Huntsville City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 80.
RESIDENTIAL OFFICE DISTRICT REGULATIONS
Purpose. The purpose of the residential office district is to provide for the conversion of existing blocks of dwellings to small offices as a means to stabilize the adjacent residential areas and prevent the intrusion of commercial uses. This district is intended to function as a transitional zone between existing residential and commercial by preserving the residential scale and intensity of use. The district allows the conversion of existing residences to office use and the development of vacant parcels with new office buildings designed to be compatible with existing adjacent residential dwellings. This district is intended for use in older developed areas.
In order to preserve the residential scale, the district contains two density levels to ensure that residential-to-office conversions and new development closely approximate the scale of adjacent residential neighborhoods. Furthermore, this district is restricted to those locations that will not increase traffic through residential neighborhoods, and it imposes performance standards designed to prevent noise, lighting, parking and signs from intruding on or otherwise disrupting adjacent residential districts.
The intent of this district is to provide space for small clerical offices that attract a limited clientele, usually on an appointment basis; if these operations later need to expand, it is intended that they should relocate rather than enlarge their operations beyond the limits set for this district.
Within a residential office district as shown on the official Zoning Maps of the City of Huntsville, Alabama, the following regulations shall apply:
(Ord. No. 98-260, § 1,5-14-1998)
80.1.- Uses permitted.
No building, structure, or land shall be used and no building or structure shall hereafter be erected, structurally altered, enlarged, or maintained except for one or more of the uses herein cited and subject to the conditions stated herein:
Medical, optical, and dental offices and clinics for health professionals, excluding overnight care, ambulance services, and retail sales.
Professional offices for lawyers, accountants, engineers and surveyors, architects, landscape architects, consultants, and similar professionals whose clientele normally visit on an appointment basis.
Offices for consumer services such as real estate and insurance agencies and tax services.
Administrative or general offices provided there are no retail or wholesale sales, no storage of products, no display of merchandise, and no storage of company vehicles or equipment.
Child care homes and group child care homes in compliance with section 73.1.1(4), accessory uses, hereof.
Single-family dwelling, provided that the requirements of section 11.2 (residence 1-A district) are met in a residential office 1 district and the requirements of section 13.2.1 (residence 2 district) are met in a residential office 2 district.
Churches and similar places of worship.
Agricultural uses as permitted in section 10.1 (residence 1 district).
Accessory structures and uses only when necessary to the operation of the permitted use but not including retail sales.
Government buildings and uses appropriate to the character of the district or requiring location within the district.
Wireless telecommunications towers and antennas in compliance with the regulations required for location in residential districts.
Prohibited principal and accessory activities include drive-in facilities, outdoor ATM or other vending machines, financial institutions, beauty[shops] and barbershops, and parking for off-site uses.
Permitted uses as special exceptions as defined and regulated by subsection 92.5.3 hereof.
(Ord. No. 98-260, § 1, 5-14-1998; Ord. No. 09-1053, § 1, 12-17-2009)
80.2. - District access and location.
Any area to be rezoned residential office district shall:
80.2.1. Have its frontage on and access from an arterial or collector street; or
80.2.2. Have frontage on and access from a local street only if the local street connects directly to an arterial or collector street and there is no residential zoning along the local street between the major street and the proposed residential office district; or
80.2.3. Be zoned residence 2-B district at the time of the request to rezone to residential office district.
80.2.4. In addition to meeting at least one of the three preceding conditions, a proposed residential office district must also abut a residential district and at least one district that permits commercial or industrial activities.
(Ord. No. 98-260, § 1, 5-14-1998)
80.3. - Density controls for nonresidential uses.
Because the intent of this district is to continue the size, scale and pattern of existing residential development, the density controls are designed to provide standards that will closely approximate the existing residential development. For this reason, two levels of density controls are provided based on the previous zoning district. For both levels, previous zoning district in the following table refers to the district designation prior to rezoning to residential office, or if not zoned residentially, then to the predominant adjoining residential district.
DENSITY CONTROLS FOR NONRESIDENTIAL LOTS
*Lots and buildings in excess of these standards at the time of rezoning will be grandfathered but may not increase their nonconformity.
(Ord. No. 98-260, § 1, 5-14-1998)
80.4. - Required yards for nonresidential uses.
80.4.1. All required yards shall be kept clear of parking, trash and garbage containers, and accessory uses and buildings.
80.4.2. Driveways crossing required front yards shall not exceed a total width of 30 feet in residential office 1 districts and 20 feet in residential office 2 districts.
(Ord. No. 98-260, § 1, 5-14-1998)
80.5. - Off-street parking for nonresidential uses.
All parking shall be off-street, located to the rear of the structure and shall be provided as set forth in article 70 hereof; provided however, that a sufficient number of parking spaces shall be available to accommodate the number of employees and visitors normally present.
No parking shall be permitted in any required yard.
Required bicycle parking spaces and facilities shall be provided as set forth in article 76 hereof.
(Ord. No. 98-260, § 1, 5-14-1998; Ord. No. 10-507, § 2, 8-26-2010; Ord. No. 18-234, § 1, 5-24-2018)
80.6. - Landscaping requirements.
Every lot on which there is a permitted nonresidential use shall be landscaped in the following manner. All landscaping must be installed in accordance with the provisions of section 73.19, installation of landscaping.
80.6.1. A landscaping screen as defined in Buffer of Screen Planting (Section 3.1—Definitions) shall be planted and maintained along all side and rear lot lines that abut residential districts. Privacy fencing shall be installed along the rear lot lines that abut residential districts, in conjunction with the landscaping screen.
80.6.2. All required front yards shall be planted with turf grass or an evergreen ground cover and shall be maintained so as to present an attractive, neat and healthy appearance. At least one shade tree and three shrubs for each 50 feet of street frontage or fraction thereof shall be planted and maintained in the required front yard.
80.6.3. Every effort shall be made to retain and protect existing mature trees that are healthy and not hazardous to persons or property. Each such tree preserved shall count as two trees for the purposes of section 80.6.1 or 80.6.2.
(Ord. No. 98-260, § 1, 5-14-1998; Ord. No. 18-234, § 2, 5-24-2018)
80.7. - Signs permitted.
Signs shall be permitted in accordance with the provisions of article 72—Sign control regulations.
(Ord. No. 21-46, § 1(Exh. A, § B.2.), 2-25-2021)
80.8. - Performance standards.
80.8.1. Exterior lighting must be shielded and so placed that residential lots are not illuminated.
80.8.2. Noise shall not exceed ambient background levels at ground level at the property lines. Exterior loudspeakers are prohibited.
80.8.3. Outdoor storage of goods or materials is not permitted and no company vehicles, machinery or equipment may be stored on the property or parked so as to create a portable sign.
80.8.4. Trash and garbage containers must be screened from view and not located in any required yard nor in any front yard. Permanent dumpsters are not permitted.
(Ord. No. 98-260, § 1, 5-14-1998)
80.9. - Conditions on uses.
No primary or accessory non-residential building or structure with a footprint in excess of one thousand (1000) square feet shall be allowed to use aluminum, steel, or other metal siding or cladding as an exterior finish, except as a special exception in accordance with section 92.5.3(37). This requirement shall not include window framework, doors, roofs and walkway covers.
(Ord. No. 08-429, § 12, 6-26-2008;Ord. No. 15-758, § 11, 11-19-2015; Ord. No. 25-157, § 12, 4-24-2025)