A dispute over street parking in a suburban Pennsylvania neighborhood escalated when a resident placed traffic cones in a public parking space and posted a notice on his front door citing the legal doctrine of adverse possession.
The notice, printed in 24-point font and laminated, read: “This parking space has been continuously and exclusively used by the residents of this property for over 15 years. Under the doctrine of adverse possession, this space is legally ours.”
A photo of the notice was shared on the neighborhood Facebook group, where it received 247 comments.
For those unfamiliar: adverse possession is a legal doctrine by which a person can claim ownership of land they’ve occupied openly and continuously for a statutory period. It applies to private land. It does not apply to public streets, which are owned by the municipality.
The resident had reportedly been parking in the same spot on the public street for years without incident, until a new neighbor moved in and — having no assigned parking — parked there one Tuesday.
The cones were removed by the city within 48 hours. The laminated notice remains on the door.