Core rules12
Occupancy / age restrictions
Restricted
The community is for persons 55 years of age or older, requiring at least one permanent resident per home to be 55 or older, with visitors under 19 allowed for temporary stays not exceeding 30 days annually, and hardship exceptions for residents between 19 and 55 possible if 80% adult occupancy is maintained.
“The Subdivision is an adult community designed to provide housing for persons 55 years of age or older. All homes that are occupied must he occupied by at least one person who is at least fifty-five (55) years of age. No person under nineteen (19) years of age may be a permanent resident of a home, except that persons below the age of nineteen (19) years may he permitted to visit and temporarily reside for periods not exceeding thirty (30) days in total in any calendar year period.”
Declaration · Section 1 · p.7
Last verified 2026-07-17
Rentals / leasing
Not addressed
Short-term rentals
Not addressed
Pets
Restricted
Birds, fish, dogs, and cats are permitted, with a maximum of two pets per Homesite; owners are responsible for pet damage, immediate waste removal, and keeping pets on a leash.
“Birds, fish, dogs and cats shall be permitted, with a maximum of two (2) pets per Homesite. Each Owner shall be personally responsible for any damage caused to any dedicated or reserved area by any such pet and shall he responsible to immediately remove and dispose of any.excrement of such pet and shall be responsible to keep such pet on a leash. No other animals, livestock, or poultry of any kind shall be raised, bred, or kept on any Homesite or on any dedicated or reserved area.”
Declaration · Section 6 · p.7
Last verified 2026-07-17
RVs & campers
Not allowed
Trailers are not permitted to be erected on any homesite, except temporarily for construction purposes.
“No outbuilding, tent, shack, garage, trailer, shed, utility building or temporary building of any kind shall be erected, except temporarily only for construction purposes.”
Declaration · Section 8 · p.1
Boats
Not addressed
Parking
Restricted
Vehicles must be parked wholly within the driveway, garage, or other non-visitor parking spaces; trucks over 3/4 ton, campers, boats, trailers, aircraft, or any non-private non-commercial vehicles are prohibited from parking spaces, though a boat may be kept in a closed garage.
“No Owner of a Homesite shall park, store, or keep any vehicle except wholly within his driveway, garage or other non-visitor parking spaces. No truck in excess of 3/4 ton, camper, boat, trailer, or aircraft, or any vehicle other than a private non-commercial vehicle may be parked in a parking space except a boat may be kept in the garage with the garage door closed.”
Declaration · Section 20 · p.11
Last verified 2026-07-17
Fences
Restricted
No fence, hedge, wall, or other dividing instrumentality may be constructed or maintained on any Homesite, unless constructed by the Declarant or its transferees in accordance with existing architectural plans.
“No fence, hedge, wall, or other dividing instrumentality shall be constructed or maintained on any Homesite, except that Declarant and the transferees of Declarant may construct fences in accordance with existing architectural plans.”
Declaration · Section 7 · p.7
Architectural approval
Requires approval
Owners must obtain prior written approval from the Declarant or an architectural review committee for any structural alteration, exterior repainting or repair, or addition that substantially alters the residence's exterior appearance, with approval granted if the work benefits and enhances the Subdivision and complies with surface water management plans.
“No Owner, other than Declarant or its transferees, shall make any structural alteration, or shall undertake any exterior repainting orrepair of, or addition to his residence, which would substantially alter the exterior appearance thereof, without the prior written approval of the plans and specifications therefor by the Declarant or an architectural review committee appointed by the Declarant The Declarant or an architectural review committee designated by the Declarant shall grant its approval only in the event the proposed work (a) will benefit and enhance the entire Subdivision in a manner generally consistent with the plan of development thereof and (b) complies with the construction plans for the surface water management system pursuant to Chapter 40 D-4, F.A.C., approved and on file with the Southwest Florida Water Management District.”
Declaration · Section 1 · p.11
Last verified 2026-07-17
Home business
Not allowed
No business of any kind is permitted to be conducted on any residence, with the exception of the Declarant's business of developing and selling homesites.
“No business of any kind shall be conducted on any residence with the exception of the business of Declarant and the transferees of Declarant in developing and selling all of the Homesites as provided herein.”
Declaration · Section 2 · p.7
Signs
Restricted
No signs of any kind may be displayed without prior written consent from the Declarant, except for customary name and address signs and one 'for sale or rent' sign no larger than 12x12 inches, visible only through a residence window.
“No sign of any kind shall be displayed to public view on a Homesite or any dedicated or reserved area without the prior written consent of the Declarant, except customary name and address signs and one sign advertising a property for sale or rent which shall be no larger than twelve (12) inches wide and twelve (12) inches high and which shall be located wholly within the residence and only visible through a window of the residence.”
Declaration · Section 4 · p.7
Last verified 2026-07-17
Setbacks
Not addressed
Exterior & architectural3
Antennas, solar panels, generators & equipment
Restricted
No aerials, satellite reception dishes, or antennas of any kind are permitted within the Subdivision, except as specifically allowed by law, and any approved device's location must be pre-approved in writing by the Declarant.
“No aerials, satellite reception dishes, or antennas of any kind, nor window air-conditioners or irrigation wells are permitted within the Subdivision, except as specifically allowed by law. The location of any improved device will be as previously approved by the Declarant in writing.”
Declaration · Section 10 · p.8
Last verified 2026-07-17
Conservation, wetlands & environmental
Not allowed
No unauthorized person may enter onto any designated wildlife preserve.
“No unauthorized person may enter onto any wildlife preserve set forth within the areas designated as such in the Development Order entered into in connection with the Villages of Sumter, a Development of Regional Impact, or as it may be amended from time to time.”
Declaration · Section 18 · p.9
Last verified 2026-07-17
Driveways & walkways
Restricted
Only clear (non-colored) concrete and driveway coatings are permitted; colored coatings require prior written consent from Declarant or an architectural review committee.
“Clear (non-colored) concrete and driveway coatings are permitted. No colored coatings are permitted without the prior written consent of Declarant, its designee, or an architectural review committee appointed by Declarant or Declarant's designee.”
Declaration · Section 8 · p.1
Last verified 2026-07-17
Landscaping & yard4
Clotheslines / outdoor drying
Restricted
The hanging of clothes or clotheslines or placing of clothes poles is prohibited to the extent allowed by law.
“The hanging of clothes or clotheslines or placing of clothes poles is prohibited to the extent allowed by law.”
Declaration · Section 10 · p.8
Last verified 2026-07-17
Holiday & seasonal decorations
Restricted
Lawn ornaments are prohibited, except for seasonal displays not exceeding a thirty (30) day duration.
“Lawn ornaments are prohibited, except for seasons displays not exceeding a thirty (30) day duration.”
Declaration · Section 4 · p.7
Last verified 2026-07-17
Landscaping & lawn maintenance
Restricted
Owners must regulate irrigation water service to comply with the Irrigation Water Service Schedule determined by VWCA, with repeated failures potentially leading to the installation of a control valve at the Owner's cost.
“The Owner of the Homesite shall regulate the irrigation water service to the Homesite and will be responsible for complying with the Irrigation Water Service Schedule. If Owner repeatedly fails to comply with the Irrigation Water Service Schedule, VWCA may enter onto the Homesite, over and upon easements hereby reserved in favor of VWCA, and install a control valve to compel Owner's compliance with the Irrigation Water Service Schedule, with all costs related thereto being charged to Owner.”
Declaration · ARTICLE V. USE RESTRICTIONS, Section 21 · p.9
Last verified 2026-07-17
Mailboxes
Not allowed
Individual mailboxes may not be located upon a Homesite; mailboxes are provided by the U.S. Postal Service and housed by Declarant for a one-time lifetime charge, which is re-charged to new owners upon title transfer and constitutes a lien until paid.
“Individual mailboxes may not be located upon a Homesite. Mailboxes are provided by the U.S. Postal Service at no cost to Owner, however, those boxes shall be housed by Declarant at a one time lifetime charge to Owner of $190.00 per box. If title to a Homesite is transferred, a new charge shall be made to the new Owner at the then prevailing mailbox fee being charged to new Owners of Homesites in the most recent addition or unit of the VILLAGES OF SUMTER, Payment of this fee shall be a condition collectible in the same manner as the maintenance fee and shall constitute a lien against the Homesite until it is paid.”
Declaration · Section 16 · p.8
Last verified 2026-07-17
Vehicles & parking1
Commercial & non-passenger vehicles
Restricted
No motor vehicle, boat, trailer, aircraft, or other vehicle may be repaired or restored on any portion of a Homesite or dedicated/reserved areas, except for emergency repairs necessary to move the vehicle to a proper repair facility.
“No Owner of a Homesite shall repair or restore any motor vehicle, boat, trailer, aircraft, or other vehicle on any portion of any Homesite, or on dedicated or reserved areas, except for emergency repairs, and then only to the extent necessary to enable movement thereof to a proper repair facility.”
Declaration · ARTICLE IX · p.11
Last verified 2026-07-17
Use & conduct4
Insurance & rebuilding after damage
Restricted
If a residence is damaged or destroyed, the Owner must rebuild, repair, or reconstruct it to its prior appearance and condition within two months of damage and complete it within six months, unless prevented by governmental authority, subject to these restrictions.
“If all or any portion of a residence is damaged or destroyed by fire or other casualty, it shall be the duty of the Owner thereof, with all due diligence, to rebuild repair, or reconstruct such residence and walls in a manner which will substantially restore it to its appearance and condition immediately prior to the casualty. Reconstruction shall be undertaken within two (2) months after the damage occurs, and shall be completed within six (6) months after the damage occurs, unless prevented by governmental authority. Such reconstruction is subject to the provisions of these restrictions.”
Declaration · Section 5 · p.10
Last verified 2026-07-17
Noise, nuisance & conduct
Restricted
Owners must use their property to allow neighbors to enjoy theirs, with radios, record players, television, voices, and other sounds kept at a moderate level from 10:00 p.m. to one hour before daylight, excluding Declarant's construction noises.
“Owner(s) shall use his property in such a manner as to allow his neighbors to enjoy the use of their property. Radios, record players, television, voices and other sounds are to be kept on a moderate level from 10:00 p.m. to one (1) hour before daylight. These restrictions shall not apply to construction noises. being made by the Declarant.”
Declaration · Section 3 · p.8
Last verified 2026-07-17
Solicitation & yard sales
Restricted
The Declarant reserves the right to prohibit or control all peddling, soliciting, selling, delivery, and vehicular traffic within the Subdivision.
“The Declarantreserves the right to prohibit or control all peddling, soliciting, selling, delivery and vehicular traffic within the Subdivision.”
Declaration · Section 14 · p.8
Last verified 2026-07-17
Trash & recycling
Restricted
Rubbish, trash, garbage, or other waste material must be kept in sanitary containers concealed from public view until placed curbside for collection, no earlier than the day before scheduled pick-up, contained in plastic bags prescribed by Declarant, with mandatory participation in Declarant-selected garbage/trash service and potential curbside recycling.
“Prior to being placed curbside for collection, no rubbish, trash, garbage, or other waste material sball be kept or permitted on any Homesite or on dedicated or reserved areas except in sanitary containers located in appropriate areas concealed from public view. Once placed curbside for collection, all garhage will be contained in plastic bags prescribed by Declarant and placed curbside no earlier than the day before scheduled pick-up. In the alternative, the Declarant sball have the right to require that garbage be placed in a dumpster and not placed curbside. In either event, all garbage must be contained in fully closed and sealed plastic bags prescribed by the Declarant.”
Declaration · Section 11 · p.8
Last verified 2026-07-17