Tempers flared over accusations of ongoing golf cart sales at a residence in The Villages.
Residents of the Village of Polo Ridge appealed for help from the Community Development District 3 Board of Supervisors on Friday morning at Savannah Center.
Residents alleged that golf carts are being sold at a home at 3099 Southern Trace.
Patrick Zakarias, who lives on Barbados Place, detailed his concerns.
“We just want him to stop. Someone is going to get killed,” he said.
He said golf carts are being loaded and unloaded from a truck at the home. He said the truck is interfering with traffic and creating a dangerous situation. He also claimed the property is being operated as a shop making golf cart repairs.
He and other residents claimed that the homeowner is operating a business out of the home. However, District officials said the concerns have been brought to the attention of the Developer, who has concluded a business is not being run out of the home. Running a business out of the home is considered an internal deed restriction and is under the purview of the Developer. The CDD 3 board has no authority over internal deed restrictions.
Denise Testai, who lives in the home with her husband Stephen, took to the podium to defend their actions. She insisted they are not operating a business.
“We do not collect money. We act as a ‘go between,’” Testai said. “We are doing this for humanitarian (reasons). We are helping elderly people. We are helping people who have moved.”
She invited people who have concerns to “come knock on my door.”
Residents who had gathered in the meeting room began a back-and-forth exchange with Testai which resulted in Testai, who was still at the podium, being warned to address her comments to the board and not the audience.
Supervisor Gail Lazenby was sympathetic to the residents who had expressed their concerns.
“Let’s make one thing clear. We aren’t happy about it. But we don’t have the authority to make a change,” he said.
He advised the residents to “inundate” the Developer with information about the situation, including photos they have taken.
