People Parking Cars On My Front Lawn (Wilmington: house, buy)

[kmp567]

Tonight, two cars were parked in the grass in front of my house. Their left tires were in the road and the rest of the car was on my lawn. It was dark and I didn't know who the cars belonged to so I called the police.

I actually called in the first place to ask the dispatcher if it was even illegal, since I couldn't find anything online, but she didn't really offer an answer. She just said that they'd send an officer out to get the cars out of my yard.

When the officer arrived, he said that from the utility poles to the road wasn't my property and that as long as the cars weren't blocking the road then it was fine for them to park in that ten feet or so of grass. I get that the state/county has use of that area for maintenance purposes but why should this allow the public to park their vehicles in my yard? It's my responsibility to maintain that area, so what happens when those public vehicles drip oil and antifreeze on my lawn that kills the grass and contaminates the soil. And what about the property damage to my busted sprinklers?

I've read about certain counties that fine people for parking on their own lawns, so why is it so crazy to expect strangers not to park on mine? If they were just parked on the road in front of my house with a tire on the curb or something then I wouldn't have called the police. It would be awesome if someone could tell me what the actual laws are for wilmington nc regarding this.

[TheEmissary]

Perhaps if they ended up with flat tires, they'd be reluctant to park there. But I would check my deed first, to see where my property lines are exactly located.

[amaiunmei]

The answer to your question is so location specific that it's best that you check out the municipal code of Wilmington for yourself.

But, for what it's worth, the cop is more or less reciting this:

https://www.municode.com/library/nc/...5-55PACLCUMASP

[hsw55]

I would just buy those 2-3 foot wood pylons with the white rope going between them and put them as close to the road as you can. If they come for maintenance on the poles, just move them out of the way.

[ocngypz]

I solved that problem by getting big granite boulders placed on my property line. Anyone tries to park on the little grassy strip owned by the city..won't be able to get their passenger side doors open. I watch the cars looking for street parking.. one look at my boulders..they continue on.

Do get a proper survey.........