What does the R-60-s vs R-100 zoning difference mean in Montgomery?

Montgomery's residential districts are density-numbered rather than sequentially lettered — the number roughly corresponds to minimum lot area in hundreds of square feet, so R-100 requires a larger minimum lot than R-60-s. Both remain single-family-only classifications under the current 1985 ordinance.

Is Montgomery getting a new zoning code?

Yes — the city is rewriting its zoning ordinance under the Envision Montgomery 2040 initiative, with a Public Review Draft released in March 2026. Until the new ordinance is formally adopted, the existing 1985 ordinance and its district designations remain in effect for permitting.

How do I find zoning for a parcel in Montgomery?

Contact the Montgomery Planning Department for the current zoning map and ordinance text, since the city does not yet have the new code's districts in effect. Confirm which ordinance version — the existing 1985 code or, once adopted, the Envision Montgomery 2040 rewrite — governs your application.

Montgomery, Alabama · city zoning districts · 14 districts

Montgomery, AL zoning map & districts

Montgomery's zoning ordinance dates to 1985 and uses a density-numbered residential system (R-50 through R-125, with the number roughly indicating minimum lot area in hundreds of square feet) alongside lettered business, office, and industrial districts. The Montgomery Planning Department administers the current ordinance while the city works through the Envision Montgomery 2040 rewrite — a Public Review Draft was released in March 2026, but as of this writing the 1985 ordinance and its existing district designations remain the controlling code for permitting.

The code Montgomery Zoning Ordinance

Montgomery zoning map

The Montgomery Planning Department administers the zoning ordinance and zoning map; current rewrite drafts and the existing 1985 ordinance text are both published through the Envision Montgomery 2040 initiative pending formal adoption of the new code.

There is no link to the official map here yet — confirm current district boundaries directly with the Montgomery planning or zoning department.

A published summary is never the authority. The adopted ordinance and the city's official zoning map govern, and both change — verify the district and every standard on your parcel before you rely on it.

How zoning works in Montgomery

Developers should treat the rewrite as a near-term risk to plan around rather than a currently-applicable code: district names, dimensional standards, and use tables are all slated to change once the new ordinance is adopted, and the city's own code-assessment materials flag several existing districts (including B-4, B-5, O-0, and M-2) for consolidation or deletion in the new framework. Until adoption, all entitlement and site-plan work in Montgomery should confirm which version of the ordinance governs a given application.

Montgomery zoning districts by family

The 14 district codes below are the ones that decide most projects in Montgomery, grouped by what they are for rather than by the order the ordinance prints them.

Key districts in the Montgomery Zoning Ordinance — a curated reference, not the exhaustive list. Confirm against the current adopted code.
Code	District	What it is for
Residential 3 districts
R-60-s	Residential (density-numbered)	Single-family district; the number denotes minimum lot area in hundreds of square feet.
R-75-s	Residential (density-numbered)	Lower-density single-family district than R-60-s.
R-100	Residential Very Low Density	Large-lot single-family district.
Mixed-use 2 districts
O-1	Office Complex	Standalone office park development.
O-2	Office Park	Office-park district distinct from O-1 Office Complex.
Commercial 4 districts
B-2	Individual Stores	Small-format standalone commercial uses.
B-3	Highway Commercial	Auto-oriented commercial along highway corridors.
B-4	Local Shopping (planned commercial)	Planned neighborhood shopping center district.
B-5	Community Shopping (planned commercial)	Larger-format planned shopping center district.
Downtown / core 1 district
B-1-a	Central Business	Downtown Montgomery core commercial district.
Industrial 3 districts
M-1	Light Industry	Light manufacturing and warehousing.
M-2	Industrial Park	Planned industrial park district.
M-3	General Industry	Heavier general industrial uses.
Special purpose 1 district
PUD	Planned Unit Development	Negotiated development standards for large or mixed-use tracts.

Montgomery zoning — common questions

What does the R-60-s vs R-100 zoning difference mean in Montgomery?: Montgomery's residential districts are density-numbered rather than sequentially lettered — the number roughly corresponds to minimum lot area in hundreds of square feet, so R-100 requires a larger minimum lot than R-60-s. Both remain single-family-only classifications under the current 1985 ordinance.
Is Montgomery getting a new zoning code?: Yes — the city is rewriting its zoning ordinance under the Envision Montgomery 2040 initiative, with a Public Review Draft released in March 2026. Until the new ordinance is formally adopted, the existing 1985 ordinance and its district designations remain in effect for permitting.
How do I find zoning for a parcel in Montgomery?: Contact the Montgomery Planning Department for the current zoning map and ordinance text, since the city does not yet have the new code's districts in effect. Confirm which ordinance version — the existing 1985 code or, once adopted, the Envision Montgomery 2040 rewrite — governs your application.

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The parcel layer lands in the order demand does. Illinois went first because that's where the deals were; the next state is decided by who tells us what they're trying to underwrite. Tell us where you're building and what you wanted to run — you'll hear from us when Alabama opens, and sooner if we need a test parcel.

Keep reading

← Alabama zoning — who holds the zoning power in Alabama, under which enabling statute, and the reforms that override local rules.

Other Alabama cities

The zoning reference → — every state, plus city-level district guides like this one.

Montgomery zoning summaries on this page are provided for information, not legal advice. Confirm every project against the current adopted code for the jurisdiction.