Approaching Property Owner About Placing Cache

[+Gryffindor1]

I'm sure this has been covered before, but the Search function still isn't working...

 

I am in the planning stages of placing my first cache. If I have my way, it will be a two-legged multi, with the first part - the part that I want people to see - being on private property. The property is a business, if that makes any difference. Also, the recommended parking will *not* be at the business (if that makes any difference, either).

 

My question is: How do I approach the owner about allowing me to place a micro with the next set of coordinates on his property without looking like a nut?

 

To date, I have yet to meet anyone who has every heard of Geocaching before, and whenever I try to explain it to anyone, I get looks like I'm a few fries short of a Happy Meal (except for a friend in another state that I converted ). I would really like to place this cache, and I'm open to any advice that will increase my chances

 

Thanks in advance!

[+sept1c_tank]

Geocacher University has a nice printable brochure. And you could print out a cache page (include the logs) for a cache that is similiar to yours.

[+kentuckygirls]

We start with a phone call and try to set up a meeting and give them a brief description of geocaching and what we want to do on the property. Sometimes a phone call is all thats needed. If they want to meet we bring a printout of the guidelines and some sample cache pages with hides similar to the one we want to hide. We also bring along the gps with some caches loaded in it and give them an overview of how it works. We usually try to give them a reason why it would be beneficial for them or their business to have a cache there. This is just the way we do it I'm sure there is many ways to go about it.

[+Robespierre]

I have a cache which starts at a huge mural on the side of a coffee shop in a town square. All you need to do is drive up, stop and look for some numbers. Many people stop to look, so it has never been a problem. The city even has some park benches there and a few flowers.

[+Chuy!]

Robespierre way is a good one; a virtual waypoint will alleviate you having to contact the owner - if the property is open to the general public. Otherwise, you can't avoid contacting the owner. If you want to use the micro, I would ask non-chalant if it's OK to use their parking lot, or whatever, to stage a scavenger hunt. And give him/her my number to call me if they decide later on the road they no longer want to participate.

[tossedsalad]

I have done this a few times and I don't find it easy. A typical business owner is wary of the possible consequences and likely does not really have a clear idea of the sport or how it will affect them even after you have tried to explain it. I guess this is like your happy meal experience.

 

One thing that I find helps them to accept it is to mention that a typical cache is only visited once a week or even once a month. Very few caches get tons of activity. But then maybe yours will be the exception

 

One thing that is not clear to me is whether you need permission for a cache that is on publicly accessable property, but privately owned. I don't see how putting a cache in front of city hall is different from putting one in the parking area of a business. In fact, many approved caches exist in parking areas of businesses. So do you really need permission? Is your cache going to me invasive or even noticable to the business owner in any way?

[+DocDiTTo]

I just found out recently that a cache I'd hidden last April is about 6' over a boundary line onto someone's private property. Since I couldn't relocate the cache off the property very easily, I needed to either archive it or get permission so I walked over to the house today, knocked on the door, and met Mrs. Fertenbaugh, the landowner. She was a very nice elderly lady who, after I explained the situation and offered to remove the cache, said since it wasn't causing any trouble I was welcome to keep it where it was.

 

I figured without permission I'd have to remove the cache anyway, so I'd lose nothing by asking. That's pretty much the case anywhere. The worst people can say is "no", if that happens then find another spot. Just be prepared when they look at you like you're half nuts and ask you to explain what the whole "geo-thing" is again.

[+Gryffindor1]

Thank you everyone for your input...

 

I would love to go the way of Robespierre, but unfortunately this is a smaller business. Although it's on a busy street, it is surrounded by vacant land. People just wandering up through their parking lot and then wandering away would *definitely* be noticed!

 

I was planning to add in what Tossedsalad mentioned about not a whole lot of traffic after the first week or so, and Chuy's idea about giving them the option to change their minds later if they want, and do what Kentuckygirls does and actually bring my GPS with me - so at least I was on the right track with those thoughts.

 

I'm not so sure about starting with a phone call tho' - I'd be afraid that they would hang up on me!

 

I absolutely love Sept1c Tank's idea about printing out that brochure and maybe a few logs... something concrete would prove that it's not just me that's nuts!

 

And I think that Doc DiTTo is right - the worse they can say is 'no'... but I would soooo love for my first cache to go smoothly and be loved by everyone

 

Thanks again everyone - at least now I can put a solid plan into action!

[+DocDiTTo]

I would soooo love for my first cache to go smoothly and be loved by everyone 

By asking permission from the place you're doing the hide, you're already well on your way. If only everyone was as considerate as you to both the land owner and future finders, we wouldn't see nearly as many threads about police incidents.

[+wilkintj]

This is a bit related to this, but does anyone have any experience with needing to find out who owns a bit of land? And how you've gone about that? There's a tract of land near me, next to a river ... at one end is a park that's run by the city, and on the other end is a highway, and to the side is farmland, but that stretch of land, I have no idea who's in charge of it, and that's where I want to put a cache ... mainly down towards the highway end so that there's some hiking from the park end involved to get to it. I've looked on google maps and nothing shows up and on mapquest it's listed as Little Miami Scenic River. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know please. Right now the plan is to go to the city park at the one end and try to find someone that works there and ask them.

[+fly46]

Wilkintj - If you go to the courthouse (or wherever your town keeps these) you can find land records... You'll look at a map and it'll tell you the name of who owns what. You can also look at the deeds for a property.

 

If that sounds like too much trouble, ask people. Is there a house fairly closeby to the farmland? Sometimes people will know who owns the neighboring property.

 

As for your idea at the city park - that's a good starting place, too.

[+Pablo Mac]

...does anyone have any experience with needing to find out who owns a bit of land?

I would start here, and give them a call with any further questions. They were very helpful to me on the phone just now. Hope this helps!

[+wilkintj]

Thanks everyone.

[+Davispak]

Ok. As a former Police officer I can tell you a few things about Public use private owner land. An establishment can be considered open to the public if it allows unrestricted access to the property for the purpose of conducting business on that property(McDonald's, Mall,Retail store). Semi-public property access is where the access is slightly restricted by membership, but the general public still has access to said property(Sam's club, nightclubs,civic clubs like Moose lodge) Private access land is personal/Business property that is used mainly for agricultural/Industrial or as primary dwellings and access is restricted by permission, a fence or barrier>(House, farms Manufacturing plants) In all these cases the property owner or person in charge of the property can at any time restrict access to that property for any reason as long as it is not due to Race,color,creed, or sex. In other words, if you are going to be using another persons property for something other than what they intended the use for (Geocaching) you will need to seek permission. Just remember if in doubt it's always better to get permission than to explain it to a judge.

[+fly46]

Davis - thanks for the long paragraph... But it's best to remember Geocaching rules - ALWAYS make sure the land manager knows what's going on and gives permission for the cache you're planning to place.

 

Some places give blanket permission and then no further contact is needed, some places give permission by permit, but they all need to know what you're up to.

[codeman3]

seriously be a suck up and be nicer then you can

[+jon & miki]

We've noticed that it often gets easier to approach folks for permission as time goes along because you can point to other land managers who have approved geocaching on their land and use those managers as a reference to demonstrate the low impact nature of the sport, CITO, benefits etc.

Jon