Apartment Complex, a Creek, and our Property as a shortcut

[James Walthall]

Hello, there is a larger apartment complex that shares a border with our property, separated by some trees and a shallow creek. We have had fencing between our properties, but residents of the apartment complex push it over no matter what gets put up. The main issue is that the residents use crossing over our property as a shortcut to get to the business district nearby. Recently, we have noticed that kids tied a rope to a tree over the creek on our side and were swinging back and forth on the rope. This is a huge liability for us - we do not want kids being injured on our property. Many people leave trash on our property and are walking past our tenant's cars and homes - which could be safety issue for our tenants.

What are some things that we could do to try to remedy this situation? We can't do much with the creek as it belongs to the state and acts as a waterway for runoff flow, and we wouldn't want to cause a flood risk for ourselves or neighbors.

[Scott Mac]

Put in as tall of a chain link fence as your locality allows.

If your local government allows it, run a strip of barbed wire at the top.

Set the posts in concrete.

Use a metal pipe at the bottom and the top of the fence.

Use "Bad Neighborhood prickly top type and let it stick up over the fence.

If they dig a hole under it, fill it with fresh cow manure fertilizer.

Post no trespassing signs wired to the fence.

If they cut it, fix it.

Good Luck!