Please remember to:
- Not put tape on Highlands Street signs. It damages the signs for which we are responsible.
Let us know if you see any damage to Highlands property (e.g. signs, structures in entrance). Email: chnapresident@protonmail.com.
- Do NOT use wooden, plastic, or thick metal post signs in the landscaped or grass areas of Countrywood Highlands or Countrywood entrances. These can and have caused damage to the landscape, drainage, electrical wiring, gas lines and irrigation. Small wire post signs ONLY. Homeowners are responsible for notifying realtors of these guidelines and will be responsible for all damages to landscape.
- Report any malfunction of a street light to Alabama Power at 1-888-430-5787.
- Not block mailboxes or driveways.
- Not park on the street directly across from another parked vehicle.
- Go against traffic when walking or jogging in the Highlands.
- Make sure we have your current contact information (including one email and one phone) for each home. Email chnapresident@protonmail.com when someone moves into or out of the Highlands.
- Let us have your comments on the website and/or directories.
Rules on Guns within City Limits of Vestavia
Vestavia city ordinance section 11-9-Discharging of Firearms or Air Rifles. It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge within the city or the police jurisdiction thereof any firearm or air rifle, except in the reasonable defense of his person or property; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to peace officers or members of the armed forces of the state or the United States who discharge firearms in the performance of their duties as such officers. www.vhal.org citizen link/ code ordinances. Also see Officer Coleman (978-0113) City Code Enforcement Officer.
Burglar/Peeping Tom Prevention Tips
According to Officer E. Crim (978-0119) of the Vestavia Hills Police Department, the best way to prevent burglars/peeping toms is to do the following: 1) Keep doors and windows locked at all times, 2) Cover all back and side windows so that no one can see into your house, 3) Activate alarm systems even during the day as most burglaries in Vestavia occur during the day. 4) Make sure your alarm systems call the police first. 5) Notify Vestavia Police when no one will be at your house all night. (Vestavia police will patrol your house during all three shifts if they know you are gone.) 6) When you are going to be gone for the night, put timers on a couple of your interior lamps and set the timers to go off at different times so it looks like someone is in the house. You can check the weather channel to determine the time for sundown for any day when setting the timers. 7) Even when you are at home, keep a couple of small interior lamps on all night. 8) Hide your valuables and precious metals in places where they are not expected to be. All burglars go first to formal dining rooms and master bedrooms. 9) If you are having people in your house that you do not know very well (e.g. remodeling or a large party) be sure that you hide your valuables (including prescription drugs) until the people are all gone. 10) Have your valuables appraised and photographed and record model and serial numbers and any other unique identifying marks. All Alabama pawn shops show their merchandise (with serial numbers) on a website. If you recognize your stolen property, the pawn shop has the contact information for the person who sold the stolen property to the pawn shop. Many times, stolen property is recovered, burglars caught and future burglaries prevented by simply recording serial numbers and unique identifying marks.
Vestavia Hills Solicitation Rules
The Highlands maintains a permanent “No Soliciting” sign at the entrance to the Highlands on Dolly Ridge Road. (Countrywood maintains an identical sign at the Rocky Ridge Road entrance to Countrywood.) These signs were installed as a result of a change in the city of Vestavia Hills ordinance concerning door to door solicitors. (You can see the complete city rule as well as an explanation and listing of neighborhoods that have erected these “no soliciting” signs at www.vestaviahills.net under departments/city clerk/solicitation.) Despite this action on our part, many of us are still seeing outside solicitors (e.g. pine straw salesmen) in the Highlands. We spoke with Officer Crim (Community Liaison Officer for Vestavia Hills 978-0119 or ecrim@ci.vestaviahills.al.us) about this and asked him how the city prefers that we respond to any illegal solicitors in the Highlands? Officer Crim advised that any such solicitors should be reported to the Vestavia Hills police immediately with the best car, car tag and personal description that you can provide. If the call is non-emergency, the number to call is 823-1153.