Vestavia Hills's Public Conduct: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles public conduct a little differently. In Vestavia Hills, Alabama, there are 5 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.

Outdoor Smoking Restrictions

Code § 11-105 bars smoking within 20 feet of entrances, windows and vents of smoke-free buildings, within 20 feet of restaurant and bar patios, in outdoor arenas and stadiums, near transit stops, and in any outdoor service line, citywide.

Key details: Governing section: Code § 11-105. Buffer distance: 20 feet from covered zones. Smoker fine: $50.00 per offense. Owner first-violation fine: $100.00. Owner repeat fine: Up to $500.00 within a year.

Under § 11-111(a), a person who knowingly or intentionally smokes where prohibited by Article VII, including these outdoor zones, is fined $50.00 per offense, charged like a traffic violation. An owner, manager or operator who fails to enforce the ban faces $100.00 for a first violation, $200.00 for a second within a year, and $500.00 for each additional violation within a year, plus possible suspension or revocation of the premises' permit or license; each day of violation is a separate offense.

This is one of the stricter rules in Vestavia Hills's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Public Marijuana Use

Vestavia Hills bans the use, possession, solicitation or distribution of any controlled substance in every one of its nine named city parks, from Wald Park to Altadena Valley Park. The rule sits in each park's own rules section of the Code of Ordinances and carries a straight misdemeanor penalty the moment an officer finds marijuana or any other controlled substance on park property.

Key details: Prohibited: Use, possession, solicitation or distribution of any controlled substance. Where it applies: All nine named city parks, Secs. 12-1 through 12-9. Penalty: Misdemeanor fine under Code of Ala. § 11-45-9. Repeat violations: Each day of violation is a separate offense. Enforcement: Park staff or Vestavia Hills police can remove violators.

A person found using, possessing, soliciting or distributing any controlled substance in a Vestavia Hills park is guilty of a misdemeanor punished under Code of Ala. 1975 § 11-45-9, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense. Park staff or police can also simply order the violator to leave the premises immediately.

This is one of the stricter rules in Vestavia Hills's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Aggressive Panhandling

Vestavia Hills bans panhandling outright in every public place under Code of Ordinances Section 8-262: any in-person request for an immediate cash donation on a street, sidewalk, public way, or on business premises the public routinely visits is unlawful. Section 8-263 sends every violator to Vestavia Hills Municipal Court for citation, fines, and court costs.

Key details: Panhandling status: Prohibited outright, not permitted or registered. Covered locations: Streets, sidewalks, and public-facing business premises. What's banned: Any request for an immediate donation. Enforcement: Citation to Vestavia Hills Municipal Court. Adopted: Ordinance No. 2418, October 8, 2012.

Any in-person request for an immediate donation of money or anything of value on a public street, sidewalk, or public way, or on business premises open to the public, violates Section 8-262 regardless of how the request is phrased. Section 8-263 requires the violator to appear in Vestavia Hills Municipal Court, where conviction carries fines and court costs set by the court; there is no registration or permit that makes panhandling lawful.

This is one of the stricter rules in Vestavia Hills's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Public Alcohol Use

Vestavia Hills bans drinking or holding an open container of liquor, wine or beer in any public place inside the city or its police jurisdiction. The only exception is inside a retail establishment licensed to sell that beverage for on-site consumption.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 3-2. Covered area: City limits plus police jurisdiction. Exception: Inside licensed retail establishment only. Enforcing agency: Vestavia Hills Police Department. Maximum penalty: $500 fine and/or 6 months, § 1-5.

A Section 3-2 violation is prosecuted under the city's general penalty clause, Section 1-5, because Chapter 3 sets no separate fine for public drinking itself. Section 1-5(d) authorizes a fine of not less than $1.00 nor more than $500.00 and/or imprisonment or hard labor for the city for up to six months, at the trial judge's discretion, plus court costs. Each citation is a separate municipal court case; there is no fixed schedule of escalating fines the way the dog-at-large ordinance has.

This is one of the stricter rules in Vestavia Hills's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Skateboarding Rules

Skateboards are banned from every part of Wald Park, Liberty Park Sports Complex, Cahaba Heights Park, SHAC, Meadowlawn Park, Byrd Park and Shallowford Park except the designated parking area, the only place a rider is allowed to have one at any time. It is the sole skateboarding restriction written into Vestavia Hills' Code of Ordinances.

Key details: Restriction: Skateboards allowed only in designated parking area. Parks covered: Wald, Liberty, Cahaba Heights, SHAC, Meadowlawn, Byrd, Shallowford. Also banned there: Bicycles, scooters, go-carts, motorcycles, four-wheelers. Exception: Service vehicles only. Penalty: Misdemeanor fine under Code of Ala. § 11-45-9.

Skateboarding outside the designated parking area at a Vestavia Hills park violates that park's rules and is a misdemeanor punished under Code of Ala. 1975 § 11-45-9, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense; violators can also be ordered to leave.

This is one of the stricter rules in Vestavia Hills's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Vestavia Hills is tougher than many cities when it comes to public conduct. Out of the 5 rules covered here, 5 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Vestavia Hills, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

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.