Alexander City council adopts ordinance restricting camping and sleeping in vehicles in certain areas

Alexander City council voted to adopt an ordinance that prohibits camping, sleeping in vehicles, or sleeping outdoors in certain public places after an extended discussion of exemptions and enforcement.

Council members brought the ordinance forward for immediate consideration and staff described carve-outs for permitted mobile‑home and RV parks as well as an explicit exemption for commercial tractor‑trailer drivers sleeping in sleeper cabs. A staff speaker said, “this section shall not apply to tractor trailer operators sleeping in a sleeper cab of an operational living,” clarifying the intended exemptions.

The council’s discussion addressed where the prohibition would apply and how enforcement would be handled. One council member raised practical questions about private property such as retail parking lots; staff said enforcement would work in conjunction with the police department and the building official to identify restricted locations. A participant noted enforcement risks tied to vehicle accessibility, saying, “If the keys are in the ignition and you can't you don't have readily accessible to the vehicle, it is not movable,” which councilors discussed in the context of DUI and public‑intoxication enforcement.

Supporters of the ordinance framed it as a public‑safety and nuisance measure that would not criminalize authorized occupants of permitted parks or commercial drivers. The ordinance was approved by the council after motions to bring it to the table and to accept it as presented.

The council recorded the adoption as part of tonight’s business; implementation details, including exact restricted locations and enforcement protocols, will be handled by the police department and the building department as they operationalize the ordinance.

The vote on immediate consideration and adoption was taken during the meeting and recorded as passed by the council.