I was out of town all morning and came back to little pink flags in my yard and spray paint in my yard and on my driveway. It's the gas company. I'm annoyed that they came on my property and even more annoyed that they spray painted my driveway. All without permission. We don't have gas at my house but some of the neighbors do. Should I be annoyed? Or is this likely an easement deal I should get over?

It is either in an easement or public ROW. The alternative is someone digging down, hitting the line and you being forced to evacuate the house.

Most likely marking chalk rather than paint, too. May last a couple of months, but won't be permanent.

Yeah I figured. So how long do the flags stay?

The contractor could have just requested flags instead of paint. It will wash away over time. No worries!

I got flags and paint.

Same thing happened to me. It's chalk paint. It goes away after a while. I left the flags in my yard until I absolutely needed to mow (was in the summer). I just pulled them out. It'd been about 2 weeks since. Never got any letters/phone calls or anything. Nobody complained, so I presumed it all settled. That was last summer.

Given the markings are locates for a utility, they would be in an easement. Paint is necessary because flags can easily be moved and should a contractor hit a line, locate markings determine fault, which in the case of fiber can be very very expensive.

So let's say I need to mow this weekend. What's protocol?

Same thing happened to me. But i know there is an easement across the front of my property.

Midly annoying, but that is about it.

You may want to call the gas company directly and see exactly where they are going to dig. If a little paint got you agitated then I can only imagine what pulling up and seeing your driveway cut out up and yard dug out will do for you.

If you need to mow pull the flags up and mow.

Mildly agitated is the right term. Not sure which emoticon goes with that. Anyway, if I move the flags am I liable for anything?

I'd weed eat around the flags and wait a few weeks.

Is it that difficult to pull the flags, mow, then put the flags back in their original location?

When we finish a irrigation install or drainage job we always remove the flags. I know there is a amount of time before they have to call in for a re-mark. You can call dig tess (811) and they might be able to tell you if its ok to remove the flags. http://texas811.org/

The pink flags are temporary survey markings. They usually delineate the area that is going to be disturbed during a dig. They should be followed by the actual companies with utilities in the area to mark the actual lines in the area. Gas lines will be marked with yellow, Electric with red, etc.

The pink flags are usually a precursor to the actual companies coming out and marking the location of lines in the ground. Those markings are technically valid for 15 working days from the time they are called in.

Your best bet is to leave the flags. If you move them there is a good chance that they will come back and replace them anyway. The best case scenario is that you will go around in circles with the company that is trying to dig with you removing the flags and them replacing them. The worst case scenario is that the lines don't get marked correctly, and the excavator strikes a line and you have a giant fire/explosion in your front yard.

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Mildly agitated is the right term. Not sure which emoticon goes with that. Anyway, if I move the flags am I liable for anything?

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I've mowed twice with my flags in the ground.

Follow this procedure:

1. Mow your yard. When you get close to the flags, stop the mower.
2. Once mower is stopped, walk over and move the flags out of the way.
3. Once flags are moved out of the way, mow over area where flags were.
4. Stop mower.
5. Replace flags in original position.

I've yet to be sued.

You're a genius.

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1. Mow your yard. When you get close to the flags, stop the mower.
2. Once mower is stopped, walk over and move the flags out of the way.
3. Once flags are moved out of the way, mow over area where flags were.
4. Stop mower.
5. Replace flags in original position.

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Made me think of this:
http://www.cc.com/video-clips/k352ah/comedy-central-presents-how-to-eat-a-pop-tart

where do you live that you're having to mow the second week of November? I mowed a couple weeks ago and my grass hasn't done anything since then. it's looks the same.

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I'm annoyed that they came on my property and even more annoyed that they spray painted my driveway. All without permission.

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In your front yard, it's highly likely that it's not your property. Go back and look at your survey. I'd almost be willing to bet that your lot does not extend all the way to the curb. In your back yard, the utility has an easement on your property. In the front yard the utility has an easement from the city. The city just expects you to do their maintenance (mowing). As for the permission, they have an easement that grants them reasonable access. Did you used to get mad when someone use to go into your backyard and read your electric meter?

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In the front yard the utility has an easement from the city.

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And it's typically about 9-1/2ft.

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So how long do the flags stay?

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Until you move them

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I'm annoyed that they came on my property and even more annoyed that they spray painted my driveway. All without permission.

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In your front yard, it's highly likely that it's not your property. Go back and look at your survey. I'd almost be willing to bet that your lot does not extend all the way to the curb. In your back yard, the utility has an easement on your property. In the front yard the utility has an easement from the city. The city just expects you to do their maintenance (mowing). As for the permission, they have an easement that grants them reasonable access. Did you used to get mad when someone use to go into your backyard and read your electric meter?

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That is a pretty big generalization. For example, on my lot there is a 7' easement from the "top" of the sidewalk to the curb. That's it. No easements or ROWs in the back yard or side yards which extends 50' from the back of my house and 10' on each side, all to fences.

They should come in and rip out all of the utilities, so that you can enjoy your private property without intrusion.

They are more than welcome to rip the gas line out. You know, since I don't have any gas at my house.

You must be a fun neighbor.

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They are more than welcome to rip the gas line out. You know, since I don't have any gas at my house.

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disco - are you trolling.

who cares?

Not trolling really. But you guys are fun.

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They should come in and rip out all of the utilities, so that you can enjoy your private property without intrusion.

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and then they could come back and sue him for not having utilities

Utility companies usually have a right of entry associated with their franchise agreement with the municipality.

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where do you live that you're having to mow the second week of November? I mowed a couple weeks ago and my grass hasn't done anything since then. it's looks the same.

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A little ways south of Houston. First time I had to mow in about a month, and likely the last time until about March next year.

My grass is something else. Even at the hwight of the drought, I had to mow once a week.