The Villages, Florida
Encyclopedia
The Villages is a master-planned
age-restricted retirement community
located mainly in Sumter County
, Florida
, United States
, but also includes portions of Lake
and Marion
counties. The community is controlled by several Community Development Districts (CDD's), most of which are controlled by H. Gary Morse, the owner of the development company which created The Villages. The overall development lies in central Florida, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) south of Ocala
and approximately 45 miles (72.4 km) northwest of Orlando
.
The Villages includes the census-designated place
(CDP) located in Sumter County, also known as The Villages, which had a population of 8,333 at the 2000 census. The CDP is the center of The Villages Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA), which consists of all of Sumter County but does not include the Lake or Marion County portions of The Villages (the Lake County portion is included in the Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area
; the Marion County portion is included in the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area). The Villages earned the No. 1 ranking as the fastest growing micropolitan area in the United States according to a 2008 Census Bureau report.
in The Villages area in the 1960s. Unfortunately for Schwartz and his business partner Al Tarrson, a Federal law in 1968 banned mail order sales of real estate.
Stuck with considerable portions of Florida land, in the early 1970s Schwartz and Tarrson began development of a mobile home park, Orange Blossom Gardens, in the northwestern corner of Lake County. By the early 1980s, though, the community had sold only 400 units. In an attempt to improve the business, Schwartz decided to buy out Tarrson's interest and bring his son, H. Gary Morse, on board in 1983.
Morse noted that the successful retirement communities (such as Del Webb
's Sun City
developments) offered considerable numbers of well-maintained amenities to the residents and were also surrounded by diverse amounts of nearby commercial development. Thus, Morse began to significantly upgrade the development, which worked out well – the mid-1980s saw improvement in sales, and Schwartz then began to buy large tracts of land in nearby Sumter and Marion counties for future expansion.
Morse officially changed the overall development name to The Villages in 1992. The development is still controlled in all major aspects by descendants of Schwartz and Morse (as an example, Jennifer Parr, Director of Sales and the spokesperson on the sales video sent out to prospective buyers, is Schwartz's granddaughter).
All homes must be occupied by at least one person who is 55 years of age or older. Persons under the age of 19 years are not permitted to reside within The Villages but may visit for a maximum of 30 days per year unless an exemption is granted; however, three subdivisions are designated as "family units" and are not subject to the under-19 restriction.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 5.6 mi² (14.5 km²). 5.2 mi² (13.4 km²) of it is land and 0.4 mi² (1.0 km²) of it (6.99%) is water.
of 2000, there were 8,333 people, 4,392 households, and 3,583 families residing in the CDP. A more recent survey indicates that The Villages passed 75,000 population in December 2007 and based on growth trends from 1990 forward, will double in population in the next 5 years http://www.thevillagescommercialproperty.com/the-villages-market.asp; however, the number includes people who maintain a second or retirement home in the community but claim legal residency elsewhere. The population density
was 1,605.5 people per square mile (619.9/km²²). There were 5,065 housing units at an average density of 975.9/mi (376.8/km²²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.4% White, 0.5% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races
, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race made up 1.3% of the population.
There were 400,393 households, of which 0.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 80.1% were married couples
living together, 1.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.4% were non-families. 15.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.89 and the average family size was 2.05.
Age ranges in the population were 0.3% under the age of 18, 0.3% from 18 to 24, 1.5% from 25 to 44, 40.4% from 45 to 64, and 57.5% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 66 years. For every 100 females there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males. As stated above, The Villages is an age-restricted community with only three neighborhoods designated for residences by persons under age 19 (absent a granted exemption).
The median income for a household in the CDP was $42,542, and the median income for a family was $45,078. Males had a median income of $58,173 versus $26,176 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $28,343. About 2.8% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those aged 65 or over.
Considered a heavily Republican
community, The Villages is a popular election stop and platform for personalities such as former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin
, former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee
and talk show host/author Glenn Beck
.
A gated community known for low crime rates, The Villages was featured extensively in the news after a resident was killed in her home during a hold-up in July 2006, the first-ever murder in the retirement community.
(currently represented by Republican Rich Nugent
) while the Lake and Marion County portion is within Florida's 6th congressional district
(currently represented by Republican Cliff Stearns
).
District 20 (currently represented by Republican Alan Hays
), and is within the boundaries of Florida House of Representatives
District 42 (currently represented by Republican H. Marlene O'Toole
).
The portion of The Villages within Marion County is within Marion County District 3. the current District 3 Commissioner is Stan McClain.
Areas of The Villages in Sumter County are divided between Sumter County District 1, which takes areas east of Morse Boulevard, and Sumter County District 3, which takes areas west of Morse Boulevard. the current District 1 Commissioner is Richard Hoffman
and the current District 3 Commissioner is Don Burgess. Sumter County operates The Villages Sumter County Service Center at 7375 Powell Road in Wildwood.
The Villages currently operates 12 CDD's. Ten of the 12 CDD's cover the various areas of The Villages where residents own homes, and provide and maintain the roads and transportation paths, storm water systems and structures, underground utilities, curbs and gutters, and street lights. The costs of building and maintaining this infrastructure
are paid for by annual special assessments included in the property tax
bill. District residents (including landowners who have yet to build on their property) elect the members of the District Board of Supervisors. The current district setup is as follows:
The remaining two CDD's are:
Unlike the residential CDD's, there are no residents within the CDD boundaries. Thus, the five-member Board of Supervisors for each district is composed of the developer's employees or affiliates.
s in The Villages: The Property Owners Association (POA) and The Villages Homeowners Association (VHA).
Unlike traditional associations (in which membership is mandatory for property owners, and where the association has the authority to enforce building standards), both the POA and the VHA are voluntary organizations that work to inform and serve the residents. According to author Andrew D. Blechman in his book Leisureville (see Criticism section below), the VHA is traditionally aligned with the Morse family while the POA has historically maintained a stance in opposition to the developers. Neither association assesses mandatory dues and residents can join either or both associations (the primary benefit of which is the ability to gain discounts on local services).
As a master planned retirement community, The Villages offers numerous forms of recreation. The majority of the costs are paid for via the monthly amenities fee assessed to residents (the facilities are owned by the centralized CDD's discussed above).
s. The ability to play golf
for free year-round is a key component of The Villages advertising campaigns. , The Villages operates 38 courses.
Twenty-nine of the courses are executive golf courses, all of which are 9-hole layouts. It is these courses at which residents of The Villages can play free golf for life and can walk the courses for free as well; fees are charged for riding a golf cart on the courses.
The remaining nine courses are country club
championship courses. Among notable course architects are Arnold Palmer
and Nancy Lopez
. The Orange Blossom Hills and Tierra Del Sol clubs are 18-hole layouts; the other seven clubs are 27-hole layouts. Residents of The Villages are automatically members of these clubs; however, unlike the executive courses residents must pay green fees to play the courses and the clubs charge for priority tee times.
By final buildout The Villages will operate 12 country-club championship courses (the last three will be 27-hole layouts; there are no plans to expand Orange Blossom Hills or Tierra Del Sol beyond their existing 18-hole layouts) and 35 9-hole executive golf courses, for a total of 621 holes of golf.
The Villages also operates a golf instruction academy for all skill levels.
s offered):
In addition The Villages operates 11 parks, dog parks, and fitness trails, which are separate from the recreation centers.
Nightly activities are held in The Villages two town squares, Lake Sumter Landing's Market Square and Spanish Springs Town Square. A third town square, Brownwood Paddock Square, is under construction.
, the St. Petersburg Times
, the Leesburg Daily Commercial, and the Ocala Star-Banner
.
Blechman in his book criticizes The Villages media for being slanted toward the policies and views of the developers.
/US 441
to the east, US 301
to the west, Marion County Road 42 to the north, and Sumter County Road 466A to the south. Sumter County Road 466 serves as the main east-west corridor, with Buena Vista Boulevard and Morse Boulevard serving as major north-south corridors.
Due to the prevalence of golf courses many residents in The Villages use golf carts (some of which are street-legal, and some of which solar-powered
) to travel around the community. Tunnels have been built in most of The Villages where a highway must be crossed, but one overpass
exists across US 27
/US 441
because there was no way to construct a tunnel in this area.
The Villages developers operate a trolley-style bus tour of the community which operates from the sales and information center located at The Market Square in Lake Sumter Landing.
There is a private van service, Village Airport Van, which provides door-to-door service from The Villages to Orlando International Airport
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Village Airport Van picks up passengers at their homes and takes them directly to their airline’s departure gate. The service costs $35 per person each way with reduced or free fares for children. Group discounts also apply. There are no extra charges for pets, golf clubs or baggage.
There is also a shuttle that operates between the community and Orlando International Airport
in Orlando
. The shuttle stops at Lake Sumter Landing and Spanish Springs. The ride takes approximately 90 minutes and advance reservations are suggested. The service costs $35 each way ($70 round-trip), but if one reserves a round-trip the round-trip price is reduced to $65.
The Villages Charter Schools
is a PK-12 charter school in unincorporated Sumter County. Children are eligible to attend the charter school if one or both of their parents work directly for The Villages or one of its direct subcontractors, or if the parents work for a business located within The Villages. However, children of residents who reside in a family unit neighborhood or by granted exemption do not qualify for attendance.
Sumter District Schools operates the Sumter County Adult Community Education Center in unincorporated Sumter County.
For residents of Lake and Sumter counties, Lake-Sumter Community College
provides adult education at the South Lake Campus in Clermont
, the Leesburg Campus in Leesburg
and the Sumter Campus in unincorporated Sumter County.
College of Central Florida serves residents of Marion County, operating the Ocala Campus and the Hampton Center in Ocala
in Marion County and centers and campuses in adjacent counties.
As Blechman told National Public Radio in March 2010, "Everything's owned by the developer. . . . The government is owned by the developer. Everything's privatized — and they're happy with that. You know, they've traded in the ballot box for the corporate suggestion box."
of the IRS' intent to audit several recreational bonds issued in 2003 to determine compliance with tax regulations (mainly due to their status as municipal bond
s which are exempt from Federal income tax). The IRS sent three "Notices of Proposed Issues" in January 2009 challenging the tax-exempt status of the bonds on three grounds:
The position stems in large part from the interrelationship between VCCDD and The Villages developers (since VCCDD has no residents, the Board of Supervisors consists solely of individuals who work for or have an affiliation with The Villages developers, and VCCDD's infrastructure was purchased by the developers-controlled board from the developers).
After an IRS settlement offer was rejected by VCCDD, the IRS further expanded its audit in July 2009 to include all recreational and utility revenue bonds issued by VCCDD as well as similar bonds issued by Sumter Landing CDD; however, the 10 district CDD's were not included in the audit.
VCCDD opposes the position taken by the IRS, and in January 2010 it formally requested technical advice from the IRS as to the position it has taken. On June 14, 2011, VCCDD (after discussions with the IRS) submitted its final Request for Technical Advice, outlining its position on the matter.
The location of the golf cart overpass over US 27-441 in the center of The Villages
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
age-restricted retirement community
Age-restricted community
An age-restricted community or age-segregated community is a housing area, often gated, that restricts ownership to individuals who are over a set age. Often the minimum age is 50 years, but it could be 55 or even 60....
located mainly in Sumter County
Sumter County, Florida
Sumter County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 53,345. The 2006 Census estimate puts its population at 68,768 . Its county seat is Bushnell, Florida and the largest incorporated municipality is Wildwood, Florida. The Villages,...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but also includes portions of Lake
Lake County, Florida
Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares...
and Marion
Marion County, Florida
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 316,183. Its county seat is Ocala....
counties. The community is controlled by several Community Development Districts (CDD's), most of which are controlled by H. Gary Morse, the owner of the development company which created The Villages. The overall development lies in central Florida, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) south of Ocala
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
and approximately 45 miles (72.4 km) northwest of Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
.
The Villages includes the census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) located in Sumter County, also known as The Villages, which had a population of 8,333 at the 2000 census. The CDP is the center of The Villages Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA), which consists of all of Sumter County but does not include the Lake or Marion County portions of The Villages (the Lake County portion is included in the Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area
Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area
Greater Orlando, also called the Orlando Metropolitan Area and known for census purposes as the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida Metropoltian Statistical Area, is a metropolitan area in the central part of the US state of Florida. Its principal cities are Orlando and the smaller municipalities of...
; the Marion County portion is included in the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area). The Villages earned the No. 1 ranking as the fastest growing micropolitan area in the United States according to a 2008 Census Bureau report.
History
Harold Schwartz, a Michigan businessman, began selling land tracts via mail orderMail order
Mail order is a term which describes the buying of goods or services by mail delivery. The buyer places an order for the desired products with the merchant through some remote method such as through a telephone call or web site. Then, the products are delivered to the customer...
in The Villages area in the 1960s. Unfortunately for Schwartz and his business partner Al Tarrson, a Federal law in 1968 banned mail order sales of real estate.
Stuck with considerable portions of Florida land, in the early 1970s Schwartz and Tarrson began development of a mobile home park, Orange Blossom Gardens, in the northwestern corner of Lake County. By the early 1980s, though, the community had sold only 400 units. In an attempt to improve the business, Schwartz decided to buy out Tarrson's interest and bring his son, H. Gary Morse, on board in 1983.
Morse noted that the successful retirement communities (such as Del Webb
Del Webb
Delbert Eugene Webb was an American construction magnate, real estate developer and sports-team owner, who is most significant for founding and developing the retirement community of Sun City, Arizona.-Early life:...
's Sun City
Sun City, Arizona
Sun City is a census-designated place and unincorporated town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The population was 38,309 at the 2000 census...
developments) offered considerable numbers of well-maintained amenities to the residents and were also surrounded by diverse amounts of nearby commercial development. Thus, Morse began to significantly upgrade the development, which worked out well – the mid-1980s saw improvement in sales, and Schwartz then began to buy large tracts of land in nearby Sumter and Marion counties for future expansion.
Morse officially changed the overall development name to The Villages in 1992. The development is still controlled in all major aspects by descendants of Schwartz and Morse (as an example, Jennifer Parr, Director of Sales and the spokesperson on the sales video sent out to prospective buyers, is Schwartz's granddaughter).
Structure
A Declaration of Restrictions has been created for each individual neighborhood, which regulates such things as landscaping, repairs and maintenance, placement of satellite dishes, hedges, etc. An Architectural Review Committee controls the composition and consistency of the exterior of the residential properties within The Villages. The committee, which consists of Villages residents, is responsible for approving alterations and modifications to the properties and homes built by the developer. Committee members serve for three years and are selected by the sitting committee.All homes must be occupied by at least one person who is 55 years of age or older. Persons under the age of 19 years are not permitted to reside within The Villages but may visit for a maximum of 30 days per year unless an exemption is granted; however, three subdivisions are designated as "family units" and are not subject to the under-19 restriction.
Geography
The Villages is located at 28°56′16"N 81°58′16"W (28.937803, -81.971220).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 5.6 mi² (14.5 km²). 5.2 mi² (13.4 km²) of it is land and 0.4 mi² (1.0 km²) of it (6.99%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,333 people, 4,392 households, and 3,583 families residing in the CDP. A more recent survey indicates that The Villages passed 75,000 population in December 2007 and based on growth trends from 1990 forward, will double in population in the next 5 years http://www.thevillagescommercialproperty.com/the-villages-market.asp; however, the number includes people who maintain a second or retirement home in the community but claim legal residency elsewhere. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,605.5 people per square mile (619.9/km²²). There were 5,065 housing units at an average density of 975.9/mi (376.8/km²²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.4% White, 0.5% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race made up 1.3% of the population.
There were 400,393 households, of which 0.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 80.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 1.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.4% were non-families. 15.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.89 and the average family size was 2.05.
Age ranges in the population were 0.3% under the age of 18, 0.3% from 18 to 24, 1.5% from 25 to 44, 40.4% from 45 to 64, and 57.5% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 66 years. For every 100 females there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males. As stated above, The Villages is an age-restricted community with only three neighborhoods designated for residences by persons under age 19 (absent a granted exemption).
The median income for a household in the CDP was $42,542, and the median income for a family was $45,078. Males had a median income of $58,173 versus $26,176 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $28,343. About 2.8% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those aged 65 or over.
Considered a heavily Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
community, The Villages is a popular election stop and platform for personalities such as former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
, former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
and talk show host/author Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck
Glenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
.
A gated community known for low crime rates, The Villages was featured extensively in the news after a resident was killed in her home during a hold-up in July 2006, the first-ever murder in the retirement community.
Federal Representation
The Sumter County portion of The Villages is within Florida's 5th congressional districtFlorida's 5th congressional district
Florida's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida that comprises all of Citrus, Hernando, and Sumter counties and most of Lake, Levy, and Pasco counties and portions of Marion and Polk counties...
(currently represented by Republican Rich Nugent
Rich Nugent
Richard B. Nugent is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He is formerly the Sheriff of Hernando County, Florida. On November 2, 2010 Richard Nugent defeated Democratic nominee James Piccillo, to replace retiring Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite...
) while the Lake and Marion County portion is within Florida's 6th congressional district
Florida's 6th congressional district
Florida's 6th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida. The district stretches from the St. Johns River and Jacksonville, sweeping through North Central Florida, encompassing portions of Gainesville and Ocala, gerrymandering down to the northern tip of the...
(currently represented by Republican Cliff Stearns
Cliff Stearns
Clifford Bundy "Cliff" Stearns, Sr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1989. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:According to his official biography, Stearns was born in Washington, D.C...
).
State Representation
The entirety of The Villages is within the boundaries of Florida SenateFlorida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Senate is composed of 40 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 470,032....
District 20 (currently represented by Republican Alan Hays
Alan Hays
D. Alan Hays is a Republican Representative in the House of Representatives of the U.S. state of Florida. Hays' district centers on Umatilla, located approximately 50 miles north of Orlando. He was elected to the House in 2004...
), and is within the boundaries of Florida House of Representatives
Florida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
District 42 (currently represented by Republican H. Marlene O'Toole
H. Marlene O'Toole
H. Marlene O'Toole is a Florida Republican politician who serves as a Representative in the House of Representatives of the U.S. state of Florida....
).
County
The portion of The Villages within Lake County is within Lake County District 1. the current District 1 Commissioner is Jennifer Hill.The portion of The Villages within Marion County is within Marion County District 3. the current District 3 Commissioner is Stan McClain.
Areas of The Villages in Sumter County are divided between Sumter County District 1, which takes areas east of Morse Boulevard, and Sumter County District 3, which takes areas west of Morse Boulevard. the current District 1 Commissioner is Richard Hoffman
and the current District 3 Commissioner is Don Burgess. Sumter County operates The Villages Sumter County Service Center at 7375 Powell Road in Wildwood.
Local Government (Community Development Districts)
The majority of The Villages is developed and maintained using several Community Development Districts (CDD). The CDD is a form of special purpose local government available under Florida law; around 225 communities in Florida currently use this form of government. The portion of The Villages located in Lake County is under the jurisdiction of the city of Lady Lake and is not part of any of the District CDD's but a portion is under the larger CDD's (see below).The Villages currently operates 12 CDD's. Ten of the 12 CDD's cover the various areas of The Villages where residents own homes, and provide and maintain the roads and transportation paths, storm water systems and structures, underground utilities, curbs and gutters, and street lights. The costs of building and maintaining this infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
are paid for by annual special assessments included in the property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
bill. District residents (including landowners who have yet to build on their property) elect the members of the District Board of Supervisors. The current district setup is as follows:
- District 1 – consists of approximately 998 acres (4 km²) in the northeast corner of Sumter County, which includes 3,420 residential units
- District 2 – consists of approximately 990 acres (4 km²) in the northeast corner of Sumter County, which includes 3,668 residential units
- District 3 – consists of approximately 894 acres (3.6 km²) in the northeast corner of Sumter County, which includes 3,762 residential units
- District 4 – consists of approximately 1187 acres (4.8 km²) in the southern portion of Marion County, which includes 5,132 residential units
- District 5 – consists of approximately 1408 acres (5.7 km²) in the northeast corner of Sumter County, which includes 6,399 residential units
- District 6 – consists of approximately 1497 acres (6.1 km²) in the northeast corner of Sumter County, which includes 6,677 residential units (planned)
- District 7 – consists of approximately 976 acres (3.9 km²) in the northeast corner of Sumter County, which includes 4,765 residential units (planned)
- District 8 – consists of approximately 1070 acres (4.3 km²) in the northeast corner of Sumter County, which includes 5,140 residential units (planned)
- District 9 – consists of approximately 946 acres (3.8 km²) in the northeast corner of Sumter County; as of 2010 development is beginning
- District 10 – consists of approximately 999 acres (4 km²) in the northeast corner of Sumter County; as of 2010 development is beginning
The remaining two CDD's are:
- Village Center Community Development District (VCCDD) – located in Lake, Marion, and Sumter counties, VCCDD provides water and sewer utility services, recreation, security services, fire protection and paramedic services to the residents. The cost of operations is funded by amenity and utility fees that residents pay monthly. VCCDD also provides for the maintenance of common areas and roadways for the commercial areas within its boundaries. The cost of maintenance in the commercial areas is funded through commercial maintenance assessments.
- Sumter Landing Community Development District (SLCDD) – located in Sumter County, SLCDD provides recreation and security services to the residents. The cost of operations is funded by amenity fees that residents pay monthly. This CDD also provides for the maintenance of common areas and roadways for the commercial areas within its boundaries. The cost of maintenance in the commercial areas is funded through commercial maintenance assessments.
Unlike the residential CDD's, there are no residents within the CDD boundaries. Thus, the five-member Board of Supervisors for each district is composed of the developer's employees or affiliates.
Homeowners Associations
There are also two homeowners associationHomeowners association
A homeowner association is a corporation formed by a real estate developer for the purpose of marketing, managing, and selling of homes and lots in a residential subdivision...
s in The Villages: The Property Owners Association (POA) and The Villages Homeowners Association (VHA).
Unlike traditional associations (in which membership is mandatory for property owners, and where the association has the authority to enforce building standards), both the POA and the VHA are voluntary organizations that work to inform and serve the residents. According to author Andrew D. Blechman in his book Leisureville (see Criticism section below), the VHA is traditionally aligned with the Morse family while the POA has historically maintained a stance in opposition to the developers. Neither association assesses mandatory dues and residents can join either or both associations (the primary benefit of which is the ability to gain discounts on local services).
Recreational Activities
Golf Courses
The centerpiece of The Villages is its numerous assortment of golf courseGolf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s. The ability to play golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
for free year-round is a key component of The Villages advertising campaigns. , The Villages operates 38 courses.
Twenty-nine of the courses are executive golf courses, all of which are 9-hole layouts. It is these courses at which residents of The Villages can play free golf for life and can walk the courses for free as well; fees are charged for riding a golf cart on the courses.
The remaining nine courses are country club
Country club
A country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
championship courses. Among notable course architects are Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
and Nancy Lopez
Nancy Lopez
Nancy Marie Lopez is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977 and won 48 LPGA Tour events during her LPGA career, including three major championships.-Amateur career:...
. The Orange Blossom Hills and Tierra Del Sol clubs are 18-hole layouts; the other seven clubs are 27-hole layouts. Residents of The Villages are automatically members of these clubs; however, unlike the executive courses residents must pay green fees to play the courses and the clubs charge for priority tee times.
By final buildout The Villages will operate 12 country-club championship courses (the last three will be 27-hole layouts; there are no plans to expand Orange Blossom Hills or Tierra Del Sol beyond their existing 18-hole layouts) and 35 9-hole executive golf courses, for a total of 621 holes of golf.
The Villages also operates a golf instruction academy for all skill levels.
Recreation Centers
In addition, The Villages operates numerous recreation centers. There are three classes of centers (the number shown are as of March 2011 and are based on the types of swimming poolSwimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
s offered):
- "Neighborhood Centers" (32; these centers offer local adult-only pools as well as bocce, horseshoe, and shuffleboard courts)
- "Village Centers" (17; these centers offer family pools (except for Silverlake, which has no pool), facilities with billiard meeting rooms and full kitchens, bocce, horseshoe, and shuffleboard courts, plus tennis and pickleball courts)
- "Regional Centers" (eight; these centers offer resident-only sports pools (except for Paradise, which offers a family pool), larger venues with stages for theatric and musical productions, and many of the same features as the village centers; all but two also operate fitness centers for which a membership must be purchased)
In addition The Villages operates 11 parks, dog parks, and fitness trails, which are separate from the recreation centers.
Other Activities
Beyond the golf courses and recreation centers, The Villages also operates numerous softball fields, a polo stadium (The Villages Polo Stadium), and a woodworking shop, plus the Lifelong Learning College.Nightly activities are held in The Villages two town squares, Lake Sumter Landing's Market Square and Spanish Springs Town Square. A third town square, Brownwood Paddock Square, is under construction.
Media
The Villages is served by television channels from the Orlando market, by radio stations from both the Orlando and Gainesville/Ocala markets, and by area papers such as the Orlando SentinelOrlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
, the St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
, the Leesburg Daily Commercial, and the Ocala Star-Banner
Star-Banner
The Star-Banner is the daily newspaper in Ocala, Florida, United States and serves Marion County and the surrounding communities. Owned by the New York Times Company, the Star-Banner has a daily circulation of about 43,000, and is the 19th largest newspaper in the state of Florida.- History :The...
.
Developer-controlled Media
The Villages developers operate three media properties:- The Villages News Network (VNN), which is aired on the local ComcastComcastComcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
cable network. - WVLGWVLGWVLG is a radio station licensed to Wildwood, Florida.WVLG broadcasts a mixed oldies and easy listening format, and is an affiliate of Fox News Radio....
(AM-640) radio (a Fox News RadioFox News RadioFox News Radio is an American radio network programmed by Fox News Channel.- History :In 2003, Fox News began syndicating one minute radio updates to radio stations via syndication service Westwood One. On June 1, 2005, Fox News Radio employed 60 people and provided five minute newscasts at the top...
affiliate). - The Villages Daily Sun, a local newspaper.
Blechman in his book criticizes The Villages media for being slanted toward the policies and views of the developers.
Transportation
Highway System
The Villages development is bounded roughly by US 27U.S. Route 27 in Florida
U.S. Route 27 in Florida is a north–south United States Highway. It runs from the South Florida Metropolitan Area northwest to the Tallahassee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Throughout the state, US 27 has been designated the Claude Pepper Memorial Highway by the Florida State Legislature...
/US 441
U.S. Route 441 in Florida
U.S. Route 441 in Florida is a north–south United States Highway. It runs from Miami in South Florida northwest to the Georgia border north of the Lake City area....
to the east, US 301
U.S. Route 301 in Florida
U.S. Route 301 in Florida runs from the Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area northeast to the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan Area. The road is a spur of U.S...
to the west, Marion County Road 42 to the north, and Sumter County Road 466A to the south. Sumter County Road 466 serves as the main east-west corridor, with Buena Vista Boulevard and Morse Boulevard serving as major north-south corridors.
Due to the prevalence of golf courses many residents in The Villages use golf carts (some of which are street-legal, and some of which solar-powered
Solar golf cart
Solar golf carts are golf carts powered by mounting a photovoltaic or thin film panel on top of the existing roof or using a PV panel as the roof itself. A controller converts the sun's energy to charge the golf cart's 36-volt or 48-volt battery bank...
) to travel around the community. Tunnels have been built in most of The Villages where a highway must be crossed, but one overpass
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
exists across US 27
U.S. Route 27 in Florida
U.S. Route 27 in Florida is a north–south United States Highway. It runs from the South Florida Metropolitan Area northwest to the Tallahassee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Throughout the state, US 27 has been designated the Claude Pepper Memorial Highway by the Florida State Legislature...
/US 441
U.S. Route 441 in Florida
U.S. Route 441 in Florida is a north–south United States Highway. It runs from Miami in South Florida northwest to the Georgia border north of the Lake City area....
because there was no way to construct a tunnel in this area.
Public Transportation
Sumter County Transit operates The Villages shuttle. They provide various weekday loops through the Villages.The Villages developers operate a trolley-style bus tour of the community which operates from the sales and information center located at The Market Square in Lake Sumter Landing.
There is a private van service, Village Airport Van, which provides door-to-door service from The Villages to Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Village Airport Van picks up passengers at their homes and takes them directly to their airline’s departure gate. The service costs $35 per person each way with reduced or free fares for children. Group discounts also apply. There are no extra charges for pets, golf clubs or baggage.
There is also a shuttle that operates between the community and Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. The shuttle stops at Lake Sumter Landing and Spanish Springs. The ride takes approximately 90 minutes and advance reservations are suggested. The service costs $35 each way ($70 round-trip), but if one reserves a round-trip the round-trip price is reduced to $65.
Primary and Secondary Education
The following school listings are primarily for tax base purposes only, as The Villages does not allow full-time residents under age 19 except in its three family unit neighborhoods or by exception granted for hardship cases.- The portion of The Villages located in Marion County is zoned to Lake Weir High SchoolLake Weir High SchoolLake Weir High School is a public high school located in unincorporated southeastern Marion County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Marion County School District and serves students residing in southeastern Marion County, including the Ocala National Forest, Silver Springs Shores and...
of the Marion County School DistrictMarion County School DistrictThe Marion County School District is a public school district in Marion County, Georgia, USA, based in Buena Vista, Georgia. It serves the communities of Buena Vista and Juniper, Georgia.-Schools:...
. There are no family unit neighborhoods in the Marion County portion of The Villages. - The portion of The Villages located in Sumter County is zoned to Wildwood High School of Sumter District Schools. There is one family unit neighborhood (Bison Valley) in the Sumter County portion of The Villages.
- The portion of The Villages located in Lake County is zoned to Leesburg High SchoolLeesburg High School (Leesburg, Florida)Leesburg High School is a high school located in Leesburg, Florida and is one of seven public high schools in Lake County, Florida. The school is made up of approximately 1,700+ students. The current principal is Bill Miller. For a number of years the school was rated by the state of Florida,...
of the Lake County SchoolsLake County SchoolsLake County Schools is a public school district located in Lake County, Florida, USA. The district operates 50 schools, educating about 38,000 students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.As of November 18 2008, the superintendent is Susan Moxley....
. There are two family unit neighborhoods (Oak Meadows and Spring Arbor) in the Lake County portion of The Villages.
The Villages Charter Schools
The Villages Charter Schools
The Villages Charter Schools is a state-operated charter school in The Villages CDP in unincorporated Sumter County, Florida, United States.Children are eligible to attend the charter school if one or both of their parents work for The Villages....
is a PK-12 charter school in unincorporated Sumter County. Children are eligible to attend the charter school if one or both of their parents work directly for The Villages or one of its direct subcontractors, or if the parents work for a business located within The Villages. However, children of residents who reside in a family unit neighborhood or by granted exemption do not qualify for attendance.
Post-Secondary Education
In addition to the Lifelong Learning College operated by The Villages developer, several publicly-financed options are also available.Sumter District Schools operates the Sumter County Adult Community Education Center in unincorporated Sumter County.
For residents of Lake and Sumter counties, Lake-Sumter Community College
Lake-Sumter Community College
Lake–Sumter Community College is a community college in Central Florida, and part of the Florida College System. The college has three campuses in Lake and Sumter Counties: the Leesburg Campus in Leesburg, the South Lake Campus in Clermont, and the Sumter Campus in Sumterville.- History :The...
provides adult education at the South Lake Campus in Clermont
Clermont, Florida
Clermont is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States, west of Orlando. The population was 13,100 in 2008. The city is essentially residential in character and its economy is centered in retail trade, lodging, and food and beverage establishments, which are tourism oriented. The historic...
, the Leesburg Campus in Leesburg
Leesburg, Florida
Leesburg is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 15,956 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 19,086.. Leesburg is located in central Florida, between Lake Harris and Lake Griffin, at the head of the Oklawaha River system....
and the Sumter Campus in unincorporated Sumter County.
College of Central Florida serves residents of Marion County, operating the Ocala Campus and the Hampton Center in Ocala
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
in Marion County and centers and campuses in adjacent counties.
Criticism
The Villages has been criticized by author Andrew D. Blechman in his book Leisureville: Adventures in America's Retirement Utopias. According to the Orlando Sentinel, "Blechman explains how Villages developer Gary Morse has maintained firm control over local decision-making in a community that sprawls across Lake, Sumter and Marion counties. . . . [The author] highlights the complex political and economic arrangements that gave rise to The Villages, and he asserts that few of its 65,000 or so residents understand, let alone oppose, the limitations on their civic power."As Blechman told National Public Radio in March 2010, "Everything's owned by the developer. . . . The government is owned by the developer. Everything's privatized — and they're happy with that. You know, they've traded in the ballot box for the corporate suggestion box."
IRS Audit of CDD Bonds
In January 2008, the Village Center CDD was notified by the Internal Revenue ServiceInternal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
of the IRS' intent to audit several recreational bonds issued in 2003 to determine compliance with tax regulations (mainly due to their status as municipal bond
Municipal bond
A municipal bond is a bond issued by a city or other local government, or their agencies. Potential issuers of municipal bonds includes cities, counties, redevelopment agencies, special-purpose districts, school districts, public utility districts, publicly owned airports and seaports, and any...
s which are exempt from Federal income tax). The IRS sent three "Notices of Proposed Issues" in January 2009 challenging the tax-exempt status of the bonds on three grounds:
- the Issuer does not qualify as a political subdivision or "on behalf of the issuer" of tax-exempt bonds pursuant to Section 1.103-I(b) of the Internal Revenue Code regulations,
- the opinions of value do not support the price paid by the Issuer to the developer for the Series 2003 Facilities and the payment of the sales price for the facilities to the developer by the Issuer is not a governmental use of the proceeds of the Bonds, and
- the Bonds are private activity bonds the interest on which is not excludable under IRS Section 103.
The position stems in large part from the interrelationship between VCCDD and The Villages developers (since VCCDD has no residents, the Board of Supervisors consists solely of individuals who work for or have an affiliation with The Villages developers, and VCCDD's infrastructure was purchased by the developers-controlled board from the developers).
After an IRS settlement offer was rejected by VCCDD, the IRS further expanded its audit in July 2009 to include all recreational and utility revenue bonds issued by VCCDD as well as similar bonds issued by Sumter Landing CDD; however, the 10 district CDD's were not included in the audit.
VCCDD opposes the position taken by the IRS, and in January 2010 it formally requested technical advice from the IRS as to the position it has taken. On June 14, 2011, VCCDD (after discussions with the IRS) submitted its final Request for Technical Advice, outlining its position on the matter.
External links
- The Villages
- The Villages Community Development District (the website provides public information on all 12 Community Development Districts located within The Villages area)
- The Property Owners' Association of The Villages
- The Villages Homeowners' Association
- The Villages Portal - Residents' Portal Site
- The Villages Daily Sun - Local Newspaper
The location of the golf cart overpass over US 27-441 in the center of The Villages