Tuscaloosa, AL Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)

Tuscaloosa sets maximum building height by zoning district in the Article IV dimensional standards tables of its adopted Zoning Ordinance. In the Single Family Residential Estate (SFR-E), Single Family Residential 1 (SFR-1), and Single Family Residential 2 (SFR-2) districts, the maximum building height is 35 feet. The Lake Residential (LR) district uses a story-based limit of 3 stories, and the Lake Multifamily (LMF) district allows 3 stories for single-family/two-family/townhouse uses and up to 5 stories for other uses. The Ordinance defines 'Building Height in Feet' as the vertical distance from the mean level of the finished grade abutting all sides of the building to a point determined by roof type: for mansard roofs, to the deck line; for gable, gambrel, and hip roofs, to the mean height between eaves and ridges; and for flat and other roofs, to the highest point. 'Building Height in Stories' is measured from the top of finished floor to the ceiling above, and an attic is not counted as a story if 50 percent or more of its floor area has a clear height under 7.5 feet. A maximum building height may be increased by up to 10 percent through an administrative adjustment under Table III-2. Taller structures such as wireless telecommunications towers are governed by separate use-specific standards.