An Indiana doctor is battling lawn problems after buying an $800,000 home in The Villages.
The home of Dr. Mark O’Brien at 1479 Blenheim Trail in the Village of Sunset Ridge at Sunset Pointe was the subject of a public hearing Tuesday morning before the Community Development District 5 Board of Supervisors at SeaBreeze Recreation Center.
O’Brien, who is still living in Indiana, was represented at the hearing by his brother Thomas O’Brien of Lafayette, Ind.
Mark O’Brien, a doctor at Indiana University Health, bought the home last year for $800,000.
“When he purchased the house, it hadn’t been lived in for over a year,” Thomas O’Brien told the board.
The lawn was invaded by chinch bugs and torpedo grass which were oddities for the Hoosiers. It has hoped that a lawn care service company and treatments could remedy the situation. The O’Brien brothers were puzzled when the problems remained.
So they put up external surveillance cameras.
“We found that the mowing company was not showing up and the insecticide guy sat in the truck for 30 minutes and left a bill for $350,” Thomas O’Brien said.
He said they are working toward putting down new sod and need more time.
“We are working on it. We are not ignoring it at all,” O’Brien said. “We are on top of it.”
CDD 5 Board Chairman Gary Kadow, a longtime resident of The Villages, offered a little advice.
“When you hire contractors, you have to ride herd on the contractors. You will be the ones ultimately responsible,” Kadow said.
The homeowner was given 30 days to the lawn back into compliance.
If he fails to do so, he could be fined.