SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. — One home in the nation's largest retirement community stands out from its well-manicured neighbors, obscured by brush, trees, and growth.
- Neighbor says overgrown landscaping hurts property values
- Homeowner says landscaping falls under "Florida-friendly guidelines"
- Residents have complained numerous times at compliance meetings
The Villages home is surrounded on all sides by large magnolia trees, and shrubs are allowed to grow untouched. And according to the home's caretaker, the owner wants it this way.
Ruth Salumini lives next door and worries about property values.
"It's disgusting. It's just really just an ugly sight. And it's just not good for resale if you ever wanted to resale," she said.
Why is the overgrowth allowed to stay? This is The Villages, after all, and residents are given a compliance handbook when they move in.
While Spectrum News 13 was there, a landscaper stopped by the home to do some weed-whacking. Ironically, the landscaper cut the tops off the flowers.
The unidentified owner of the house called Spectrum News 13, telling the station to stay off her property and adding that she wants neighbors to leave her alone.
She says her home's yard falls under state "Florida-friendly" guidelines. Even The Villages' handbook addresses Florida-friendly, drought-resistant plants.
"But as you can see, this is not 'Florida-friendly.' This doesn't look like any home in The Villages at all," neighbor Craig Bonifant said.
"It doesn't mean that sod be replaced with rocks, decorative stone, pine straw, which there is much there over there," neighbor Barbara Bonifant said.
Residents said they've attended numerous community compliance meetings to complain, but no action has been taken because The Villages so far has deemed it falling under the "Florida-friendly" guidelines.
"They see us coming and just roll their eyes and say, 'All right, we know you're putting in another complaint,'" Craig Bonifant said.
Three other homes in the vicinity used "Florida-friendly" landscaping, but not to the extent of the home drawing the complaints.