what does it take to open land up for public use

[goldxlt]

my uncle has about 200 acres and i brought up the idea of opening it up for wheeling. he had been looking for a way for it to make money for him because the taxes keep going up. i was wondering what it would take to open it up, insurance and such like that.

 

[snake]

If your relative owns it, it doesn't look like too much trouble to me...

I would set up a gate and a booth and charge whatever you want for entry- and make people sign a waiver before they are allowed in. Then put in trash cans to keep trash down and maybe have some equipment for rent- a beat-up tow truck and a few winches, etc. The guy in the booth could work for beer.

Better yet sell annual memberships and assign a windsheild decal to paid members. Put info at the gate how to get the decal. Tow those caught without it.

 

[kunar]

If your relative owns it, it doesn't look like too much trouble to me...

I would set up a gate and a booth and charge whatever you want for entry- and make people sign a waiver before they are allowed in. Then put in trash cans to keep trash down and maybe have some equipment for rent- a beat-up tow truck and a few winches, etc. The guy in the booth could work for beer.

Better yet sell annual memberships and assign a windsheild decal to paid members. Put info at the gate how to get the decal. Tow those caught without it.

i think he's more concerned with legalities. to be honest, i would be looking for a professional. dont take advice from anybody here, it might come back to bite you in the ass.

 

[Sunk]

I'd try to get in touch with some local clubs or whoever runs the local parks (if there are any). Around here, the DNR controls most of it since the parks are State Forests.

 

[metalmacguyver]

Also try talking to the owners of off road parks to see how they went about opening land.

 

[pimtool]

I would look into incorporating it. It probably cost to do it and you need insurance, So if you are sued all they get is what the corporation has. You can just disolve that and start a new one.

I dont know what exactly is involved, but that is what our club is looking into. So we can have the public invited to some of our wheeling events.

 

[Will]

i think he's more concerned with legalities. to be honest, i would be looking for a professional. dont take advice from anybody here, it might come back to bite you in the ass.

Yes.

 

[goldxlt]

well i figured the liabilities would be the main concern, my thought was to get the local club to take over the land, its still just a lot of ideas rolling around.

 

[crbnunit]

Wavers are not worth the paper they are printed on. Wavers do not stop the families of the injured from suing you. This would take lots of research. +1 on the LLC though. (limited liability corporation)

 

[Evan]

i think he's more concerned with legalities. to be honest, i would be looking for a professional. dont take advice from anybody here, it might come back to bite you in the ass.

As a business analyst I can give you some basic professional advice:

1. Start an LLC or S/C-Type corporation (research which is best for you)

2. Transfer the land ownership to that corp. You should be exempt from the transfer tax.

3. Find an insurance company who will underwrite your liability, and buy a policy

4. Make customers sign a waiver, drafted by your lawyer. Waivers will only protect you from assumable risk, but that's a lot when it comes to offroading accidents.

 

[kunar]

As a business analyst I can give you some basic professional advice:

1. Start an LLC or S/C-Type corporation (research which is best for you)

2. Transfer the land ownership to that corp. You should be exempt from the transfer tax.

3. Find an insurance company who will underwrite your liability, and buy a policy

4. Make customers sign a waiver, drafted by your lawyer. Waivers will only protect you from assumable risk, but that's a lot when it comes to offroading accidents.

so evan is a professional. hmm... who woulda knew

 

[crbnunit]

Harsh!

 

[Will]

By professional I was thinking a lawyer, a member of your state's bar that practices in that area of law. When I think of a business analyst I think of someone that troubleshoots your business and cuts things that waste money. Like push the drill press ten feet closer to the riveter, or use YellowBook instead of door-to-door sales, or maybe it's time to get rid of the ox and get a tractor, or move your help desk to India, or it's cheaper to allow all of those firey deaths then to do a recall on the new Ford Grenade.

But just like you need to get your commercial building plans stamped by a PE; you need to get your legal plan stamped by a licensed law professional.

 

[Evan]

When I think of a business analyst I think of someone that troubleshoots your business and cuts things that waste money.

Very wrong. Often times a business analyst is charged with the task of spending massive amounts of money. Often they work as a liason between a client (like goldxlt), and a service-based provider (like a lawyer). If goldxlt wanted to hire someone to set this up for him, a good option would be to hire a business analyst. That person would set up the corporation, transfer the land, and consult with a lawyer if necessary. They could also do a cost-benefit analysis, determine what to charge people, estimate demand, etc.

I work more as a business systems analyst. When I'm not writing business logic, I spend much of my day in discussions with lawyers, tax experts, and accountants. In order to be a BA of any type you need a strong Business Law, Economics, and Accounting background, which I have.

My advice to him stands.