The Community Development District 5 Board of Supervisors on Friday agreed to strike language singling out religious symbols from its rules with regard to external deed restrictions.
CDD 5 supervisors are in the process of updating and clarifying language in its rules and opted to strike the words “including religious symbols” from its standard definitions for eternal deed restrictions.
The specific rule prohibits lawn ornaments including wind chimes, plastic or silk flowers, windmill, pinwheels, train sets, deer, geese, flamingos, or any other animal or human figures. The language had included “including religious symbols.”
Considering the intense feelings of Villagers with regard to little white crosses, CDD 5 supervisors opted to take out the phrase “including religious symbols.”
It does not mean that religious symbols, including little white crosses, are suddenly permissible in CDD 5. They are still prohibited.
However, CDD 5 supervisors thought the language was a little overbearing.
“I don’t think it’s in good taste to emphasize ‘religious’ items,” said CDD 5 Board Chairman Gary Kadow.
A formal vote on the change will take place next month. Two supervisors, Walter Martin and Mark Schweikert, were absent from Friday’s meeting.
The language of the rule (with the phrase to be deleted) is as follows:
Lawn ornaments, or yard art, generally refers to manmade items decorative objects used to make a yard more attractive, and which are located anywhere outside the structure or footprint of the home. However, pots and planters designed and constructed for plant use are permitted so long as they are used for their intended purpose. The inclusion or attachment of flowers or plants to a man-made ornament, not originally constructed for plant use, does not change the item from a lawn ornament to landscaping. The word ‘lawn’ includes areas that are mulched, concreted, sodded, rocked, landscaped, bare earth, or any other material outside the structure (footprint) of the home. The following is intended as a partial reference list of lawn ornaments: any man-made concrete or ceramic statue or figure (including religious symbols), wind chimes, plastic or silk flowers, windmill, pinwheels, train sets, deer, geese, flamingos, or any other animal or human figures. Residents may check with the Community Standards Department prior to purchase of lawn ornamentation/ landscape objects.
CDD 5 supervisors are keeping a close eye on the legal war being waged by Community Development District 8 supervisors against Wayne and Bonnie Anderson of the Village of Tamarind Grove, who have steadfastly refused to remove their little white cross. The Andersons claim they are the victims of selective enforcement as the result of an anonymous complaint. The Andersons’ neighbors weren’t turned in for their little white crosses and they remain in place. The Andersons’ case could have ramifications for Villagers displaying or hoping to display little white crosses, or presumably other religious symbols, in their yards.