A Community Development District 2 supervisor is criticizing the anonymous complaint system in The Villages, particularly as it relates to the little white crosses in many residents’ yards.
CDD 2 Supervisor Jim Cipollone raised the issue at Friday’s board meeting.
He pointed to the controversy surrounding the little white crosses and a Villager’s plan to take a stand on his cross at next week’s Community Development District 8 Board of Supervisors meeting.
“These people are ghosts,” Cipollone said of the anonymous complainers.
More than 95 percent of the complaints received by Community Standards are anonymous.
The deed compliance process is complaint driven and relies heavily on the anonymous complaints.
CDD 2 Chairman Bryan Lifsey said enforcement of the deed restrictions would be costly if there were no anonymous complaints.
“It would be very expensive to set up the Pink Flamingo Police,” Lifsey said.
The little white crosses are considered lawn ornaments and lawn ornaments are prohibited in many of the CDDs in The Villages.
CDD 2 Supervisor Barton Zoellner said the difference in rules in CDDs across The Villages can make it confusing for residents.
“The rules are not consistent across all districts. In this district it is OK, but in this district it is not OK,” Zoellner said.
