Anyone hear of this in The Villages? (Wildwood, Fruitland Park: houses, landscaping)

[luvmyhoss]

I just heard the Villages is trying to expand by buying
1100 acres across from 466A. Near Fruitland Park
They do not want them, but how can they be stopped?
Remember the Villages were going to build out
and then quit. HUH?

[=^..^=]

My SIL lives in The Villages. She hasn't mentioned anything about an expansion.

[Dax13]

Haven't heard of this, but it wouldn't surprise me. They have deep pockets and friends. Only way to ever stop them is to have property owners refuse to sell their land and for the city/county refuse to rezone or otherwise enable them.

[Sam In Florida]

Originally Posted by luvmyhoss

I just heard the Villages is trying to expand by buying
1100 acres across from 466A. Near Fruitland Park
They do not want them, but how can they be stopped?
Remember the Villages were going to build out
and then quit. HUH?

It's not near Fruitland Park, it's in Fruitland Park and they will have every right to stop or restrict development by The Villages. Read the story at this link:

'The coming of The Villages' - Daily Commercial: News

[luvmyhoss]

Originally Posted by =^..^=

My SIL lives in The Villages. She hasn't mentioned anything about an expansion.

See below link; but I think Fruitland Park could definitely use an upgrade.

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by Dax13

Haven't heard of this, but it wouldn't surprise me. They have deep pockets and friends. Only way to ever stop them is to have property owners refuse to sell their land and for the city/county refuse to rezone or otherwise enable them.

Why would they do that when the retirees bring in so much money? As for property owners, if the price is right they'll sell and wont care who they sell to....

[bearman]

a lot of investors are coming from China and the Middle East - if not this year, then in the next 5 the potential is there, so more acrage now makes sense. Sad, but...

[Dax13]

Originally Posted by =^..^=

Why would they do that when the retirees bring in so much money? As for property owners, if the price is right they'll sell and wont care who they sell to....

Yes, The Village People bring in money. In exchange for that, they are like the Borg. Most of the community and its resources will be assimilated and reconfigured for the benefit of The Village People. There will be remnants left of what used to be....perhaps an old train depot with a lopsided wooden sign, the community name all but forgotten and replaced with the legend of " Lake Fruitland Landing ". The holdouts will find walls erected and signage directing traffic through the carefully planned and more complementary feeder roads. Their demise will be hastened so that resistance will have been futile. Local government and zoning boards will be reconfigured, school boards will grow irrelevant as charter schools for employees pop up with the attendant " participation agreements ". At least this is what I perceived in Wildwood. And maybe this is what the people of Fruitland Park want......a repositioning of power and priorities. And maybe what will be may be better than what was.......And yes, everyone has a price.

Of course, I could always be wrong

[AnonChick]

Originally Posted by Dax13

Yes, The Village People bring in money. In exchange for that, they are like the Borg. Most of the community and its resources will be assimilated and reconfigured for the benefit of The Village People. There will be remnants left of what used to be....perhaps an old train depot with a lopsided wooden sign, the community name all but forgotten and replaced with the legend of " Lake Fruitland Landing ". The holdouts will find walls erected and signage directing traffic through the carefully planned and more complementary feeder roads. Their demise will be hastened so that resistance will have been futile. Local government and zoning boards will be reconfigured, school boards will grow irrelevant as charter schools for employees pop up with the attendant " participation agreements ". At least this is what I perceived in Wildwood. And maybe this is what the people of Fruitland Park want......a repositioning of power and priorities. And maybe what will be may be better than what was.......And yes, everyone has a price.

Of course, I could always be wrong

Consider that Florida's public educational systems are, at best, abyssmal. The Charter school's kids get a better education than the state's public school kids. The charter school kids don't have to be from wealthy families, or pay hefty fees for the privilege. They just have to be employed by a store, or an office, within the Villages, that has been approved by the Villages to allow kids of employees to go there. So you could see the shift manager of IHOP, a single mom of three who each go to one of the best elementary schools in the state at no cost to her.

Those complementary access roads aren't complementary. They're paid for by the residents of the Villages. Those access roads that -you- are allowed to travel on - your tax dollars didn't pay a dime of them, or their maintenence. And the Villages isn't charging you a toll to access them either.

How could this possibly be a *bad* thing, that makes you so cynical?

I understand they paved paradise and put up a parking lot. I get that. But the parking lot is gorgeous, the few rickety houses in paradise and the horse farms that were about to go under because their businesses were failing, and the swampland - all were replaced by lush trees and flowers and exquisite landscaping that is open for ANYONE to walk through and enjoy. The gates can be bypassed; they're not locked. You just drive up slowly, press a button on the box, and they open right up. They're meant to *deter* the criminal element, and to keep traffic moving slowly.

All of the stores in each of the village centers are open to the public, and even the nightly live music in the village squares is free for whoever wants to enjoy it.

And it's ALL paid for by the people who own homes and live in the Villages.

Personally, if I was stuck living in Florida (which will happen, when my husband retires), I'd rather live in the Villages than wild swampland adjacent to a failing horse farm.

[Dax13]

Originally Posted by AnonChick

Consider that Florida's public educational systems are, at best, abyssmal. The Charter school's kids get a better education than the state's public school kids. The charter school kids don't have to be from wealthy families, or pay hefty fees for the privilege. They just have to be employed by a store, or an office, within the Villages, that has been approved by the Villages to allow kids of employees to go there. So you could see the shift manager of IHOP, a single mom of three who each go to one of the best elementary schools in the state at no cost to her.

As a child who testified before a judge regarding the state of Florida's public education system, I am well aware of the abysmal school system. However, not all children have parents who are "approved by the Villages". For every dollar diverted to educate that single mother's three children, there is another single mother of three working for a non-approved employer, whose child is going to have to make do with less. Are they to be further marginalized?



Those complementary access roads aren't complementary. They're paid for by the residents of the Villages. Those access roads that -you- are allowed to travel on - your tax dollars didn't pay a dime of them, or their maintenence. And the Villages isn't charging you a toll to access them either.

You have confused " complementary" with " complimentary "


How could this possibly be a *bad* thing, that makes you so cynical?

I understand they paved paradise and put up a parking lot. I get that. But the parking lot is gorgeous, the few rickety houses in paradise and the horse farms that were about to go under because their businesses were failing, and the swampland - all were replaced by lush trees and flowers and exquisite landscaping that is open for ANYONE to walk through and enjoy. The gates can be bypassed; they're not locked. You just drive up slowly, press a button on the box, and they open right up. They're meant to *deter* the criminal element, and to keep traffic moving slowly.

All of the stores in each of the village centers are open to the public, and even the nightly live music in the village squares is free for whoever wants to enjoy it.

And it's ALL paid for by the people who own homes and live in the Villages.

Personally, if I was stuck living in Florida (which will happen, when my husband retires), I'd rather live in the Villages than wild swampland adjacent to a failing horse farm.

I did not say it was a bad thing. I was contrasting "what is" with "what may be". I know that the Village People bring money to the area. I also know that their priorities become THE priorities for water, traffic, shopping, taxes, etc. Many bond issues or tax issues may not be approved by voters unless there is a direct benefit to The Village People. Majority rules and them that has the money makes the rules. Cynical? Not really. It is what it is........and it is driving a golf cart like it owns the road.