Montgomery Zoning Intelligence
Zoning, permitted uses, and development potential for Montgomery, Alabama. 50 districts read from the city's own zoning ordinance.
Explore Montgomery parcels, zoning, and hazards
Search any Montgomery address, inspect parcels and zoning on the live map, and ask the AI what you can build - right here.
Zoning districts are shown at zoom 15 and closer. Zoom out for the Montgomery city outline and street context.
How is Montgomery zoned?
Montgomery's zoning law is Appendix C of the city's Code of Ordinances, adopted as Ordinance No. 38-63 and amended continuously since; the text in force today is codified through Ordinance No. 4-2026, enacted 5 March 2026. It establishes 50 districts, listed in Article I and regulated one by one in Article VII.
The districts run from the large-lot residence zones (R-125 down to R-50) through mobile-dwelling, townhouse and patio-garden categories and a planned unit development option, into the two central business districts B-1-a and B-1-b, the general and highway commercial districts B-2 and B-3, the planned commercial districts B-4 and B-5, three industrial districts, three office districts, and institutional, agricultural, waterfront recreation, utility and flood hazard districts. A "Q" qualified district can be combined with a base district to attach conditions.
What makes Montgomery different from most cities is how it grants uses. There is no citywide permitted-use matrix. Each district's table in Article VII lists uses by class letter and sorts them into three rows: classes permitted by right, classes permitted on appeal, and classes restricted. "Permitted on appeal" means a special exception requiring written approval from the Board of Adjustment; "restricted" means a variance is needed. Crucially, the same letter means different things in different tables — an "A" in a residential table is single-family dwellings, while an "A" in a business table is a group of retail and service uses. Any answer about what is allowed has to be read against the class legend printed with that district's own table.
Our district data for Montgomery is read from the adopted ordinance rather than from a commercial data vendor, which has no Alabama coverage.
Montgomery, Alabama Zoning Districts: What Do They Mean?
Zoning districts are areas regulated by specific laws that determine land use, building types, and development rules. Each district below shows its zone type. Montgomery's ordinance does not state permitted uses as citywide flags, so they are read from each district's own table rather than summarised here.
| Zone Code | Zone Type |
|---|---|
AGR-1 AGR-1 Residential Agriculture | Agricultural |
AGR-2 AGR-2 General Agriculture | Agricultural |
B-1-a B-1-a Central Business | Commercial |
B-1-b B-1-b Central Business | Commercial |
What are the building controls in Montgomery?
Setback, height, FAR, lot area, and density controls enforced across Montgomery zoning districts.
- Max building height (ft)
- Max coverage
- Maximum block perimeter
- Maximum building height (stories)
- Min front yard (ft)
- Min lot area (sq ft)
- Min lot width (ft)
- Min rear yard (ft)
- Min side yard (ft)
- Minimum district area
- Off-street parking
Other Alabama cities
Montgomery zoning: frequently asked questions
- How many zoning districts does Montgomery have?
- 50, listed in Article I of Appendix C and regulated individually in Article VII. They cover residence, business, industrial, office, institutional, agricultural, waterfront recreation, utility and flood hazard categories, plus a qualified combining district.
- How does Montgomery say which uses are allowed?
- By class letter, per district, rather than by a citywide use table. Each district's Article VII table lists the classes permitted by right, the classes permitted on appeal, and the classes restricted. That is why a simple "permitted uses" list does not exist for Montgomery the way it does for many cities.
- What is the difference between a use permitted on appeal and a restricted use?
- A use permitted on appeal is a special exception: it can be approved by the Board of Adjustment in writing, subject to conditions protecting the district's character. A restricted use requires a variance, and no permit issues for it without Board of Adjustment approval. Both go through the Board, but they are different standards.
- Does class "A" mean the same thing everywhere in the code?
- No, and this is the most common way to get a Montgomery answer wrong. In the residential tables class A is single-family dwellings; in the business tables it is a group of retail, office and service stores; in the industrial table it is light industry. The class legend is printed with each district's own table.
- Who handles rezonings and variances in Montgomery?
- The Land Use Division of the city's Community Development Department administers rezonings, variances, special exceptions, development-plan review and zoning complaints. Amendments to the district map are governed by Article IV of the ordinance.
- Isn't there a new Montgomery zoning ordinance?
- A rewritten Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations were published as a public draft under the Envision Montgomery 2040 comprehensive plan. That draft is not the adopted code. Appendix C, as codified through Ordinance No. 4-2026, is still the law, and it is what the districts and standards on this page are read from.
Analyze any Montgomery parcel in 60 seconds
Zoning, overlays, hazards, and what the code actually allows - in one place.
Book a demo →Zoning data is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice. Verify with the Montgomery planning department before acquisition or design.