2 years ago
Tampa, Florida - Manicured lawns, rows of white mailboxes, spotless streets. Welcome to Westchase, a maze of subdivisions, 3,500 homes, 10,000 residents. It’s a “planned community”, almost like a city within a city. Brian Ross is the community association president.
"I just find that by having the structure, whereby everybody understands how we’re going to live standards, we're going to hold ourselves up to, I think it’s a great way to raise your family," Ross said.
Those standards come in the form of by-laws and deed restrictions: rules scrutinizing everything from the flowers in your yard to the paint on your home.
In Westchase, a color palette committee has just approved new shades of exterior house paint.
"The color I chose was not on the palette, but its one I found and I submitted it to them and they were okay with it. But to be honest, I painted it before they checked," homeowner Sandra Rodgers said with a laugh.
The rules are no secret to homeowners like Rodgers. Signs are everywhere: “No” this, “don’t” do that.
"It took me a long time to make the decision to move out here, because I am not a real rule-oriented person," she said.
But even rule breakers are caving. More people are moving into planned communities.
Sandra says she knew what she was getting herself into when she moved to Westchase, perhaps trading individuality for a sense of community and security.
“I love it here,” said Rodgers.
She says her neighbors are fairly lenient on following the rules, but other sub-divisions are stricter.
However, association president Brian Ross says the biggest complaint he gets - there aren't enough rules.
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