Trespassing
What does it mean when there’s a trail easement on my land?
You’ve just bought a piece of property in a wilderness area, and your property comes with a trail easement. What does that mean? SmartSign is here to help and to give you the basics on what a trail easement is, what it means for your rights as a property owner, and other common questions we’ve […]
When can you put booby traps on your property?
The jerry-rigged booby trap has been a staple of fiction for decades. Home Alone. Indiana Jones. Dungeons & Dragons. And from time to time, a property holder decides that lethal or potentially lethal force is appropriate to try to secure their property. Someone, whether an intruder, a guest, or the landowner, gets hurt (or killed), […]
Anti-panhandling signs cause controversy in Ohio
After Kim Maggard won the mayoral election in Whitehall, Ohio, she wasted no time putting up signs near common panhandling locations. The signs read: KEEP THE CHANGE. Don’t support Panhandling. The majority of your change goes to Drugs & Alcohol. Help more by giving to charity. We’re moderately offended by the Random Capitalization on those […]
Sending a Letter of No Trespass
If simply posting “No Trespassing” signs has done little to stop someone from illegally trespassing on your property—stealing your rhubarb or using your lake to fish, for instance—sending a “no trespassing” letter is the next course of action. A no trespassing letter, sometimes called a “Letter of No Trespass” or “Notice of No Trespass,” is […]
Texas signage prohibiting firearms draws controversy
A new Texas law permitting gun owners to carry unconcealed weapons in public went into effect on New Year’s Day 2016. Starting this year, owners of private businesses who wish to prohibit weapons on site may do so via posted signage, but regulations on the signage has already caused more than a few headaches. According to Texas […]
San Francisco police seek help of private surveillance cameras
Giving police a new tool for investigating crime, San Jose, the Bay Area’s largest city, has approved a registry of private surveillance cameras. Currently, cops in California are looking to give police departments access to private surveillance cameras. In this public participation approach, residents and businesses can get their cameras registered with local police departments […]
St. Petersburg, Florida may allow electric fences
The city council in St. Petersburg, Florida was divided over whether it is okay to install electrified fences around properties in the city to safeguard them against vandalism. Some say, if used in conjunction with other measures, electrified fences are a good deterrent, while others are concerned by the threat they may pose to passersby. […]