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Possible problem with carrying in town.

DJ TURNz

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I live in Gettysburg. The National Park Service of course runs the National Battlefield Park. I know that I cannot carry in the battlefield.

I have another concern though. The NPS has purchased a building on the square to be made into a museum or something. Now they are also trying to purchase the Lincoln Train Station, which is less than a block from the square. I realize that concealed is concealed but technically does that make the sidewalk in front of these buildings Federal Property? I'd hate to have to cross the street to avoid a "Federal Sidewalk". Or is there something I am missing?
 

Decoligny

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I don't know specifically the laws in your State, but a sidewalk is usually considered public property because the property belongs tothe city or town. Case in point: If a private Bank owns a building, they cannot claim ownership of the sidewalk if front of the building. They cannot tear the sidewalkout because they don't want it there. I am reasonably sure that you should have no problems on a "public sidewalk".
 

DJ TURNz

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I don't know exactly how it works but in most tows in PA the sidewalk in front of your house is your property when it comes to maintenance, repairs, snow removal. But you can't remove it or anything. Basically you have to mainatain it, but you can't change it.



It's kind of a BS system, and I don't totally understand it. I also asked this question of a lawyer friend of mine. He is usually a few days to get back to me, so I'll see what he says and post if it's relavent.
 

Decoligny

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DJ TURNz wrote:
I don't know exactly how it works but in most tows in PA the sidewalk in front of your house is your property when it comes to maintenance, repairs, snow removal. But you can't remove it or anything. Basically you have to mainatain it, but you can't change it.



It's kind of a BS system, and I don't totally understand it. I also asked this question of a lawyer friend of mine. He is usually a few days to get back to me, so I'll see what he says and post if it's relavent.
Maintenance huh, so, when the cement cracks, you have to go out and repair it?

I think that the sidewalks in front of personal property, i.e. homes, is actually put on your land. It is called a public easment. It is "technically" still your property, but you have no legal rights to control access to it. Kind of like the alley between my house and my neighbor to the rear. We each own it to the middle. However we can't close it down or the power company or gas company can't get there to do the work they need to do.

In town however, I think it may be a different story. But wait till your lawyer friend clears it up and gets you a bonafida answer.
 

DJ TURNz

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Well we do have some BS restrictions on stuff, but I think PA's laws on carry (guns) are much better than some states I hear about.



No restrictions on churches, bars, public gatherings.

Even the sidewalk thing I'm asking about is federal law. It only effects me because I live in a civil war town with a National Park.

Of course the law is grey on carrying other weapons like an ASP. Oh well, at least it's not Maryland.
 

knight0334

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In most parts of PA, the beginning point of your property is the center of the road and measured out to a point defined by a marker pin, fence post, tree, rock, etc via PA's use of the English Metes and Bounds type survey. The local municipality or state gets a Right of Way for the road and/or sidewalks from you or a prior landowner. Technically, you own to the center of the road or RoW, but you grant right of passage to the public in name of municipality or state. A pedestrian or motorist on that RoW is only limited to ordinances or statutes, if its a federal RoW or ownership - they may set different restrictions on the federal level.

If a municipality was established before parcels were layed out or land claims made, its possible for the municipality to actually own what appears to be the "Right of Way" - it is common in many urban areas.

The Federal govn't could have RoW too, which they could designate as part of the Park Lands.

You need to go to the county court house and research the plat maps, deeds/titles, and attached Right of Ways to see where public domain, whether owned or granted, ends and who which level of govn't has it.

If the feds buy that land, and theres an existing RoW to the state or municipality - the local government would have to vacate the RoW to the feds for it to be invalid and make the sidewalk parkland.
 
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