Latest news with #localordinances
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Is it illegal to park in front of someone else's house in Alabama? Here's what the law says
You come home from work and see a car parked right in front of your house. It's not yours, not a guest and it's probably been there all day. Can they do that? Are there laws in Alabama that prevent others from parking in front of your property? In Alabama, it's not illegal to park on a public street in front of someone else's house. Streets are considered public rights of way, meaning anyone can legally park there unless specific laws, signs or restrictions say otherwise. Under Alabama Code 32-5A-137, drivers are barred from parking in certain spots, like within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, within 20 feet of a crosswalk or directly in front of a driveway. However, no state law prohibits parking in front of a home on a public street. Local ordinances or homeowners' association rules might have stricter regulations, but unless they don't, that curb is fair game. In Alabama, parking is also prohibited in the following areas: On sidewalks or within intersections 30 feet from a traffic signal Within 50 feet of a railroad crossing On bridges, elevated structures or within highway tunnels On railroad tracks Any place where official signs prohibit stopping Alabama law sets specific rules for how and where you can park to keep traffic flowing and roads safe: On two-way streets: You must park your right wheels within 18 inches of the curb to avoid obstructing traffic. On one-way streets, you can park on either side, but you must stay within 18 inches of the curb and face the direction of traffic. Angle parking is only allowed if the road is wide enough and approved by the Department of Transportation. On busy highways: The state can ban parking entirely if it's considered a safety risk or disrupts traffic. Fines typically start at $50 but can climb to $250, depending on the violation and where it happened. Each city sets its own rules so penalties can vary. In some cases, your car could even be towed at your expense. Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@ This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Can you park in front of someone else's house in Alabama? Here's the law
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Should Columbia adopt campaign contribution limits? City Council exploring possibility
Candidates for Columbia City Council could face stricter campaign finance restrictions in the future. It all depends on what an eventual report from city staff says. Ward 3 council member Jacque Sample is seeking information from staff about adopting local ordinances that limit municipal campaign contributions. Rather than a candidate receiving multiple donations from a single person or group, they would be limited to one donation. She also is seeking information on how this could be enforced locally, such as through a local ethics committee. "I believe this has been done in Kansas City and St. Louis and Springfield recently passed or they are at least working on it," she said. This idea was met with pushback from Ward 5 and Ward 6 council members Don Waterman and Betsy Peters, respectively. Waterman said the proposal appeared linked to the April 8 election, during which Blair Murphy raised more than $250,000, compared to Mayor Barbara Buffaloe's campaign that raised about $70,000 and Tanya Heath roughly $5,000. There was a significant fundraising split for the Ward 4 race, too, in which Ron Graves raised about $30,000 to Ward 4 council member Nick Foster's $7,000. Sample ran unopposed and did not raise or expend more than $500. "I think as was demonstrated at least in Columbia, it doesn't really matter (how much you raise)," Waterman said. "You can't buy the election, it's a matter of policies and personalities." Even so, he still was interested in what metrics and limits the city may consider. Peters said there are more pertinent items for the city and council to focus on than campaign finance reform. While the council has asked for many reports, something like campaign contribution limits are important for Columbia, said Ward 1 council member Valerie Carroll. "It's going to come up and it's going to keep coming up. We are going to have another election soon. I think it puts unnecessary pressure on people even if it didn't turn out to matter in this one," she said. "At least, even if it didn't turn out to change the outcome, it did change the way the race was run and I think it changes the way elections and campaigns are done in Columbia. I would hate for that to be a lasting impact. "I don't know that all of our citizens and all of our candidates can bear that amount of fundraising." More: Columbia mayoral candidate raises 7 times more than closest competitor. Who's donating St. Louis and Kansas City have ethics commissions that review quarterly campaign finance filings with the state, said City Attorney Nancy Thompson. These municipal commissions are necessary as an enforcement tool as the Missouri Ethics Commission currently is unable to enforce state campaign finance laws or respond to complaints because there are not enough board members for a quorum as of last month, Missouri Independent reported. If Columbia were to adopt municipal campaign finance limits, "there would certainly have to be a method of enforcement," Thompson said, alluding to an ethics commission, or a staff member within the city clerk's office whose job would be to monitor finance reports and contributions. This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Columbia exploring campaign contribution limits ordinance
