Mobile has no city ordinance restricting residential lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays on private property. The Code of Ordinances property-maintenance and nuisance provisions apply only to dilapidated or junk-like accumulations. Political signs receive First Amendment protections under the Mobile Unified Development Code sign provisions. HOAs in master-planned communities govern aesthetics independently. Properties in locally designated historic districts face Architectural Review Board review.
Mobile does not have a city ordinance restricting residential lawn ornaments, statuary, religious displays, or yard decorations on private property. Items may remain year-round. Decorations cannot block sidewalks or encroach into the public right-of-way, and cannot obstruct corner-visibility triangles under the Mobile Unified Development Code (Chapter 64) sight-distance rules. The nuisance and property-maintenance provisions of the Code of Ordinances may be cited if decorations become so dilapidated, broken, or numerous as to create a blighted condition affecting public health, safety, or property values. Alabama has no statewide preemption protecting religious yard displays comparable to California Civil Code §4710 - HOA covenant authority over visible yard items is generally enforceable through standard Alabama HOA law. Political signs on residential property receive First Amendment protection; Mobile permits non-commercial signs in residential zones under the UDC sign code subject to content-neutral size and duration limits. Properties in Mobile's locally designated historic districts (administered by the Mobile Architectural Review Board) face additional review for permanent fixtures and visible alterations - this can apply to large permanent statuary and yard installations. Master-planned community HOAs in Mobile's suburban subdivisions frequently impose strict architectural review for visible yard ornaments.
No direct lawn-ornament fines. Right-of-way obstruction or corner-visibility violations carry administrative fines under the Unified Development Code and city right-of-way rules. Property-maintenance/nuisance citations for blighted accumulations carry fines under the city's general penalty provisions. Architectural Review Board violations in historic districts carry separate enforcement. HOA covenant enforcement is civil and pursued by the association.
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