Metal detecting

[ghost]

So, I was at the library this morning doing some research on local places around Leesburg, Va and ended up talking to the clerk. He told me that if anyone owns property in Alexandria, Va or the city of Williamsburg, Va., you are not allowed to go metal detecting on your own property. Never heard of that before.

 

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[mr helton]

I don't believe that for a second. I mean I believe that the clerk told you that, but he is wrong.

 

[vpnavy]

I searched

and found
Virginia Metal Detecting Laws (Nov 28, 2007)

 

[BryanM362]

If that were true, I guess they could tell you can't plant a flower, or dig a hole on your own property? I doubt it.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Ghost, your experience is a hard & fast example of how false info can be forthcoming from public officials, and/or the "no one cared till you asked" pyschology. And even though YOU questioned it here on this forum (thankyou), yet you'd be surprised how often info like this ("such and such city is off-limits" or "such & such entity's land is off-limits", blah blah) gets simply taken for granted! Then spread on-line (like in threads, or on lists of rules for various entities, etc...), and before long, it's just taken as fact!

I realize that was just a librarian telling you that, but believe it or not, such answers can come from city people (park's dept, police station front desk, etc...). They too can tell an md'r "md'ing is not allowed in the parks", when, in fact, it's not really written anywhere specifically saying such a thing. So the information gets put in the rumor mill (afterall, you wouldn't want your friends to "get in trouble"). And pretty soon, it's just taken as fact.

Your story is the perfect example of how you can get "no's", when there really is nothing saying that type thing. Thus better for us md'rs to look up rules for ourselves (if you're skittish). If nothing there saying "no metal detectors", then presto, it's not prohibited.

 

[ghost]

My mistake, I think he told me that if you buy a historical peace of property that person has to get permission to dig on it. I think that how it goes.

 

[Tom Bigbee]

My mistake, I think he told me that if you buy a historical peace of property that person has to get permission to dig on it. I think that how it goes.

That sounds more realistic.

 

[gerryk]

He may have also been talking about mineral rights thinking you were digging for gold, silver or other minerals.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

My mistake, I think he told me that if you buy a historical peace of property that person has to get permission to dig on it. I think that how it goes.

Well, .... this is a loaded statement. Because think of it: In ANY city across the whole USA, there is ALWAYS going to be things that ..... yes even on your own property .... you have to get "permission" to do. For example: adding an extra bathroom, or putting a billboard on your front lawn, or adding a neon light-tower that shines for 10-block radius, etc... Building codes are understandable (lest you turn your house into a commercial venue, when you're zoned residential, etc...).

So while what you are saying sound agregious, yet we all know that zoning and building regulations are for the "common good". Now as to whether or not there are "historic zones" where such regulation extends to even "digging', I don't think so. And even if someone can cite a city that has such specificity in a historic tract/zone, I would still say, that if an md'r lived in a house in such a designated zone, and if that md'r detected his own front yard .... I HIGHLY DOUBT anyone's going to say anything (or even see him doing it to begin with). If I lived in a historic house, I would not hesitate for a second to detect my own front yard. Even if it meant doing it in the dead of night, to get away with it.

 

[cudamark]

I have a couple of relatives with "historic" homes. Their local historical preservation groups are mainly interested in keeping the house LOOKING original. Any upgrades or repairs have to be done in a manner to keep it that way....including paint color! They were given an outline describing what could and couldn't be done when they bought the place so they knew when permission was needed. Nothing in their outline has any mention of metal detecting on the property. I'd suggest they read any paperwork that came with the house and/or read (don't ask) the local historical societies rules and regs regarding historical properties.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

I have a couple of relatives with "historic" homes. Their local historical preservation groups are mainly interested in keeping the house LOOKING original. Any upgrades or repairs have to be done in a manner to keep it that way....including paint color! They were given an outline describing what could and couldn't be done when they bought the place so they knew when permission was needed. Nothing in their outline has any mention of metal detecting on the property. I'd suggest they read any paperwork that came with the house and/or read (don't ask) the local historical societies rules and regs regarding historical properties.

Mark, I too lived in a historic district like that, for a short-time, back in the late 1990s. And it was like you say: it was more along the lines of "looks" (so that people didn't tear down, and/or erode the historic feel). NOT anything to do with whether or not someone could probe around on their own frickin' property. Heck, I mean, how are you going to pull the weeds from your garden, if you weren't allowed to "dig" ? But some people in our district did think that the "control" levels were intrusive. But that's probably just human nature, to rebel against control, and thus exaggerate it