Vestavia Hills, AL Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)

Vestavia Hills writes its ban on controlled substances into the individual rules section for each of its nine named city parks, not into a single citywide ordinance. Wald Park's rules at Sec. 12-1(a)(9) state flatly that use, solicitation, possession, or distribution of any controlled substance is strictly prohibited, and the identical clause repeats verbatim in Sec. 12-2 for Liberty Park Sports Complex, Sec. 12-3 for McCallum Park (formerly Little Shades Creek Park), Sec. 12-4 for Cahaba Heights Park, Sec. 12-5 for Byrd Park, Sec. 12-6 for Shallowford Park, Sec.

12-7 for the Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex (SHAC), and Sec. 12-8 for Meadowlawn Park. The rule sits alongside the park's other prohibited conduct, including unauthorized alcohol, glass containers, open fires, camping, fireworks and unleashed pets, all enforced by the same 'Fines and punishment' clause that closes each park's section. That clause makes a violation a misdemeanor punished under Code of Ala. 1975 § 11-45-9, and it treats each day a violation continues as a distinct offense, so a citation issued in Wald Park carries the identical exposure as one issued in Meadowlawn Park or SHAC.

Enforcement runs through the office of parks and recreation and the Vestavia Hills Police Department, either of which can also simply order a violator off the premises under the 'violators will be asked to leave' clause that appears in every park's rules. There is no separate marijuana-specific ordinance covering streets, sidewalks or private property citywide; the city's authority here is grounded specifically in its power to regulate conduct on city-owned park land under Code of Ala. 1975 §§ 11-47-19 and 11-47-210.