Sidewalk Strips

[rarefindz]

Sidewalk strips seem to be ripe with goodies.

Question: Do you feel the need to ask permission to hunt those sections between the street and the sidewalk? Technically, it's city/town property not private, so in a sense public and taxpayer property like a park, right? We never had a sidewalk growing up, but I remember the town saying that they own something like 3-6' into our yard. If I saw a homeowner out, I'd certainly approach him/her, but if no one is around, just curious as to what others do in those circumstances. Thanks

~ rarefindz

[ERnurse]

I asked a Police officer I ran into while working in the ER that very question. He said that even though the City owns a few feet from the street, it is still the persons property too, because the keep the grass cut there, and I would need to get their permission. He said if I was digging around the sidewalk and the cops were called by the house owner, I would be asked to leave. I still don't know if he was right or not, but I would get permission first. Hope that helps.


Rob

[bloodyknees]

I suppose it varies in different areas. On my property, I own it to the center of the street but ofcourse this is a easement that I cannot use. There are also utility easements that a person owns but cannot build on or use for anything other that planting grass and mowing. Regardless of who is the actual owner, I can understand how someone could get upset if they see another person searching an area that would be considered an extention of their yard that they maintain even though they are not the owner. So as always one should get permission............Al

[Dick from IA]

I, for one, work hard to maintain the parking area between sidewalk and street, and would prefer anyone using it for any reason to ask my permission. I wouldn't dream of detecting on a parking unless I asked the homeowner first, even if it is city property.

[Harry(PA)]

I just go ahead and detect it because it is public property as per the mayor.

BUT: If asked to leave I chat a bit with the home owner and quite a bit of them will let you come into their yard and detect. I have never had anyone come flying out ranting & raving. Most just ask what we are doing.

To ask each home owner permission along a city block would really be impractical.

Just be nice & polite, clean up your plug, pick up your towel and move on.
You may be asked in.

[tomstathes]

Here in Queens, NY, there are literally endless miles of sidewalk strips...I haven't explored the possibilities of searching them, but knowing how neurotic some people are I probably wouldn't go through the trouble. Knowing that the neighbors of my relatives even call the cops for the most minor things not even concerning their own property, I probably won't bother.

[ckokotay]

In almost every state I can think of, the sidewalk strip is a public easment - as is about 6 feet where there is no sidewalk. Indeed, most homeowners mow the strip, but it does not change the legal status of the property. Public schools, and local public parks (check local rules - because some semi-private metropark systems do not allow detecting) are all fair game too. I have never been yelled at, and I try to stick to the strips that are clearly unmaintained. Just use common sense and courtesy as a previous poster noted, but they are NOT private property, period.

And - the strip is a goldmine of silver in any neighborhood built pre 1964, but there is a lot of trash too, like pulltabs. There is also a hefty load of clad. A tip guide I got from my detector dealer here in Toledo, OH mentions the sidewalk strip as one of the top areas.

Best of luck!

[ckokotay]

Decided to do a small town (older areas are presumed to be safer than the inner city) - parks and sidewalk strips, with a friend. We even called the police department in advance just to make sure it was ok, and they said it would be no problem. Essentially, we had a homeowner almost violently react to our presence (no one was even digging - we were on the sidewalk itself, just swinging over the strip!), screaming that we were on his property (sidewalk strip). He did this twice then called the police, who were aware we were there because we previously called. The officer came and did not uphold the law, but rather took the easy way out, suggesting a park and some other local public property - and not bothering to talk to the property owner. He also felt the need to take out SSN's and run checks. That may be just their standard procedure, but I found it extremely offensive - we did nothing wrong, which was acknowledged. Such is probably the deal in small towns - forget the law if there is any sign of upsetting the peace. We just ended up leaving the town - which was Pemberville, Ohio for the record. Very upsetting experience has left a very bad taste in my mouth - both from the homeowner and police persepective, and I doubt I will be going out again anytime soon, at least to any smaller communities (I have had no problem in Toledo where I live).

Again, though for the record, the sidewalk strip is a public easement, and if we wanted to press the issue, there was nothing he could do about it.

On the plus side, the trip was not a total bust, I found a walker (1943) in a park about 4 inches down.

[portraitartist]

I am from a small town in Texas, and in my heyday (15+ years ago) when I was hunting there, at least, no one seemed to care. Just use common sense, and show respect and good judgment, and you'll usually not have any problems... every situation is different, and you have to do a value judgment for every one.

And yes, sidewalk easements are usually heavy with coins, and the older, the better. A lot of my better finds were made right up against the concrete. One thing to note - if the machine beeps over the sidewalk, it's a good chance that it's fairly new, as the older sidewalks did not have re-bar in them, and will usually show a lot more cracks. And, as some coins end up on edge after falling off the sidewalk, they will give a false pinpoint and are harder to locate. A tip for that is to turn your coil on its edge and sweep - a lot of the time you'll get the hit over the coin.

Hope that helps!

[FinalLastDays]

Originally Posted by ckokotay

Decided to do a small town (older areas are presumed to be safer than the inner city) - parks and sidewalk strips, with a friend. We even called the police department in advance just to make sure it was ok, and they said it would be no problem. Essentially, we had a homeowner almost violently react to our presence (no one was even digging - we were on the sidewalk itself, just swinging over the strip!), screaming that we were on his property (sidewalk strip). He did this twice then called the police, who were aware we were there because we previously called. The officer came and did not uphold the law, but rather took the easy way out, suggesting a park and some other local public property - and not bothering to talk to the property owner. He also felt the need to take out SSN's and run checks. That may be just their standard procedure, but I found it extremely offensive - we did nothing wrong, which was acknowledged. Such is probably the deal in small towns - forget the law if there is any sign of upsetting the peace. We just ended up leaving the town - which was Pemberville, Ohio for the record. Very upsetting experience has left a very bad taste in my mouth - both from the homeowner and police persepective, and I doubt I will be going out again anytime soon, at least to any smaller communities (I have had no problem in Toledo where I live).

Again, though for the record, the sidewalk strip is a public easement, and if we wanted to press the issue, there was nothing he could do about it.

On the plus side, the trip was not a total bust, I found a walker (1943) in a park about 4 inches down.

I get written permission, mostly through email, to metal detect public parks in the cities I plan on going to. This way I cover all legal grounds just in case I am approached by law enforcement or park officials. One of the letters paid off in a nearby city from where I live. A buddy and I had just started sweeping our coils when we were approached by a park security guard and if I didn't have the letter my buddy and I would have been told to leave. I keep all letters in an envelope that is kept in my truck as well as copies in my filing cabinet here at home. I have thought about requesting permission from City Hall in different cities for sidewalk tearups for the same purposes mentioned above. Wouldn't hurt to carry a copy of city permitted grants in your pocket.