Fence jumpers and pool crashers are apparently causing considerable consternation in the Village of Tamarind Grove.
Community Development District 8 Supervisor Phil Walker raised the issued at Friday’s CDD 8 board meeting at SeaBreeze Recreation Center.
He pointed to the Trailwinds Village development behind Tamarind Grove as the source of the unwanted foot traffic.
Once upon a time, Tamarind Grove residents had peaceful pastureland with grazing cows in their backyards. But that has been taken over by Trailwinds Village which is in the City of Wildwood. Years ago, The Villages was hopeful of absorbing that land, but missed out on the opportunity.
Commercial development came first to Trailwinds Village, now houses and apartment complexes are being built at a rapid clip – and more are coming.
Now there are anecdotal reports of fence jumpers visiting the swimming pool in the Village of Tamarind Grove.
“People from Trailwinds are coming over the fence and coming into the pool,” Walker said. “People want to know if anything can be done.”
He admitted that it cuts both ways. Villagers are interested in the retail development in Trailwinds Village and have been hopping the fence, too.
The residents most troubled are ones whose properties are being trampled on.
Deputy District Manager Kenny Blocker said action can be taken if trespassers are found on property in The Villages.
“We can pursue it,” Blocker said.
However, CDD 8 Chairman Larry McMurry scoffed at the notion that trespassers could be sorted out at the pool.
“We are already known for tolerating a lot of abuse when it comes to the pools,” McMurry said.
Supervisor Dennis Hayes warned that as housing continues to mushroom at Trailwinds Village as well as the Beaumont Development, the problem could worsen.
“This is a precursor of what we may be seeing,” the Village of Buttonwood resident said.
