New residents of The Villages are unhappy with what they see as a lack of lush beauty south of State Road 44.
Residents of the Village of Bradford filled the Community Development District 13 Board of Supervisors meeting Thursday afternoon at Everglades Recreation Center.
“The golf cart paths up north have beautiful flowers and landscaping. It seems like we are left out down here. We all paid a lot of money. So where is our landscaping?” asked Lynne Shifren.
Shifren is new but has family in The Villages and for years has been visiting Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.
“We want what we’ve seen up north,” she said.
Cindy Tyler who lives on Dray Drive is unhappy with the condition of the area around her home.
“I have no grass and it looks like a desert,” Tyler said.
She also said the golf cart and pedestrian paths are prematurely deteriorating.
“They are already out there patching our paths with asphalt. They are falling apart. It’s embarrassing when we have visitors,” Tyler said.
Cheryl Moredich said their area doesn’t look like the rest of The Villages.
“There is not a sign that says ‘Welcome to The Villages.’ We want our area to be beautiful when our friends and family come to visit. That is not what I see when you cross into The Villages on our side,” Moredich said.
She also objected to what has been referred to as a “meadow” look in the newer areas of The Villages.
District Manager Richard Baier said the Developer took a different approach south of State Road 44.
“There is a very different look south of State Road 44 from north of State Road 44,” said Baier, who noted he has owned homes both north and south of State Road 44.
He now lives in the Village of Marsh Bend.
“The amount and type of plantings is very different. Down here it is a more natural environment. Areas like under the power lines will only be mowed on a monthly basis,” Baier said.
Bradford residents also voiced displeasure with the ponds in their area, including trash often seen in the water or on the banks.
Baier noted that by design, the ponds up north are 5 to 8 feet deep and much shallower south of State Road 44.
