Daily downpours and brutal heat in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown are making it difficult to keep the grass cut and to stay ahead of the weeds.
However, homeowners in The Villages with Florida Friendly Landscaping can find it especially difficult at this time of year.
Earlier this month, 81-year-old Myers Hand was called before the Community Development District 10 Board of Supervisors on a deed compliance case due to complaints about his Florida Friendly Landscaping.
Hand admitted that the Florida Friendly Landscaping has become more than he can handle in the Florida heat. He also testified in a public hearing before the supervisors that he cannot hire and maintain landscapers who can groom the landscaping to his satisfaction. He was given 45 days to bring the property into compliance.
He vowed to move out of The Villages and sell the Premier home at 3610 Enterprise Drive he bought in 2015 for $671,900.
In 2019, a defiant homeowner in the Village of Piedmont fought to keep her Florida Friendly Landscaping despite the difficulties she was having with it. Kathleen Stringer appeared before the Community Development District 4 Board of Supervisors in a public hearing where photographs presented as evidence showed a wild entanglement of plants, shrubs and bamboo at her home. Stringer testified that she “married into this situation” and she “didn’t even know about deeds and covenants.” She said her late husband may have signed off on some documents, but she had not been aware of it.
Stringer eventually brought the property into compliance and last year went back before the CDD 4 board and asked forgiveness for the $400 in fines which had been imposed against her property. The board was split on forgiving the fines, but agreed to do so.
Even though Florida Friendly Landscaping cannot be prohibited, there are certain guidelines for its installation. For all requests seeking to replace sod with Florida Friendly Plantings, said plantings shall constitute “ground cover” providing full ground coverage to maintain a “lawn appearance” in keeping with the aesthetics of the community. Ground cover shall be fast growing, appropriate to the region and have a mature height one foot or less. Full ground coverage shall be achieved within eight months of the architectural review application’s expiration date. The intent is to permit sufficient time for the plants to reach a mature spread.