Why doesn't Tuscaloosa zoning use codes like R-1 or B-1?

Tuscaloosa's zoning ordinance, rewritten effective January 1, 2025, identifies districts by descriptive name and Code of Ordinances section number (e.g., "Single Family Residential 1" at section 25-62) rather than short letter-number abbreviations. The city's zoning map and code text both use the full district names.

What zoning applies to student housing near the University of Alabama?

Tuscaloosa has dedicated university-oriented districts — Mixed Residential University, Multifamily Residential University, and University Commercial — specifically for managing student-housing infill and campus-adjacent commercial uses. These are distinct from the city's general residential and commercial districts.

How do I find zoning for a parcel in Tuscaloosa?

The Planning & Zoning Commission's interactive zoning map (hosted on ArcGIS) shows current district boundaries, and the underlying ordinance text is in Chapter 25 of the Code of Ordinances. For parcels near downtown or the riverfront, confirm whether the Downtown, Downtown Perimeter, or Riverfront district applies instead of a standard commercial district.

Tuscaloosa, Alabama · city zoning districts · 13 districts

Tuscaloosa, AL zoning map & districts

Tuscaloosa replaced its 1972-vintage zoning ordinance (former Chapter 24) with a rewritten Chapter 25 zoning ordinance effective January 1, 2025, administered by the Planning & Zoning Commission. The new ordinance organizes districts by descriptive name and section number rather than short letter-number codes — for example, "Single Family Residential 1" through "5" at sections 25-62 through 25-66 — and developers used to hunting for an "R-1"-style label on Tuscaloosa's zoning map should instead expect to see the full district name.

The code Tuscaloosa Zoning Ordinance (Code of Ordinances Chapter 25)

Tuscaloosa zoning map

The interactive map needs JavaScript. See the official Tuscaloosa City Zoning District Select Application instead.

Residential 15
Commercial 5
Special purpose 5
Downtown / core 4
Industrial 3
Other / unclassified 2

Source: Tuscaloosa City Zoning District Select Application, retrieved 2026-09-04. Basemap: © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Find a district by address

District lookup only. No bulk standards, no parcel geometry and no ordinance citations are held for this city yet. Not a zoning verification.

Source: the official Tuscaloosa City Zoning District Select Application , retrieved 2026-09-04 — the authoritative source for current boundaries.

Tuscaloosa's Planning & Zoning Commission administers Chapter 25 of the Code of Ordinances and maintains an interactive zoning map (an ArcGIS web viewer) showing current district boundaries.

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 Tuscaloosa

The University of Alabama shapes zoning pressure citywide: dedicated University-oriented districts (Mixed Residential University, Multifamily Residential University, University Commercial) exist specifically to manage student-housing infill near campus, and a Downtown/Riverfront set of districts (Downtown, Downtown Perimeter, Downtown Historic Edge, Riverfront) governs the city's core separately from its general commercial corridors.

Tuscaloosa zoning districts by family

The 13 district codes below are the ones that decide most projects in Tuscaloosa, grouped by what they are for rather than by the order the ordinance prints them.

Key districts in the Tuscaloosa Zoning Ordinance (Code of Ordinances Chapter 25) — a curated reference, not the exhaustive list. Confirm against the current adopted code.
Code	District	What it is for
Residential 5 districts
SFR-E	Single Family Residential Estate	Largest-lot single-family residential class.
SFR-1	Single Family Residential 1	First of five graduated single-family residential districts (1 through 5).
MR-1	Mixed Residential 1	Blended housing-type residential district.
MRU	Mixed Residential University	Residential district tailored to student-housing infill near the University of Alabama.
MFR	Multifamily Residential	General apartment-scale multifamily district.
Commercial 4 districts
GC	General Commercial	Broad general commercial uses.
UC	University Commercial	Commercial district serving the University of Alabama campus area.
NC	Neighborhood Commercial	Small-scale neighborhood-serving retail and services.
HC	Highway Commercial	Auto-oriented commercial along highway frontage.
Downtown / core 2 districts
D	Downtown	Core downtown Tuscaloosa district.
R	Riverfront District	District governing development along the Black Warrior River waterfront.
Industrial 2 districts
IL	Industrial Light	Light manufacturing and warehousing.
IH	Industrial Heavy	Heavier industrial uses.

Tuscaloosa zoning — common questions

Why doesn't Tuscaloosa zoning use codes like R-1 or B-1?: Tuscaloosa's zoning ordinance, rewritten effective January 1, 2025, identifies districts by descriptive name and Code of Ordinances section number (e.g., "Single Family Residential 1" at section 25-62) rather than short letter-number abbreviations. The city's zoning map and code text both use the full district names.
What zoning applies to student housing near the University of Alabama?: Tuscaloosa has dedicated university-oriented districts — Mixed Residential University, Multifamily Residential University, and University Commercial — specifically for managing student-housing infill and campus-adjacent commercial uses. These are distinct from the city's general residential and commercial districts.
How do I find zoning for a parcel in Tuscaloosa?: The Planning & Zoning Commission's interactive zoning map (hosted on ArcGIS) shows current district boundaries, and the underlying ordinance text is in Chapter 25 of the Code of Ordinances. For parcels near downtown or the riverfront, confirm whether the Downtown, Downtown Perimeter, or Riverfront district applies instead of a standard commercial district.

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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.

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