ADU rules in Tuscaloosa, AL — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Tuscaloosa's adopted Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 24) permits an accessory dwelling unit only in the RA-1 and RA-2 rural/agricultural residential districts under Sec. 24-55(4); standard single-family districts do not allow a second dwelling unit on a lot. Any ADU still needs a building permit, and short-term-rental use is not contemplated.
Under the City of Tuscaloosa Code of Ordinances, Chapter 24 (Zoning), accessory dwelling units are a permitted accessory use only in the RA-1 and RA-2 districts pursuant to Sec. 24-55(4); the city's planning staff has confirmed this in its zoning-rewrite materials, which note the ADU allowance "carries forward the existing regulations that apply in the RA-1 and RA-2 districts." Most of Tuscaloosa's conventional residential zones therefore do not authorize a separate dwelling unit on the same lot. An ADU must comply with the dimensional standards (setbacks, lot coverage) of its district and obtain a building permit before construction. Alabama has no statewide ADU mandate comparable to California's law, so the question is governed entirely by the city ordinance. The city is in the middle of a comprehensive zoning rewrite (the "Framework" project); a draft would expand ADUs to additional districts and cap the building footprint at roughly 650 square feet, but that draft has not been adopted and is not enforceable. Anyone planning an ADU should confirm the current district allowance with the Office of Urban Development before designing, because the rules differ sharply by district.
Building or occupying a second dwelling unit in a district where it is not permitted is a zoning violation. Chapter 24 carries its own penalty provision (Sec. 24-203), and the city's general penalty (Sec. 1-8) allows fines up to $500 and/or up to six months under Ala. Code §§ 11-45-1 and 11-45-9. Code enforcement can also pursue abatement of an unpermitted structure.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Tuscaloosa Code Sec. 13-67 bars allowing weeds, grass, or kudzu over 12 inches, or letting vines, underbrush, downed trees, or limbs become overgrown so as t...
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