Tuscaloosa, AL Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)

Tuscaloosa controls how much of a lot can be built on through the 'Ground Coverage Ratio' (GCR) maximum in each district's Article IV intensity and dimensional standards table. The Ordinance defines Ground Coverage Ratio as the percentage of the lot area covered by buildings, measured using the building footprint(s). The maximum GCR varies by district: SFR-1 and SFR-2 allow a maximum of 30 percent; SFR-E (Single Family Residential Estate) and LR (Lake Residential) allow a maximum of 25 percent; and LMF (Lake Multifamily) allows 35 percent for single-family, two-family, and townhouse uses and up to 45 percent for other uses.

Each district table also sets a minimum lot area and lot width (for example, 12,000 square feet and 85 feet in SFR-1; 9,000 square feet and 75 feet in SFR-2), which together with the GCR cap define the maximum building footprint on a given lot. A maximum lot-coverage-related dimensional standard is not separately listed in the administrative-adjustment table the way setbacks and height are, so coverage relief generally requires a variance. Because GCR is footprint-based, it limits the building area on the ground rather than total impervious surface; driveways and parking surfacing are addressed by separate parking and stormwater standards.