Building Setbacks & Zoning in Jefferson County, AL (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Jefferson County, Alabama.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Unincorporated Jefferson County ties every building's front setback to the road it faces rather than a flat number. Section 1101 measures from the property line on rights-of-way of 40 feet or more, but adds 25 feet measured from the road centerline wherever the right-of-way is narrower or undedicated.
Jefferson County Road Setback Rules
Some RestrictionsJefferson County, AL Zoning Resolution § 1101 (Yards and Building Setbacks from Roads and/or Streets)
Yards and Building Setbacks from Roads and/or Streets. a. When any required yard abuts a street or roadway with a dedicated right-of-way of forty (40) feet or more, the setback shall be the front yard setback required in that zoning district. The setback shall be measured from the property/right-of-way line. b. When any required yard abuts a street or roadway with a dedicated right-of-way of le...
Structure Height Limits
Homes built in Jefferson County's R-1 Single Family District, the county's standard suburban lot classification for unincorporated areas, are capped at three stories under Zoning Resolution Section 605. Finished, partially finished, and unfinished basements are all excluded from that height count, and the same three-story ceiling repeats across the county's other conventional and planned residential districts.
Jefferson County R-1 Building Height Limit
Some RestrictionsJefferson County, AL Zoning Resolution § 605 (R-1 Single Family District)
Area and Dimensional Regulations. In all the above permitted uses, with the exception of accessory buildings, the area and dimensional regulations set forth below shall be observed: ... e. Maximum Building Height: 3-stories. Finished, partially finished, or unfinished basements will not count toward the maximum building height.
Lot Coverage Limits
In Jefferson County's Slope Zone Overlay District, land with a natural slope of 15% or more, impervious surface is capped at 15% of the lot in the Lower Slope Zone and just 10% in the Upper Slope Zone. Development in the steepest Hazard Zone is barred outright without certified geotechnical clearance.
Jefferson County Slope Zone Impervious Surface Cap
Significant RestrictionsJefferson County Zoning Regulations § 1504 (Slope Zone Overlay District), Applicability & Development Standards Table
Applicability. The SZOD shall apply to any land within unincorporated Jefferson County where the natural slope equals or exceeds 15%, as delineated by certified topographic surveys using a 25-foot vertical span. ... Development Standards Table: Standard / LSZ / USZ - Min. lot size 25,000 sq ft / 40,000 sq ft; Max. impervious surface 15% / 10%; Max. disturbed area 30% / 20%; Max. building height...
Building Setbacks & Zoning by City in Jefferson County
3 cities in Jefferson County have their own building setbacks & zoning rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Jefferson County ordinances
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