Pulse letters for the week of January 2

I read  the 12/19 letter on parking violations with interest. On my street, assorted vehicles have been parked for years at a time. It’s unclear whether these belong to residents since none of the vehicles even has a barcode. One car with expired registration has not been moved since street paving finished in November ‘23. Five other vehicles have been parked in rotation since July ’22; two or three are parked at one time and rotate with the other two. The man who parks them has increased his frequency of rotation since I contacted Public Safety in July. Their response was that they would “investigate whether the vehicles were parked illegally.”

One reason I moved to The Villages was because I was frustrated by dead vehicles stored on the streets of my old neighborhood. I didn’t expect the same thing to happen here. If the parking we’ve described is not “illegal,” perhaps The Villages could use it as a source of revenue. Vehicles parked on the street for over 72 hours within a one-month period must buy barcodes and pay storage fees. This wouldn’t improve the view from my window, but it might keep my assessment lower.

—Robin Hahn

I was shocked to see, in the ABOD President’s December 19 message, that residents of a village should be polled for their preference before a menorah can be used in DAC holiday decorations. Is a poll conducted regarding Christmas decorations?

Many world religions have celebrations at this time of year and some of these religions are represented by residents of The Villages. My belief is that they all should be allowed to have their decorations displayed. Anything else is exclusionary.

For the ABOD to require a poll, or permission, to include a menorah in Village displays appears to be antisemitic. It is offensive and alarming.

—Harriet Tower

Recently there have been several power outages in the Villages. Those with solar have not lost power or suffered.  Those without may have lost perishables and suffered from excess heat or cold weather.  But most villages could have had solar installed pending one’s affordability. However, for those in Montgomery Village we do not even have the choice of obtaining solar. We are told that our roofs have a “defect” that will not accommodate solar. I believe that solar panels and installations have markedly improved, and this issue should be reviewed. Therefore, I request that a study be made to determine if solar can safely be installed on the roofs of Montgomery, and if not why.

—Martin Schlager

Publisher’s Comment: Thank you for your Pulse letter and sharing your concerns about solar panel installations in Montgomery Village.

Over the years there has been extensive evaluation and professional input on solar panels on the Montgomery roofs. It was determined then and now, that the current roofing systems in Montgomery—both sloped and flat—pose significant challenges for solar installation. The brittle nature of the sloped roof tiles, risks of leaks from roof penetrations, and potential damage from panel weight or movement are significant issues. Flat roofs present further complications, including membrane degradation and challenges in detecting and repairing leaks.

Additionally, the locations of HVAC units, gas lines, and electrical systems on the flat roofs add further complexity, making safe and practical solar installations highly challenging. These factors, combined with risks associated with solar contractor bankruptcies, make this a difficult endeavor.

Furthermore, homeowners are required to carry insurance for solar panels. Recent reports indicate that obtaining such coverage has become increasingly challenging, with instances of policy cancellations and non-renewals linked to solar panel installation.

While individual studies remain an option, funding for such efforts would need to be approved through the Montgomery DAC budget.