Landscaping Rules in Vestavia Hills, AL (2026)
4 verified landscaping rules for Vestavia Hills, Alabama, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Vestavia Hills requires a tree permit from the Design Review Board before anyone removes, relocates, destroys or damages a Protected Tree, defined as a tree with at least a six-inch caliper, under Zoning Ordinance §9.6.3. Existing single-family lots and PUD-zoned land are exempt, but new subdivisions of five or more lots must submit a tree-save plan, and violators face separate-offense misdemeanor penalties.
Vestavia Hills Protected Tree Permit Rule
Some RestrictionsVestavia Hills Zoning Ordinance §§ 9.6.3-9.6.5, 9.6.7
9.6.3. General Regulations. No Protected Tree as defined in this Section shall be removed, relocated, destroyed or otherwise directly or indirectly damaged unless and until a tree permit under this Section has first been issued. ... 9.6.4. Definitions ... 2. Protected Tree: Any tree that has a caliper of at least six (6) inches. ... 9.6.5. Tree Permit 1. Any person wishing to remove, relocate, ...
Weed Ordinances
Vestavia Hills makes it a misdemeanor to let grass, weeds or other spontaneous vegetation grow past 12 inches, and section 11-11 lets the city compliance officer demand a cut within 48 hours before setting the matter for a city council hearing on nuisance abatement.
Vestavia Hills Grass and Weed Height Limit
Some RestrictionsVestavia Hills Code of Ordinances § 11-11(a)(1)-(2)
any owner or agent, occupant or person in possession of or in charge or control of any of the premises described in this section who shall permit such grass, weeds or other voluntary or spontaneous growth to obtain a height of over 12 inches shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. ... (2)Weed defined. For purposes of this section, a weed is defined as a plant of no value, undesirable and usually of r...
Water Restrictions
When the mayor declares a stage 3 or 4 drought emergency, Code Sec. 17-2 restricts lawn watering to two assigned days a week outside of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., based on whether your address ends in an even or odd number, with police enforcement.
Vestavia Hills Drought Watering Restrictions
Some RestrictionsVestavia Hills Code of Ordinances § 17-2(f)(1), (h)(1)
(f)Declaration of emergency in "stage 3 drought warning" and/or "stage 4 extreme drought emergency". Upon such publication of a declaration of water service emergency during a "stage 3 drought warning" or "stage 4 extreme drought emergency" as declared by the mayor with the consensus of the city council, as provided hereinabove, the use and withdrawal of water by any person for the following pu...
Native Plants
Vestavia Hills requires every landscape plan submitted for design review to use native, drought-tolerant vegetation where practicable, and the applicant must identify which plants on the plan are native species. The rule sits in the Planting, Installation and Maintenance article of the Zoning Ordinance, section 9.5.1(2), and applies to the landscaping required for new multi-family, non-residential and mixed-use development citywide.
Vestavia Hills Native Plant Landscaping Requirement
Light RestrictionsVestavia Hills Zoning Ordinance § 9.5.1(2)
9.5.1. Planting. ... 2.Native, drought-tolerant vegetation shall be used where practicable to avoid excess water consumption for irrigation. Plans submitted for review shall identify such native species.
Looking for Jefferson County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Vestavia Hills city rules.
Landscaping Rules in Jefferson County →