By Michael Hirsch

Special to The Press

In November 2022, a sign was installed on Springhouse Road at Trexler Boulevard, South Whitehall.

The property was donated to the township by the Smith-Davis family.

The parcel is leased by the township to Newhard Farms which will continue growing corn on the property.

At the commissioners March 15 meeting, township Manager Tom Petrucci requested a motion from the board to authorize placement of “No Trespassing” markings/signage at the Davis-Smith Open Space Property.

On the Pennsylvania Game Commission website there is an explanation of Pennsylvania’s Purple Paint Law, “A change, during 2020, in Title 18, the state Crimes Code, gives landowners the option of using purple paint, rather than signs, to post their properties and alert others the lands are private, and trespassing isn’t permitted.

“Landowners using purple paint to post their properties use vertical purple lines that are at least 8 inches long and 1-inch wide. The bottom of the mark must be no less than 3 feet or more than 5 feet from the ground. And painted marks are not more than 100 feet apart.”

Generally, as a property owner, the township is required to maintain the Davis-Smith Open Space in a relatively safe condition so people who come on the property aren’t injured.