City of Alexandria Suspends Enforcement of Restriction on 'For Sale' Signs on Vehicles

The City of Alexandria has suspended citations for parking violations associated with displaying a “for sale” sign on a vehicle parked on a public street, according to a news release issued Tuesday.

A City resident announced earlier this week his plans to sue the City over the ordinance. Scott McLean wanted to be able to display a “for sale” sign without being ticketed. “There is no reason to single out those signs for censorship,” his attorney said. “That’s not right and it’s a violation of the First Amendment.”

Section 10-4-13(a) of the Code of the City of Alexandria, which dates back to at least the early 1960s, prohibits parking a vehicle on any street for the purpose of displaying the vehicle for sale.

In September, City staff began a review to determine whether the ordinance still meets the needs of the community. This review, which will take place over several months, will determine if and how comparable jurisdictions regulate this issue, receive guidance on best practices from professional and government associations, and obtain public input through community outreach.

While the review is pending, the City has determined that it is in the best interest of the public to suspend enforcement of the ordinance. Accordingly, vehicles displaying “for sale” signs on public streets will not be ticketed until further notice. This will allow the City and the community time to assess any positive or negative implications of the practice, as well as to complete the review process explained above.

The review process will conclude with a staff report to City Council that may recommend making no change to the ordinance, amending it, or repealing it altogether. If City Council moves forward with an amendment or repeal, a formal public hearing will be held and City Council will vote on the proposed change. If the staff recommendation results in no change to the current law, the City will provide at least 30 days public notice that enforcement will resume.