Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Coaling, Alabama

Coaling’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside the corporate limits of the Town of Coaling (Tuscaloosa County), not unincorporated Tuscaloosa County land

  • The ordinance is titled June 2011 and revised June 2, 2026; the revision stamp is not treated as an effective date.
  • The zoning page labels its map 'proposed zoning map'; the ordinance PDF is titled 'Final Rev 6-2-26'.

  “the provisions of this ordinance shall apply to all property located within the corporate boundary of the town of coaling.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside the Town of Coaling limits

  • Districts named in the ordinance include A-1 Agriculture, R-1, R-2, R-3, RMF, RMH, BGO, C-1, C-2, I and the MHP manufactured home park district.
  • The zone map is referenced in the text; the zoning page calls its map 'proposed', so the map's status was not confirmed.

  “the location, boundaries, and area of which are shown and depicted on the zone map”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  A-1 agriculture district (low density residential and farm uses), inside Coaling town limits

  • Section 6.01 begins 'except as provided by and,' with the cross-reference text missing in the PDF extraction.
  • The A-1 row is the first row of the table; the header-to-column reading is taken from the table as extracted.

  minimum lot size: >= 15 acres · minimum lot width: >= 500 ft

  “the a-1 agriculture district is intended to provide for low density residential development while allowing the continuation of agricultural or farm uses.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-1 single-family residential district, sites served by the municipal sewer, inside Coaling town limits

    “r-1 * 3 40 35 30 10 20 8,000 sf 60 r-1** 3 40 35 30 10 20 15,000 sf 80”

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-1 single-family residential district, sites that require septic tanks, inside Coaling town limits

    “r-1 * 3 40 35 30 10 20 8,000 sf 60 r-1** 3 40 35 30 10 20 15,000 sf 80”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  A-1 agriculture district inside Coaling town limits

  • Yard figures read from the first row of the Section 6.01 table; column order taken from the table header as extracted.

  front yard: >= 50 ft · rear yard: >= 50 ft · side yard each: >= 50 ft · total side yards: >= 100 ft

  “a 3.5 50 50 50 50 100 15 acres 500 r-1 * 3 40 35 30 10 20 8,000 sf 60”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-1 single-family residential district inside Coaling town limits (same yard figures for sewer-served and septic lots)

    “r-1 * 3 40 35 30 10 20 8,000 sf 60 r-1** 3 40 35 30 10 20 15,000 sf 80”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  A-1 agriculture district inside Coaling town limits

  • Limit read from the first row of the Section 6.01 table.

  maximum height: <= 50 ft · maximum stories: <= 3.5 stories

  “a 3.5 50 50 50 50 100 15 acres 500 r-1 * 3 40 35 30 10 20 8,000 sf 60”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-1 single-family residential district inside Coaling town limits

    “r-1 * 3 40 35 30 10 20 8,000 sf 60 r-1** 3 40 35 30 10 20 15,000 sf 80”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Long-term living in recreational vehicles and travel trailers on private land inside Coaling town limits

  • Not allowed as a permanent dwelling.
  • Owners may not rent, lease or allow anyone to occupy stored RVs or travel trailers on their property.
  • Temporary dwelling exception after the owner's permanent dwelling is damaged or destroyed by an act of God; usage is limited to one year, with extensions requested from the board of adjustments.
  • Section 6.06(5)(b) allows temporary use by visitors for a period not to exceed a stated limit; the text was cut off in extraction and is not verified.
  • Storage is governed by Ordinance No. 2011-02 'regulating parking' (dated 2-20-2011), which was not opened.

  temporary dwelling after casualty: <= 1 year (owner's permanent dwelling damaged or destroyed; extension by board of adjustments)

  “owners of recreational vehicles and travel trailers stored on their property may not rent, lease or otherwise allow any individual to occupy these vehicles while being stored on their property.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes inside Coaling town limits, including manufactured home park (MHP) spaces

  • Manufactured homes in a manufactured home park need a zoning administrator permit before placement.
  • Units without a HUD seal are not permitted in a manufactured home park.
  • A manufactured home park needs a separate zoning classification that permits manufactured homes (Section 4.15).
  • Which districts list mobile homes as a permitted use was not verified from the use matrix.

  “prior to the placement of a manufactured home in a manufactured home park, a permit shall be obtained from the zoning administrator, subject to compliance with all provisions of this ordinance.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Manufactured home parks only, inside Coaling town limits; not a rule for single-family homes

  • Park must be served by water, sanitary sewer and drainage meeting Town of Coaling and Tuscaloosa health department requirements.

  “the entire area of the manufactured home park shall be adequately served by water, sanitary sewer and drainage facilities meeting all requirements of the town of coaling and the tuscaloosa health department.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Building a subdivision inside the Town of Coaling

  • Subdivision work must comply with the rules of Town ordinance 2014-01, which was not opened.

  “anyone desiring to build a subdivision within the town or coaling, al, must comply with the rules and regulations of town ordinance 2014-01.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new homes inside Coaling town limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Coaling town limits
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Coaling town limits
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Coaling town limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Coaling town limits

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.