Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Scottsboro, Alabama

Scottsboro’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Placement of a manufactured home inside Scottsboro city; general building permit rule cross-referenced as § 12.3 but not reviewed

  • Does not apply to placement on a previously approved manufactured home park space or a home for sale on an approved sales lot.

  “the placement of any manufactured home on property, whether temporarily or permanently, shall require a building permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Scottsboro city

  • Defined as the International Building Code as adopted and amended by the city council; edition not stated in the section reviewed.

  “The International Building Code as adopted, and as may be amended, by the city council.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Scottsboro city limits

  “The city official assigned by the city council to administer the city building code and provisions of this ordinance as specified herein, including his/her designee.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Scottsboro city (R-5, T-1, P-2, AR, C-1 to C-4, INST, M-1, M-2 and others) in Appendix A

  • Zoning map not reviewed.

  “the following sections present the specific regulations that govern development within the city's non-residential zoning districts.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Class A manufactured homes in T-1 manufactured home subdivisions inside Scottsboro city

  • R-1/R-2/R-3 minimums not in sections reviewed.

  minimum heated living area: >= 960 sq ft

  “The manufactured home shall have a minimum of 960 square feet of enclosed and heated living area.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  AR district (first column of Table 7-2) inside Scottsboro city

  • Residential R-1 to R-3 district table (Table 6-2) was not provided.

  minimum lot size AR: >= 1 acre

  “min. lot size 1 1 acre na 5,000 s.f. na 15,000 s.f. 5,000 s.f. 1 acre 1 acre”

• SetbacksSpecified

  AR district inside Scottsboro city

  • Residential district setbacks (Table 6-2) not reviewed.

  front yard: >= 50 ft · rear yard: >= 50 ft · side yard: >= 25 ft

  “min. rear yard setback 50 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 25 ft. 50 ft. min. side yard setback 25 ft. na na na 15 ft. na 15 ft. 25 ft.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  AR district inside Scottsboro city

  • Residential districts not reviewed.

  max lot coverage: <= 5 percent

  “max. lot coverage 5% na 35% 75% 75% 50% 50% 50%”

• Building heightSpecified

  AR district inside Scottsboro city

  • Residential districts not reviewed.

  max height: <= 35 ft (or 2½ stories)

  “max. building height 2½ stories or 35 ft.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Living in a camper, travel trailer or RV on a residential lot inside Scottsboro city

  • Storage of RVs is allowed in residential districts in side or rear yards, or in a garage or accessory structure.
  • The ban covers any location not approved for such use.

  “No such vehicle 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.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Sleeping or camping on private or public land inside Scottsboro city

  • Requires written consent of the private landowner, or of an authorized city official on public property.
  • Fine up to $250 first offense, $500 second and after.
  • Sleeping in vehicles on public streets or land is unlawful except at an established trailer, tent or tourist camp.

  fine first offense: <= 250 USD

  “violation of this section shall be an offense against the city punishable by a fine of up to $250.00 for the first offense, and $500.00 for the second offense and thereafter.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in the T-1 manufactured home district inside Scottsboro city

  • Manufactured home subdivisions allow only Class A manufactured homes and site-built homes.
  • Manufactured home parks allow only Class A and Class B homes.
  • Class A homes need 960 sq ft, 3:12 roof pitch, 6 inch eaves, residential siding, tie-downs, skirting, and hitch, wheels and axles removed.
  • A building permit is required for placement.

  “Only Class A manufactured homes and site-built homes shall be permitted in manufactured home subdivisions.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Single-family lots in the P-2 planned neighborhood district inside Scottsboro city

  • P-2 requires 40 acres or more (30 acres if contiguous to existing neighborhoods).
  • Accessory dwelling rules in other districts not reviewed.

  “One accessory dwelling per single-family lot shall be permitted in addition to the permitted densities provided in table 8-3.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Lots in the R-5 group housing district inside Scottsboro city

  • Applies to R-5 district only; the general rule for R-1 to R-3 districts was not in the sections reviewed.
  • New R-5 districts must contain at least five acres.

  “All lots shall be served by water and sewer.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  New construction and substantial improvements in areas of special flood hazard (A1-30, AE, AH, A with BFE) inside Scottsboro city

  • Nonresidential structures may be floodproofed in lieu of elevation with engineer certification.
  • Manufactured homes and RVs have separate standards; RVs on site fewer than 180 consecutive days and road-ready are exempt from elevation.
  • Areas without base flood elevation: lowest floor at least three feet above highest adjacent grade (§ 16-85).

  freeboard above BFE: >= 1 ft

  “elevated no lower than one foot above the base flood elevation.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Scottsboro city
• Inspections — Inspections inside Scottsboro city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Scottsboro city
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Scottsboro city
• Who permits septic — Septic systems inside Scottsboro city

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.