Officials and residents of The Villages are frustrated at the lack of options for dealing with unwelcome fishermen at a pond in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.
Community Development District 10 supervisors are seeking solutions for residents who are unhappy about unwelcome fishermen visiting the pond behind their home.
Residents of the Village of Hillsborough are concerned about “outsiders” fishing at the pond in the Nance Run area.
Those residents were back before the CDD 10 Board of Supervisors on Thursday afternoon at the SeaBreeze Recreation Center. They claim the fishermen, who are not residents of The Villages, are loud and disruptive. They bring coolers, torment an alligator, leave hooks and fishing line in residents’ yards and are disrespectful to homeowners.
The problem is that the pond in question was platted at the time of its inception as a “public access area.” That means fishermen, even outsiders, are well within their rights to cast a line at the pond.
“We cannot prohibit people from going back there,” said CDD 10 Board Chairman John Miller.
That may be the reality of the situation, but supervisors remain sympathetic to the residents’ situation.
“It’s intrusive if you buy a house on the pond and you have young people behind your house fishing,” said Supervisor Jim Boyd. “They are loud and disruptive. It can be going on at 11 o’clock at night.”
While the sheriff’s office can be called to investigate trespassing complaints, Community Watch does not have a role in dissuading the fishermen from visiting the pond. Community Watch cannot check IDs as might be done at pools and recreation centers. That idea had been raised in a previous meeting.
“They (Community Watch) are not going to go to a basin and ask for an ID. That’s not their role,” said Assistant District Manager Bruce Brown.
He also said signage is not a good option at the pond.
“People don’t pay attention to signs in The Villages,” Brown said. “Signage is not effective.”
In addition, a “No Fishing” sign would prohibit fishing by outsiders, as well a Villagers. Even if such a sign was posted, there would be no enforcement mechanism.
Resident Modesto Alcala said it felt like the CDD 10 supervisors were “kicking the ball back to us” and abdicating their responsibility.
“We cannot be the only pond in The Villages facing this issue,” Alcala added.
The lack of options is frustrating supervisors, too.
“There has to be more that we can do than nothing,” said Supervisor Chris Bradshaw.
Chairman Miller assured residents that the supervisors would continue to research potential options.
“We are not dropping this issue,” Miller promised.
