Pursuant to Code of Alabama, 1975, § 11-52-70 (Acts 1923, No. 443, pg. 590; Code 1923, Section 1878; Code of Alabama, 1949, Title 37, Section 772) each municipal corporation in the State of Alabama may divide the territory within its corporate limits into business, industrial and residential zones or districts and may provide the kind, character and use of structures and improvements that may be erected or made within the several zones or districts established and may, from time to time, rearrange or alter the boundaries of such zones or districts and may also adopt such ordinances as necessary to carry into effect and make effective the provisions of said Title 11-52-70.

By virtue of that authority, the City of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, hereinafter referred to as "the City," adopted Ordinance Number 28 on December 2, 1953, regulating the general use of private land. It established districts and outlined the intended use for each said zone or district. Ordinance Number 28 became known as the Zoning Code for the City. Said Code, including revisions, has been reprinted several times since 1953.

(Ord. No. 3099, 6-27-22)

No building, structure, or land shall hereafter be used or occupied, and no building, structure or part thereof shall hereafter be erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved, or structurally altered unless in conformity with all the regulations of this ordinance for the district in which it is located except as otherwise provided for legal nonconformities pursuant to Article 10. All construction shall be done in strict compliance with the City Building Code, Fire Code, Plumbing Code, Subdivision Regulations, and Electrical Code, as adopted by the City.

(Ord. No. 3099, 6-27-22)

This Ordinance shall be known as the "Zoning Ordinance of the City of Vestavia Hills, Alabama," and the map herein referred to, which is identified by the title "City of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, Zoning Map," dated January 1, 1962 and as amended, shall be known as the "Zoning Map of the City of Vestavia Hills, Alabama," hereinafter referred to as "the Zoning Map." Said map and all explanatory matter thereon is hereby adopted and made a part of this Ordinance, as aforesaid.

(Ord. No. 3099, 6-27-22)

1.4.1. This Ordinance is organized as follows:

1.

For purposes of organization, this Zoning Ordinance, is divided into 14 Articles. The Article designation number represents the first digit (or two as the case may be) of that series of numbers used to identify the respective regulations of the Ordinance; e.g., in the reference number §1.2.3.4, the digit "1" represents the Article.

2.

Each Article is subdivided into several major headings known as Sections, which are represented by the second digit; e.g., in the reference number § 1.2.3.4, the digit "2" represents the Section.

3.

Each Section is subdivided into Subsections, which are represented by the digit(s) following the Section designation number; e.g., in the reference number § 1.2.3.4 the digit "3" represents the Subsection.

4.

Each Subsection may be subdivided into Paragraphs, which are represented by the digit following the Subsection designation; e.g., in the reference number § 1.2.3.4 the digit "4" represents the Paragraph.

5.

Each Paragraph may be subdivided into Items, which are represented by the lower-case letter following the Paragraph designation; which may then be further subdivided as (1), (2), (3)... (a), (b), (c); and (i), (ii), (iii).

1.4.2. Internal Referencing. All references to Articles, Sections, Subsections, Paragraphs and Items within this Ordinance shall refer to Articles, Sections, Subsections, Paragraphs and Items in this Ordinance unless otherwise specified. When an Article, Section or other subdivision is referenced within a provision or requirement of this Ordinance, unless otherwise specified, all subdivisions within such reference shall be assumed to be applicable.

(Ord. No. 3099, 6-27-22)