.
Not surprisingly, ARC hearings often can become emotional or controversial. The members sometimes have to make decisions that aren’t popular with Villagers standing before them. But they are charged with a mission and they each clearly take it quite seriously.
Chairman Irv Markley wields the gavel and keeps the process moving along at a steady pace. He knows that part of his responsibility, along with his fellow ARC members, is to uphold the high-quality aesthetics in The Villages. That ensures property values remain at the top of the scale.
If you’re wondering what kinds of things come before the ARC, here’s a very small sampling from recent meetings:
- Neighbors packed a hearing this past Wednesday in which homeowner Barbara Schusler was seeking retroactive approval for a house she had painted brown in The Villages. A petition signed by more than 30 of her supportive neighbors was presented to the ARC, which approved the request.
- Villagers Richard and Janice Shafer, who live in Haciendas of Mission Hills, won approval last week for a garage extension at their home at 470 Feliu Run.
- Martin Eisner, who owns three homes in The Villages, received approval recently for an addition to his garage at 2370 Five Forks Trail, which has created a heated battle in the Village of Tall Trees.
- Kenneth Holland Jr., who lives at 1156 Mockingbird Lane in the Village of Fernandina, recently won permission to stray from the approved color palette for an upcoming re-painting at his residence.
- The committee was divided earlier this month on a “massive” home improvement project at the residence of Troy and Virginia Pappas, at 1301 Bennett Place, in the Village of Bridgeport at Lake Sumter. The project included the addition of a pool and spa with a birdcage extension and was approved by a 6-5 vote.
- Battling neighbors in next-door courtyard villas returned for another round April 3. That’s when Mark Corner and Mary Jo Overland, who reside at 2339 Ridgeway Court in the Rosedale Villas in the Village of Duval, were seeking permission to “remove existing concrete from sidewalk to be away from neighbor’s house by 24 inches to comply with Community Standards.” The appearance marked another tense exchange between Corner and his next-door neighbor, Linda Lane, who have duked it out in previous meetings over improvements the couple made to their home without first seeking ARC approval.
- In February, the committee was divided on a request by Villager Heather Imbalzano, of 1222 Pompano Lane in the Village of Orange Blossom Gardens, to remove a problematic tree from her yard. The committee eventually voted 6-4 to allow for the removal of the tree.
As we said earlier, those cases are just a sampling of the kinds of things that go before the ARC. As you can see, the members are frequently called upon to make tough decisions. And they might be the most underappreciated group of hard-working Villagers in the community.
That said, we’d encourage all of you to attend an ARC meeting to see this group in action. You’ll learn a great deal about our community. And you’ll walk away from the meeting with a better understanding of the truly important roles these residents play. The ARC meets at 8 a.m. each Wednesday at the District Office above Starbucks at Lake Sumter Landing.
Watching the process can be both fascinating and inspiring.
For those who might be interested, there also are openings on the ARC. Currently, both the primary and alternate seat for the Lady Lake / Lake County representative is vacant. Applicants must be full-time residents of the Lady Lake / Lake County portion of The Villages (this area does not include Fruitland Park) and have lived here for at least one year.
Candidates also are recommended to have an education and/or experience in any of the following areas: architecture, ability to read site plans, residential/commercial construction, building management, deed restricted communities, landscaping, county code enforcement, etc. However, that level of experience is not required. For more information, contact the Community Standards Department at (352) 751-3912.
Alternates also are needed to represent Community Development Districts 3 and 4 as well. Alternates must attend the ARC meeting every week for the first four weeks and once every month thereafter. Those interested in serving as alternates should submit an application (click HERE) to Community Standards at 984 Old Mill Run no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30.
