Madison's Zoning Ordinance, administered by the Madison Planning & Economic Development Department, sets yard setbacks by zoning district. Section 12-1 defines the side yard as the area between the building and the side lot line extending from the front yard to the rear lot line. Typical R-1A and R-1B single-family setbacks are 25-30 feet front, 25 feet rear, and 8-10 feet side, but exact values vary by district and must be verified against the City Zoning Map.
Madison (pop. 56,933, primarily Madison County with a small portion in Limestone County) is a Huntsville suburb. The Zoning Ordinance is hosted at https://www.madisonal.gov/998/Zoning-Ordinance and the full Code is on Municode (https://library.municode.com/al/madison). Section 12-1 defines yard setbacks: the side yard is 'a yard between the building and the side line of the lot and extending from the front yard lot line to the rear lot line and being the minimum horizontal distance between a side lot line and the side of the main building.' Madison's standard residential setbacks are: R-1A (Estate Residential) 35-40 ft front, 40 ft rear, 15 ft side; R-1B (Standard Residential) 25-30 ft front, 25 ft rear, 8-10 ft side; R-1C (Patio Home) 20 ft front, 20 ft rear, 5 ft side. Corner lots observe the front setback on the street frontage and a reduced side-street setback. The Planning Department FAQ (https://www.madisonal.gov/Faq.aspx?QID=118) instructs property owners to identify their lot on the City Zoning Map, look up the zoning designation, and consult the Yard Setbacks section for that district. Madison County (https://www.madisoncountyal.gov/) issues building permits and inspections per the 2018 IRC.
Construction inside a required setback triggers a stop-work order from the Madison Building Department; the structure must be removed, relocated, or a variance obtained from the Madison Board of Zoning Adjustment. Daily fines up to $500 under Madison Code accrue while a violation persists.
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Madison County.
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