A judge has dealt a blow to a couple fighting to keep a little white cross on display at their home in The Villages.
Judge Michelle Morley has ruled in favor of Community Development District 8 in its protracted legal battle with Wayne and Bonnie Anderson of the Village of Tamarind Grove. She dismissed their most-recent counter complaint.
The Andersons had claimed that their display of the little white cross should be protected under the Florida Religious Freedom Restoration Act. However, CDD 8 has long held that the cross is considered a “lawn ornament” and therefore forbidden under deed compliance rules.
The case is not over. The Andersons have been granted 30 days to come back with a counter argument to the judge’s ruling. It is unknown if the Wisconsin couple is willing to keep up the fight.
The outcome of Anderson’s case could have ramifications for the thousands of homeowners in The Villages with little white crosses on display. Those crosses remain in place because there have been no complaints.
Do you think the Andersons should be forced to remove their little white cross? Share your thoughts in a Letter to the Editor at [email protected]
