Detecting Sidewalk to curb city owned property in resdidential areas.

[MXT Man]

Today I tried for the first time detecting property lines that the city has control over from sidewalks to the curb. I only had enough time to dig the front of one house about 75 feet by 3 feet. There were very many signals from a nickle to 25 cents. All of the money I found was clad. I thought I might have some old coins because except for the dime they were all very corroded. But after cleaning the coins they turned out to be clad. The junk consisted of bolts nuts some pieces of steel and a plastic thing in a hole with a coin. The consistency of hits in a short distance gives me some enthusiasm to do some more of this digging. We have had a lot of rain lately but the dirt was very hard and the finds were all shallow. About 2 to three inches. Have any of you detectorist had much luck finding older coins hunting these type areas?

 

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[relichunters]

I have only detected near sidewalks once and it was in a park at a playground. Nothing but can tabs in it.

 

[FisherMan_1266X]

some of my best hunting is done on sidewalk easements (what they're normally referred to as)... in downtown Austin, TX, I occasionally will walk the easements in an older part of the area that was once neighborhoods and is now businesses... There are parking meters in a majority of the easements, and I have had a field day hunting around them, finding mostly clad, but in one weird instance, a 1911 Barber dime, and more than a couple of silver rings.

I have routinely gone home with over 400 coins (usually mostly Zlincolns, but they all add up!) and most of them are just under the surface, and can easily be flipped up with a screwdriver.

Easements in established neighborhoods are ofttimes even more lucrative, as there is usually less trash, and good chances for older coins. A good friend of mine used to hunt neighborhood easements almost exclusively (he had no problem at all knocking on doors - unlike me), and had a gigantic number of silver halves to prove it. I am currently working on getting my foot in the door of a 100+ year-old neighborhood here in Austin, and if I'm successful, I may be in some prime virgin territory. I hunted a razed lot in the neighborhood and came home with a silver Washington, and a Mercury and Roosevelt silver dime from that one hunt in that one lot.

So, long story short, YES, easements are great places to hunt. Just be careful though, as some folks see them as part of their yards (even though legally they are city property in most cities know of - correct me if I'm wrong); and always use your better judgment - if you feel like you need to ask permission, by all means do so.

And HAVE FUN!

 

[Detectingfreak]

my suggesstion is to hunt older sites where people have been in the late 1800's...early 1900's.

 

[GhostRidr]

So, long story short, YES, easements are great places to hunt. Just be careful though, as some folks see them as part of their yards (even though legally they are city property in most cities know of - correct me if I'm wrong)

I think you will find this true, that the city does own from the sidewalk to the curb, BUT there is also some law that if a person maintains it (keeps it clean, mows it, etc.), then they gain ownership. Something like that anyway. I'm no lawyer, but regardless, I always ask on something like this, because people still consider it their front lawn no matter what the law is.

 

[Pipster]

easments are city property until you pay your taxs then the little stretch of "land" is yours.

they have not produced alot for me but i have pulled some older coins but they are deep when i do. so you have to take your time with them and really pick through the clad and trash that is on them.

best of luck

 

[Ron B]

Yes, sidewalk easements are legal to hunt in most cases but one should be cautious.

I had a case not long ago where I was confronted by a man as I was detecting around the courthouse here in Trinidad, Colorado. I'd noticed the man and two of his buddies eyeing me from up the street after one had yelled something driving pass in his little blue Chevy car. It wasn't long before one of the trio walked by, stopping to tell me it was against the law to metal detect at the courthouse. I informed the man it was public property and I had every right to be there. The man continued telling me I was wrong. I wan't in the mood for any crap and told the man to get lost. I guess he saw something in my eyes as I stood up; he left immediately. After a while, I worked my way to another side of the courthouse. I heard something and looked up to see a man across the street making mouth motions, with arms flailing obviously screaming at me. Of course, I didn't hear a word he said until I took my headphones off. It seems the man was upset I was continueing to MD the grounds of the courthouse! I became angry too; something I should have avoided. Anyway, I basically told the man to quit making all the noise and to leave me the Hades alone! I shouldn't have but I also told him if he and his buddies continued to harrass me I would move over and hunt right in front of his house! I wasn't going to but the grown man boy went and told his mommy what I had said which resulted in the police being called. The policeman was a gentleman and told those people I had every right to metal detect on public grounds "including" the strip between the sidewalk and street and to stop harrassing me. Those people went inside and left me alone. Every time I pass by that house I am tempted to stop! One day I probably will. But then, maybe not.

Be careful; there's a lot of kooks out there!
Many of them swing metal detectors and carry long, sharp probes!
GRB

 

[teverly]

So, long story short, YES, easements are great places to hunt. Just be careful though, as some folks see them as part of their yards (even though legally they are city property in most cities know of - correct me if I'm wrong)

I think you will find this true, that the city does own from the sidewalk to the curb, BUT there is also some law that if a person maintains it (keeps it clean, mows it, etc.), then they gain ownership. Something like that anyway. I'm no lawyer, but regardless, I always ask on something like this, because people still consider it their front lawn no matter what the law is.

People do not gain ownership of the curb areas.Most cities require that the home owner keep it mowed.
The city will not give up that right of way as utility shut offs water lines ect are located there.And if they need to do any work or widen the street they would then have to have the home owners permission and they do not want that hassel.
I ask the city administrator if they own it and if there are any laws against detecting,if not i detect.

 

[teverly]

easments are city property until you pay your taxs then the little stretch of "land" is yours.

they have not produced alot for me but i have pulled some older coins but they are deep when i do. so you have to take your time with them and really pick through the clad and trash that is on them.

best of luck

Maybe where you live but if you check your property plat i bet you will find that the measurements are from the inside edge of the side walk toward the back of your property and that is what you pay your taxes on.So far the seven or 8 cities i have checked with tell me they own the curb right of ways and property owners are required to keep it up.....Also on another note before you put trees or plants there you may want to check,because the could come down thru and dig them up if they ever need to do repairs or put in water lines.

 

[teverly]

I have had a lot of luck in the curb areas in older parts of the city.I found a lot of indian head pennies and some silver.
If there is an older school in town with curbs around it definately try and hunt them.

 

[rmptr]

Sorry to hear you got a bunch of flack from someone, GRB...

There's a lot of high strung people out there...

LoL I guess you could have told them you were a volunteer patrol searching for IED's!

Glad to hear it was a stable cop that came out to the scene.

...In most cases I've heard of, the parkway grass strip from sidewalk to curb DOES belong to the city.
It's simple to explain... The property owner would NOT want the liability of the sidewalk, right?
If someone stumbled on a crack, there's be a lawsuit against them!
Folks just maintain the grass to keep their property looking nice.

Adverse possession laws do NOT apply to government property.

In cases I've heard of, the beeper just moved on down the street if a property owner objected, but more frequently, interest by an occupant generated permission to detect in that front yard.

HH
rmptr

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

I find them good to hunt along parks. But by homes, lets be serious here.... if someone tells you they do not want you digging in an area they water, cut grass, keep clean.... Why cause a headache just move on.... Also try by the curb where cars park and people enter exit cars....by the parks of course....

 

[Ron B]

Reading Gregg's response I thought I'd best come back and clarify something. I would never hunt the sidewalk strip along side private property without the consent of the homeowner; it's just not prudent or respectful, legal or not.

GRB

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

Reading Gregg's response I thought I'd best come back and clarify something. I would never hunt the sidewalk strip along side private property without the consent of the homeowner; it's just not prudent or respectful, legal or not.

GRB

Good point...thanks..

 

[Ray in CA]

Hunting easements is one of my favorite places to detect. I avoid the manicured easements, and, if I feel somewhat hesitant about a particular easement, I generally go up to the door and inform the people who live there that I am going to be doing some metal detecting on the city easement. I make sure to emphasize the words "city easement," and never do I ask permission. Rather, I just let them know that I'm informing them of my activity so that they don't think anything strange is going on. I've never had a problem or complaint yet using this method.

Ray

 

[NGE]

Lol.... Around here those strips of city easement are called " Devils Strips" for obvious reasons. Occaisionally I will put on a hardhat and a reflective vest while hunting these areas. Some people come out and ask what I am doing, and I tell them I am looking for a waterline, or a shutoff box . One time I was hunting one of these strips where the owner had placed some 8 - 10 ton boulders to keep people from driving onto the easement trying to avoid dirt road potholes. This one seasoned citizen watched me from his porch for a couple hours before he came over to me, and asked me where he could get one of those "silent weed whackers" he thought I was trimming the weeds around his rocks... ...... notgittinenny

 

[Monty]

Ghostridr, I managed the City of Tulsa Code Enforcement for 10 years before I retired. There is a strip approximately 12' wide on the front of any property in Tulsa that fronts on a street beginning at the curb line. This strip doesn't belong to the property owner but is resrved for a street or utility right of way. 12' is the norm but some are wider or smaller depending on when the property was plated. If you were to measure from the curb line to the property side of the sidewalk you will find it is about 12 feet. The property owner is responsible for the upkeep of the strip and is not allowed to park on it or use it for anything that is permanent such as a structure or rock wall, concrete pad, etc. On the back of the property line there may be a 12' alley or a utility easement. That easement usually does belong to the property owner but the utilities have a right to trespass for installation or repairs. That's how PSO was allowed to come in and trim or remove trees over the past few years. That explains the difference between a right of way and an easement. Most of this is related to the public safety or zoning laws and the City has the right to restrict property use on these strips of land. For instance , you can't build a swimming pool under a power line. A lot of people do build storage buildings, etc on the easements but the City or Utility may damage the structure without liability if necessary. Most of these ordinances have been upheld by appeals courts over the years. For the most part a detectorist has the right to trespass on the right of ways but you have to use common sense. If a person maintains the area beautifully manicured, you wouldn't want to go digging into the sod without discussing it with the abuting property owner. The same thing goes with the neighborhood boulevards with the center deviders. Many neighborhoods plant shrubs and flowers on them to beautify the neighborhood and would frown on digging into them. Just common sense issues really. Monty

 

[Steve in Michigan]

The best way to find old coins from torn away sidewalks and pavement is to look at the dirt that was removed. If its dark and rich looking then there was probably never fill dirt put in and this area would be old/virgin. If the dirt has more of a brownish tint then its probably fill dirt and not much luck in finding anything old there. Keep at it!

Your Friend,

Steve in Michigan