Buford-city-dawg, I understand where you're coming from. And I understand the safety feeling of having been given a green light by someone at a city or county hall. But consider :
.... found the guy and he was easily able to answer my questions....
If you get a "yes", you think "
It's a good thing I asked, because now I can detect with no worries". If you got a "no", you'd be thinking: "
It's a good thing I asked, lest I could have been arrested".
So either way, (whether a "yes" or a "no") the conclusion is the same: That asking, therefore, was a necessary step.
But what other alternative answer could they have given you ? Do you think they'd have said : "
Gee that's a funny question. Why are you asking me ? If it's not prohibited, then you don't need our green light". Nope. Authority never answers like that. They bestow on you their princely "no" or "yes". Because .... well ... you asked. So therefore a "yes" or a "no", to me, doesn't imply that asking was a necessary prerequisite.
..... they take the boiler plate section about not defacing property to include digging while metal detecting. In both cases, they were well aware of the law and how they interpret it......
But that might only re-inforce what I'm saying: That this person (who decided now, or prior)
possibly only ever did so, BECAUSE you (or persons before you too) came in asking for their blessing/approval ? Ie.: This could merely be the classic case of "no one cared, until you asked" type scenario.
So far from being proof that they were "well aware of the law and interpretation", to me that simply means that someone put it in their lap as a "pressing issue" and you got the "easy answer". Perhaps by a person who'd have never have given the matter a moment's thought before this matter crossed their desk for their approval.
...I'd rather know going in than get a ticket or worse yet my equipment taken from me.......
You are not going to "get a ticket" or "have your equipment taken" for md'ing in an innocuous park where no rule/law exists forbidding it. If you can cite any example of that happening, please let us know.
.... I did check the Hall County ordinances and no mention of Metal Detecting, but that really means nothing.......
I agree that the lack of a "no detecting" rule, does NOT mean that people will "roll out the red carpets" for you. And you're right that even in the absence of specific prohibition, that someone can still gripe . By saying you're "defacing" or "harming earthworms" or whatever.
But this still doesn't solve the problem that thinking you can "head this off at the pass", can actually simply become a self-fulfilling cycle.
Happy Hunting.
