Purple paint could replace some ‘no trespassing’ signs in Minnesota

ST. PAUL — If you’re trying to keep strangers off your land, you may soon have a colorful alternative to a “no trespassing” sign.

At the Minnesota Capitol, Sen. Nathan Wesenberg, R-Little Falls, proposed a bill to give landowners the option of marking their land with purple paint instead of the more traditional signs.

Currently, private landowners in wooded areas have to put “no trespassing” signs every 500 feet or less around their property. The new proposal would allow owners to apply 8-inch stripes of purple paint to trees at the perimeter of their property, with signs only at the corners.

Signs can be destroyed by vandals, animals and severe weather, Wesenberg said, and using paint instead of signs would mean landowners would not have to buy several signs for large properties.

Why purple? No Prince or Vikings connection was intended. Supporters of the move said the color does not have any other symbolic meaning, and color-blind people can generally recognize it.

Twenty-two states, including Iowa and Illinois, have similar purple paint laws, according to the World Population Review. In Minnesota, violators of trespass laws can face up to $3,000 fines and license revocation, according to the DNR.

Robert Gorecki, assistant director of enforcement at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, said at a hearing last week that Wesenberg’s bill missed a few key regulations, including visibility requirements, repainting rules and how far apart marked trees can be.

“The DNR is supportive of any changes to our current trespassing laws that makes it easier for landowners and the public to be aware of where trespassing is allowed or not allowed,” Gorecki said.

Wesenberg said Gorecki’s suggestions could be added to the bill before it becomes a law. Wesenberg also said he will encourage landowners to use environmentally friendly paint, but that will be difficult to enforce.

Report for Minnesota is a project of the University of Minnesota’s Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication to support local news in all areas of the state.