Bolthole Index

Etowah County, Alabama

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Southside, Alabama

Inside the city limits of Southside, Alabama, property owners must get a Building and Zoning Permit before starting construction, and the city's Building Department enforces its own zoning12. Septic permits for Southside addresses do not come from the city: the Etowah County Health Department handles them3. The rules below apply inside Southside; unincorporated Etowah County is a different set of rules.

At a glance

Building permit
Building and Zoning Permit required before construction inside city limits1
Zoning
City zoning with named districts, run by the Building Department24
Septic
Permit from the Etowah County Health Department where no public sewer connects35
RV living
Not allowed on a residential lot; parking limited to a few consecutive days6
Certificate of occupancy
Required after final inspection for work under a zoning permit7
Owner-builder
Alabama licensing exemption for owners building their own one- or two-family home8

Who to call

Building permits

Southside Building Department

Building and zoning permits, inspections and flood management inside Southside city limits

(256) 442-9775

2255 Highway 77, Southside, Alabama 35907

Septic permits

Etowah County Health Department, Environmental Office

Septic-tank requests and environmental complaints in Etowah County, including addresses inside Southside

256-439-2586

709 East Broad Street, Gadsden, Alabama 35903

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 10, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Southside means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Southside, Alabama?

Yes. Every property owner inside Southside city limits must apply for and receive a Building and Zoning Permit before any construction activity, which includes site preparation, excavation, new buildings, accessory or temporary structures, moving a structure, and alteration or repair1. Painting, interior remodeling and work that does not change a structure's character, size or position are excluded1. The city's application carries a $50 fee9.

The Building and Zoning approval is not the building permit itself: building permits are purchased separately after zoning approval10. Southside enforces building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical gas and fire standards, though we could not confirm which code editions it has adopted11.

Who issues building permits in Southside, and how do you reach them?

The Southside Building Department issues building and zoning permits for land inside the city limits12. Call (256) 442-9775 or visit 2255 Highway 77, Southside, Alabama 3590712. Submit a completed application with the necessary supporting documents to City Hall; incomplete applications are not processed10.

The city employs two building inspectors for permitted jobs, and the department asks for inspection requests at least 24 hours in advance1312. Building permits and zoning belong to the city, but septic permits stay with the Etowah County Health Department3.

Does Southside have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Southside zones land inside its limits, and its adopted code contains districts including RT Rural Transitional and MHP Manufactured Home Park24. Rules differ by district, so check the parcel's district with the Building Department before you buy12.

In the RT district, accessory residential dwelling units are allowed if they meet the city's accessory-dwelling section14. In the MHP district, manufactured homes need at least 1,000 square feet of gross floor area and rental lots at least 6,000 square feet, with impervious surface capped at 40 percent and structures at 25 feet or two stories15161718. The MHP district is meant to be served by municipal water and sewer19. We could not confirm dimensional rules for the city's other districts.

How do septic permits work inside Southside, Alabama?

Inside Southside, septic approval comes from the Etowah County Health Department, not the city, and the city's own permit application says its approval does not stand in for it3. Alabama law requires a permit from the local health department before installing or repairing an onsite system on property that is not connected to a public sanitary sewer5. The application needs a site evaluation and professional soils information20.

Call the Environmental Office at 256-439-2586 and ask for the environmental office21. Soils matter: only 18.3% of Etowah County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so expect to need an engineered design on many lots22. If a public sewer line serves the lot, none of this applies; ask the city which lots are connected.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Southside, Alabama?

Not in an RV on a residential lot. Southside bars living, sleeping and housekeeping use of a recreational vehicle parked on a residential lot or in any unapproved location6. Major RVs may be parked off-street for no more than three consecutive days, may not sit in a front yard except in an enclosed structure, and must be registered and tagged if stored outside6.

A manufactured home is a different case: Alabama recognizes a qualifying manufactured home as a residence, and Southside provides a dedicated MHP district for them2319. We could not confirm any Southside rule on tiny homes, so ask the Building Department how a tiny home on a foundation or wheels would be classified12.

Building a home in Southside: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Building Department which zoning district the parcel is in and what it allows412.
  1. Call the Etowah County Health Department Environmental Office for a site evaluation if no public sewer serves the lot521.
  1. Submit the Building and Zoning application to City Hall, then buy the separate building permit after zoning approval10.
  1. If the lot is in a mapped flood hazard area, plan the lowest floor at least one foot above base flood elevation24.
  1. Schedule inspections with 24 hours' notice12.
  1. Obtain a certificate of occupancy after final inspection before anyone moves in7.

What stays with Etowah County, and what to check before you buy in Southside?

Septic permits stay with the Etowah County Health Department even inside Southside3. Private wells require a Notification of Intent to the state before work starts, rather than a permit issued to the owner25.

Etowah County's own subdivision regulations and floodplain ordinance are written for the county's jurisdiction outside city limits, so confirm with the Building Department which rules reach a parcel at the city's edge2627. Land outside Southside's limits in unincorporated Etowah County is reported as not zoned, which is not true inside the city28. Property taxes are set at the county level, where the effective rate is about 0.4% and the median bill about $585 a year2930.

Watch-outs

  • The Building and Zoning Permit is separate from the building permit, so zoning approval alone does not let construction start10.
  • Living in an RV on a residential lot inside Southside is prohibited, and parking is limited to a few consecutive days6.
  • Septic approval comes from the Etowah County Health Department, not from the city's building permit3.

Sources

  1. Building and Zoning Permit Application (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  2. Building Department (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  3. Building and Zoning Permit Application (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  4. Sec. 30-142. RT Rural Transitional zoning district (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  5. Onsite Sewage Disposal (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  6. Sec. 30-86. Recreational vehicle parking and storage (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article V. Administrative and Enforcement Guidelines (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  8. Exemptions (Alabama statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Building Department (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  10. Building and Zoning Permit Application (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  11. Building Department (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  12. Southside Building Department (cityofsouthside.com)
  13. Building Department (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  14. Sec. 30-142. RT Rural Transitional zoning district (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  15. Sec. 30-146. MHP Manufactured Home Park zoning district (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  16. Sec. 30-146. MHP Manufactured Home Park zoning district (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  17. Sec. 30-146. MHP Manufactured Home Park zoning district (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  18. Sec. 30-146. MHP Manufactured Home Park zoning district (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  19. Sec. 30-146. MHP Manufactured Home Park zoning district (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  20. Onsite Sewage | Alabama Department of Public Health, quoted and re-checked
  21. Etowah County Health Department, Environmental Office (alabamapublichealth.gov)
  22. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  23. What is a manufactured home? (Alabama statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Sec. 14-71. Specific standards (Southside), quoted and re-checked
  25. ADEM Administrative Code Division 9, quoted and re-checked
  26. Subdivision Regulations of Etowah County, Alabama, quoted and re-checked
  27. Etowah County Floodplain Development Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  28. Gadsden-Etowah IDA - Permits and Regulations (2026 county census)
  29. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  30. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 10, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Southside

Southside’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New construction and renovations inside Southside city limits.

    • The city application covers site preparation, excavation, new buildings including accessory or temporary structures, moving structures, relocation, alteration, and repair; it excludes painting, interior remodeling, and work that does not change the structure's character, size, or position.
    • Separate subdivision, septic, ADEM, and wetland approvals may also be required.
    “All property owners within the City of Southside must apply for and receive a Building and Zoning Permit before undertaking any construction activities, which shall include site preparation and excavation for the construction of new buildings (including accessory or temporary structures), moving any structures onto a property, relocating existing structures on a property, alteration or repair of a structure (excluding painting, interior remodeling, or any alteration or repair activity that will not change the character, size, or position of the structure as it exists on the property).”
  • Building code adoptedPartial

    Commercial and residential construction inside Southside city limits.

    • The city page confirms enforcement of building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical gas, and fire standards, but the specific adopted editions were not established in the opened material.
    “The department also protects the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Southside by enforcing building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical gas and fire standards. We constantly strive to ensure that building codes for both commercial and residential structures are met; thus ensuring the safety of each and every resident.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted commercial and residential construction inside Southside city limits.

    • Inspection requests should be made at least 24 hours in advance.
    “The City of Southside employs two Building Inspectors who are responsible for inspecting construction work associated with all permitted jobs.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Land, buildings, and structures constructed, moved, or altered under a Southside zoning permit.

    • The certificate is issued after final inspection if the development conforms to the zoning chapter and other city codes.
    “No land/or building or other structure or part thereof hereafter constructed, moved, or altered in accordance with a zoning permit shall be occupied until the enforcement officer has issued a certificate of occupancy stating that such land/or structure or part thereof is found to be in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Southside city limits.

    • The city building department states that it regulates land use, zoning, and planning; the adopted code contains zoning districts and zoning-administration provisions.
    “The Building Department regulates the city's land use, code administration, zoning, planning, and flood management.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Land inside Southside city limits.

    • The opened adopted-code sections identify RT Rural Transitional and MHP Manufactured Home Park districts, among others; district-specific requirements vary.
    “Sec. 30-142. - RT Rural Transitional zoning district.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Residential manufactured homes in the MHP Manufactured Home Park district.

    • The requirement is stated as a minimum dwelling-unit gross floor area.

    minimum dwelling unit gross floor area: >= 1000 square feet

    “Minimum dwelling unit gross floor area of 1,000 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Rental lots in the MHP Manufactured Home Park district.

    • Additional area may be required by the county health department for onsite sanitary sewage disposal.

    minimum rental lot size: >= 6000 square feet (plus any additional area required by the county health department for onsite sanitary sewage disposal)

    “A minimum rental lot size of 6,000 square feet, plus any additional area that may be required by the county health department for the provision of on-site sanitary sewage disposal.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    MHP Manufactured Home Park development sites.

    • The limitation is expressed as impervious-surface coverage.

    maximum impervious-surface coverage: <= 40 percent

    “Maximum percentage of development site covered by impervious surfaces of 40 percent.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Structures in the MHP Manufactured Home Park district.

    • The rule applies to structures not exempt from height requirements under Sec. 30-33(a).

    maximum structure height: <= 25 feet or two stories (structures exempt under Sec. 30-33(a))

    “Maximum structure height of 25 feet or two stories for all structures that are not exempt from height requirements, as specified in section 30-33 (a).”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational vehicles parked or stored on residential lots inside Southside city limits.

    • Major recreational vehicles may be parked in any off-street location for no more than three consecutive days.
    • They may not be stored or parked in a front yard in a residential district except within an enclosed garage or structure.
    • A side-yard vehicle may not protrude into the front yard.
    • The vehicle must be registered and bear a valid tag if not stored within an enclosed structure.
    • Living, sleeping, and housekeeping use is prohibited on a residential lot or in an unapproved location.

    maximum off-street parking period: 3 consecutive days (subject to the section's residential-yard and approved-use rules)

    “No such equipment shall be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a residential lot, or in any location not approved for such use.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory residential dwelling units in the RT Rural Transitional district.

    • The use must comply with all requirements in Sec. 30-80.
    “Accessory residential dwelling units in compliance with all requirements specified in section 30-80.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Manufactured home parks in the Southside MHP zoning district.

    • The MHP district is intended to be served by full municipal services, including water and sewer.
    • The supplied MHP excerpt separately states that proposed lots and buildings must be served by municipal water.
    “The purpose of this district is to provide opportunities for the site development of attractive, affordable, moderate intensity, single-family manufactured home parks, where units are placed on rented lots and served by full municipal services, including water and sewer.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    New construction or substantial improvements in Southside special flood-hazard areas where base-flood-elevation data has been provided.

    • Residential buildings and manufactured homes must have the lowest floor, including basement, at least one foot above base flood elevation.
    • Enclosed areas below base flood elevation must meet opening, access, and design restrictions.
    • Manufactured homes and recreational vehicles have additional elevation, anchoring, licensing, and highway-use conditions.

    minimum elevation above base flood elevation: >= 1 foot

    “In all areas of special flood hazard where base flood elevation data has been provided, as set forth in section 14-7 or 14-47 (9), the following provisions are required: (1) Residential construction. New construction or substantial improvement of any residential building or manufactured home shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated no lower than one foot above the base flood elevation.”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Southside city permit applicants.

    • The building department page links a fee schedule PDF, but the exact building-permit fee amounts were not captured in the opened text.
    • The Building and Zoning application states an application fee of $50.00.

    Building and Zoning application fee: 50 USD

    “Application Fee Received: $50.00 [ ] Cash [ ] Check# _________ _”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Construction and zoning-permit applicants inside Southside city limits.

    • Complete the application and return it with necessary supporting documents to City Hall.
    • Incomplete applications will not be processed.
    • The Building and Zoning application is not itself the separate building permit; building permits must be purchased separately after zoning approval.
    “Please note that this is not the official building permit, building permits must be purchased separately after this zoning application has been approved by the Building Inspector”

Rules another office applies inside Southside

Southside does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Onsite sewage systems serving property inside Southside city limits in Etowah County.

    • The Southside application specifically identifies septic approval from the Etowah County Health Department; Alabama Public Health coordinates the onsite sewage program through county health departments.
    “The approval of a Building and Zoning Permit ,Application by the Enforcement Officer shall not imply or constitute approval for any other applicable permit requirements including, but not limited to, subdivision plat approval, building permits, and septic system approval from the Etowah County Health Department, an ADEM construction permit, and wetland permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Property inside Southside city limits that is not connected to a public sanitary sewer and will install or repair an onsite sewage system.

    • The permit is obtained from the local health department before installation or repair.
    • Site evaluation, permit application, health-department review, and compliance with state regulations are required.
    “Alabama State Law requires homeowners and businesses not connected to a public sanitary sewer to obtain a permit from the local health department prior to installing a new system or making repairs to an existing onsite system.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Onsite sewage disposal inside Southside city limits where public sanitary sewer is unavailable.

    • A local-health-department permit is required before installing or repairing the onsite system.
    • The system remains subject to state design, permitting, installation, approval, and use requirements.
    “Alabama State Law requires homeowners and businesses not connected to a public sanitary sewer to obtain a permit from the local health department prior to installing a new system or making repairs to an existing onsite system.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Southside or Etowah County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders undertaking construction inside Southside city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Southside city limits.
  • Septic inspection — Onsite sewage systems inside Southside city limits.
  • Well permit — Private water wells inside Southside city limits.
  • Agricultural exemption — Agricultural construction and land uses inside Southside city limits.
1 more unanswered
  • Driveway access

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Southside publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Etowah County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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