Walking Trail in the backyard (Cary, Columbia: crimes, new home, neighborhood)

[lamishra]

I can tell you in the past that there have been plenty of non violent crimes committed on local greenway trails. Mostly drug dealing and drug use. We lived across the street from one in Oak Park in Raleigh and our neighbors whose yard backed up to it were calling the police frequently for disturbances.
I personally would NOT want a public, wooded, unlit walking trail behind my house, but to each his own.

[MAtoNC!]

Do the police walk/bike the trails?

[lamishra]

I don't think they patrol the actual trails at night regularly, but they do routinely patrol the parking lots, especially if they see cars there late at night. I have seen bike police on the trails during the day/evening though.
Lots of "dating" teenagers on some of them too, if you know what I mean.

[meridilli]

yes it is part of greenways. There will be a house on the other side of the trail. But there will be a 20ft buffer with trees of greenways.

[meridilli]

Originally Posted by TuborgP

I forgot to ask if there are any tot lots or small gathering areas close by on the path that might become magnets for teens at night.

No I dont think so

[MrsSteel]

We looked at a home that had a walking trail very close to the property line in the back. We decided against it because there was no barrier between the property & the trail (no fence, no hedges, nothing) and the back yard wasn't very deep, so the trail was actually quite close to the house. I knew I would feel totally exposed there. I knew I would feel uncomfortable because I would always feel like people were walking through my backyard.

However, if the yard is deep, the trail is a comfortable distance away from the house, and there is a fence and some tall trees or shrubbery to create a sense of seperation & privacy, I think it could be worth it.

[meridilli]

Originally Posted by lamishra

I can tell you in the past that there have been plenty of non violent crimes committed on local greenway trails. Mostly drug dealing and drug use. We lived across the street from one in Oak Park in Raleigh and our neighbors whose yard backed up to it were calling the police frequently for disturbances.
I personally would NOT want a public, wooded, unlit walking trail behind my house, but to each his own.

Can it be different in Cary then Raleigh? I am new to NC and think that Cary may be safer then Raleigh.

[meridilli]

Originally Posted by MrsSteel

We looked at a home that had a walking trail very close to the property line in the back. We decided against it because there was no barrier between the property & the trail (no fence, no hedges, nothing) and the back yard wasn't very deep, so the trail was actually quite close to the house. I knew I would feel totally exposed there. I knew I would feel uncomfortable because I would always feel like people were walking through my backyard.

However, if the yard is deep, the trail is a comfortable distance away from the house, and there is a fence and some tall trees or shrubbery to create a sense of seperation & privacy, I think it could be worth it.

The backyard of the house is 42 feet deep and after that there is 6 ft buffer. so in all 48 ft of distance from the edge of the house. How big was the yard that you saw.

[jeannie216]

Originally Posted by meridilli

Can it be different in Cary then Raleigh? I am new to NC and think that Cary may be safer then Raleigh.

To me it would be more of a privacy issue than anything else......do these walking trails close at a specific time?

[lamishra]

I live in Cary now Meridilli and no, I don't think it will be much different. There may be less overall crime in Cary, but there are still plenty of drugs and non violent crime Cary too (theft and burglary being at the top of the list).
In any case, I would be less worried about potential crime than whether or not you feel comfortable with having the general public walking behind your home. Some people will be totally OK with that, others will find it a nuisance.