Vestavia Hills's Parking Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles parking rules a little differently. In Vestavia Hills, Alabama, there are 6 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Overnight Parking

Vestavia Hills makes it unlawful to leave a trailer, mobile home, unserviceable vehicle, camper or boat on any public street or street right-of-way for more than 24 hours; section 9-111 targets long-term curbside storage rather than an ordinary overnight parking curfew for cars.

Key details: Time limit: 24 hours on any public street or right-of-way. Covered vehicles: Trailers, mobile homes, unserviceable vehicles, campers, boats. Special zone: Old Hwy 31 (Canyon Rd to Old Creek Trail): 8 hours. Special-zone penalty: $25 to $500 fine, up to 6 months. Waiver: Mayor may grant temporary written exception.

Leaving a trailer, mobile home, unserviceable vehicle, camper or boat on a public street or right-of-way past 24 hours violates section 9-111; parking any vehicle on the Old Highway 31 stretch past eight hours violates section 9-114.1 and carries a fine of $25.00 to $500.00 and up to six months of imprisonment or hard labor on conviction.

Abandoned Vehicles

Vestavia Hills presumes any vehicle left on a street or highway for 48 consecutive hours to be abandoned, bars wrecked or junked vehicles from streets outright, and gives private property owners only 72 hours to remove a dismantled, wrecked or junked vehicle before it becomes a violation.

Key details: Street presumption: 48 consecutive hours = presumed abandoned. Wrecked vehicles on streets: Prohibited outright, no grace period. Private property grace period: 72 hours to remove wrecked/junked vehicle. Exemptions: Enclosed buildings, active businesses, city depositories. Enforcement: Police chief may remove and impound.

Leaving a vehicle on a street 48 hours raises a presumption of abandonment under section 9-137; leaving a wrecked or junked vehicle on any street at all violates section 9-138, and keeping one on private property past 72 hours violates section 9-139. The police department may remove and impound the vehicle under section 9-140, with recovery costs falling on the owner.

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles

Vestavia Hills confines commercial vehicles in residential zoning districts to parking behind the front building line or inside an enclosed structure under Zoning Ordinance Section 4.8. The Code of Ordinances layers on a separate street-level rule: trucks over two axles or 10,000 pounds cannot use residential municipal streets except on a posted truck route or a local delivery.

Key details: Zoning rule: Commercial vehicles parked behind front building line only. Enclosed alternative: Or inside an enclosed structure such as a garage. Street truck limit: Over 2 axles or 10,000 lbs barred on residential streets. Exceptions: Posted truck route or local delivery per §9-88. Enforcement: Misdemeanor citation; Police Chief posts route signage.

Parking a commercial vehicle in front of the building line or outside an enclosed structure violates Section 4.8 and, like other Zoning Ordinance breaches, is a misdemeanor under Section 13.7, punishable under Title 11-45-9 of the Code of Alabama. Running an oversized truck on a residential street outside a posted route or delivery violates Section 9-97 and Section 9-90, also a misdemeanor, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense under both provisions.

Street Parking Limits

Vestavia Hills bans parking in marked fire lanes and in driveways or access lanes at any public parking area, meaning any lot serving a shopping center or business that is open to the public. Sec. 9-122 puts the fire chief in charge of designating fire lanes; Sec. 9-123 makes it unlawful to block ingress or egress lanes marked with arrows or signs.

Key details: Fine: Up to $25.00 per violation (Sec. 9-126). Governs: Fire lanes and driveways in public parking areas. Who designates lanes: Fire chief marks fire lanes (Sec. 9-122). Marking required: Yellow-painted curb and posted signage. Applies to: Privately owned lots open to the public.

Parking in a posted, yellow-curbed fire lane or blocking a marked driveway, entrance or exit lane at any public parking area is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $25.00 under Sec. 9-126, tracking Code of Alabama Sec. 11-45-9. Police may cite the registered owner directly under the presumption in Sec. 9-124 even if no one saw who parked the vehicle, and towing can follow once the fire lane or lane marking is confirmed.

Driveway Rules

Vestavia Hills lets detached single-family homes and duplexes swap a solid-paved driveway for a ribbon-type driveway or an unpaved all-weather surface, built to City Engineer standards, and cars there may back straight onto the street. Any driveway that crosses a sidewalk still has to be paved for at least ten feet past it.

Key details: Governing section: Zoning Ordinance § 8.2.1. Eligible properties: Detached single-family homes, duplexes. Allowed alternative: Ribbon driveway or unpaved all-weather surface. Sidewalk crossing: Must be paved 10 ft past sidewalk. Shared driveways: Need written City Engineer approval.

Zoning Ordinance Section 13.7 makes it unlawful to erect, construct, alter, maintain, use or occupy land in violation of any zoning provision, including the Article 8 driveway standards. A violation is a misdemeanor punishable under Title 11-45-9, Code of Alabama, and each day the violation continues is a separate offense. Before criminal prosecution, the Zoning or Building Official must first give written notice or a citation; the city can also pursue injunction, mandamus or abatement.

Loading Zones

Vestavia Hills forbids loading and unloading noise between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under its Noise Control Ordinance. Code Sec. 11-66(10) makes it unlawful to load, unload, open, close, or otherwise handle boxes, crates, containers, building materials, or garbage cans in a way that causes a noise disturbance across a residential property boundary during those hours, carrying the same misdemeanor penalties as the rest of the noise article.

Key details: Restricted hours: 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., every day. Trigger: Noise disturbance crossing a residential boundary. Citation: Vestavia Hills Code of Ordinances §§ 11-65, 11-66(10). Minimum fine: $100.00 plus court costs (Sec. 11-69). Enforcing agency: Vestavia Hills Police Department.

A violation is a misdemeanor punishable under Code of Ala. § 11-45-9, with each day of a continuing violation charged as a separate offense under Sec. 11-68. Under Sec. 11-69, officers may issue a summons and complaint instead of an arrest, and a person who pleads guilty before the municipal magistrate pays a minimum fine of $100.00 plus court costs, payable in person or by mail. Repeat overnight loading complaints draw the same enforcement response.

The Bottom Line

Vestavia Hills's parking rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Vestavia Hills is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Vestavia Hills can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.