Mobile caps residential building height at 35 feet in most R-1 and R-2 districts, with downtown commercial zones allowing taller buildings subject to view and historic-district overlays administered by the Architectural Review Board.
Under MCO Chapter 64, single-family R-1 height typically cannot exceed 35 feet, measured to the average roof height. R-2 and R-3 multifamily allow similar heights, with bonuses sometimes available downtown. Commercial corridors range from 45 feet to unlimited in central business zones. Historic overlay districts including Oakleigh Garden, DeTonti Square, and Lower Dauphin Street impose stricter height matching to neighbors. Mechanical equipment, chimneys, and church steeples may exceed the cap by limited amounts. The Architectural Review Board has wide discretion in historic districts and downtown.
Exceeding the height cap without approval forces removal of the offending portion, plus civil fines up to 500 dollars per day until remedied.
Mobile, AL
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Mobile, AL
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See how Mobile's structure height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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