An elected official in The Villages is concerned that informational flyers being delivered to homes in The Villages are causing panic and confusion for residents.
The flyer from Community Standards entitled “Lawn Ornaments & Yard Art” has been delivered to some homes in Pennecamp, St. James and Buttonwood, said Community Development District 8 Supervisor Sal Torname.
He said the flyer has been dropped off by Community Watch drivers, on the lookout for possible deed restriction violations in CDD 8.
The longtime CDD 8 supervisor said the result of the selective delivery of the flyers has been upsetting to residents.
“Upon receipt of many complaints I received, this practice has led to confusion, frustration and panic among residents unaware of the infraction committed,” Torname said.
He said he wants to see the flyers and their delivery discussed at the May meeting of the CDD 8 Board of Supervisors.
Torname pointed out that the flyers are being delivered by Community Watch drivers, even though Community Watch drivers have not been charged with identifying deed compliance violations, including yard ornaments. Instead, the majority of CDDs rely on the anonymous complaint process. If no one complains, the violation can continue. However, once a complaint is lodged, Community Standards will get involved. It has long been said that the anonymous complaint process is aimed at preserving “harmony” in the neighborhood.
Many residents have complained that they would like to return to the days of long ago when Community Watch patrolled for violations rather than relying on today’s system which they say pits “neighbor against neighbor.”
Assistant District Manager Carrie Duckett offered some insight into the use of the flyers.
“The Community Standards Department uses the handout when speaking with residents regarding lawn ornaments. They are also used by the Deed Compliance Officers when in the community after receiving complaints pertaining to lawn ornaments where they are not permitted per the Declaration of Restrictions. The flyers are not being mass distributed in District 8 or in any other District,” she said.
The Community Standards flyer describes lawn ornaments as “any man-made concrete, resin, ceramic statue or figure including windmills, pinwheels, religious symbols, train sets, animal or human figures.”
CDD 8 has been locked in a protracted legal battle with Wayne Anderson who has stubbornly refused to remove a little white cross from his yard in the Village of Tamarind Grove. He has complained that ordering him to remove his little white cross amounts to “selective enforcement” when other homeowners are permitted to leave their little white crosses in place.
In 2017, a Village of Buttonwood couple was jolted when they got the dreaded knock on the door informing them that a $100 decorative bird purchased at the Rustic Rose in Brownwood was not in compliance. The Michigan couple, smitten with The Villages when they visited on the Lifestyle Preview Plan, said they thought they’d done everything right when they selected the decorative item, including checking out their neighbors’ decorations.