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The Villages
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Florida-Friendly Landscaping irritating neighbors in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown

Florida-Friendly Landscaping is irritating some neighbors in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.

Craig Bonifant of the Village of Amelia took a protest over Florida-Friendly Landscaping on Friday morning to Lake Sumter Landing Market Square.

He parked his golf cart outside Starbucks and attached some eye-catching signage.

The sign read, “Beware when you buy in The Villages this could move in next to you. The Villages said this is OK, but you cannot have this.” An arrow points to a white cross.

Craig Bonifant took his protest to Lake Sumter Landing.
Craig Bonifant took his protest to Lake Sumter Landing.

Posted on the sign attached to the golf cart were photos of a neighbor’s home on Darwin Terrace in the Village of Amelia.

“It looks like a jungle,” Bonifant said.

A home on Darwin Terrace has Florida Friendly Landscaping.
A home on Darwin Terrace has Florida Friendly Landscaping.
A yard at a home on Darwin Terrace has Florida Friendly Landscaping.
A yard at a home on Darwin Terrace has Florida Friendly Landscaping.

Florida-Friendly Landscaping is the practice of using low-maintenance plants and environmentally sustainable practices. The University of Florida Extension Service describes Florida-Friendly Landscaping as a “beautiful landscape that could save you time, energy and money while protecting our future.”

Bonifant’s Friday morning protest was aimed at Community Development District 6 supervisors who were meeting in the District Office boardroom located above Starbucks. The protest was not acknowledged or addressed in the meeting.

Bonifant said he believes it is wrong to allow Florida-Friendly Landscaping, but prevent CDD 6 homeowners from having lawn ornaments, including little white crosses which have been stirring up controversy in The Villages.

Bonifant said he will continue to protest against Florida-Friendly Landscaping.

Rich Cardillo has vowed to do the same in Community Development District 8.

Cardillo, who lives in the Bayport Villas in the Village of Buttonwood, also has a harsh opinion of a neighbor’s Florida-Friendly Landscaping.

“When you see it you want to barf. And the barf looks better than the Florida-Friendly Landscaping,” he said in a contentious appearance before the CDD 8 Board of Supervisors, also on Friday.

Cardillo, who resides in a patio villa, wants permission to put down stone landscaping, but has been denied.

Like Bonifant, Cardillo said he isn’t giving up.

“You will see me back here at every meeting,” he promised the CDD 8 supervisors.

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