Business areas.
Montgomery City Code, App. C, art. VII, § 3
in effectSec. 3. - Business areas.
Central Business B-1-a, B-1-b
Item | Districts
B-1-a | B-1-b
Classes of businesses or services permitted | A & C | A, B, C & D
Classes of businesses or services which may be permitted on appeal | B & D | E
Classes of businesses or services prohibited | E & F | F
Minimum yard size:
Front yard, in feet | None* | None*
Rear yard, in feet | None | None
Maximum height | No limit | No limit
Maximum building area, percent of gross lot area | 100% | 60%
Off-street parking requirements, parking spaces per each 200 square feet of gross floor area | ½** | ½**
Off-street loading | None | (See article VI, section 5)
Prior approval by planning commission of development plan before property is used for business | Required | Required
Class:
"A" Stores selling food, general merchandise, apparel, furniture, house wares and household wares, drugs and sundries, jewelry, gift items, flowers, sporting goods, and similar types; small dry cleaning and laundry pick-up stations; barber and beauty shops; shoe repair; offices, banks, post offices, and similar services; and dwellings for any number of families. A mixed use is allowed for dwellings for any number of households and other permitted uses in this district on the same parcel of land.
"B" Automobile filling stations*, drive-in eating places, motels, automobile repair.
"C" Any retail business or service not specifically prohibited herein; places of amusement and assembly, hotels, and outdoor advertising structures.
"D" Large dry cleaners and laundries; wholesale business, manufacturing incidental to a retail business where articles are sold at retail on the premises, not specifically prohibited herein.
"E" Animal clinics, hospitals or kennels; coal yards, rag storage and baling.
"F" Industrial uses not specifically permitted herein.
*Set-back requirements for pump islands at service stations is at least ten feet from all property lines.
**Off site parking may be provided to meet this requirement, provided previous approval is obtained from the planning commission.
Individual Stores B-2, Highway Commercial B-3
Item | Districts
B-2 | B-3
Classes of business or services permitted | A, B & C | A, B & C
Classes of business or services which may be permitted on appeal | D & G | D & G
Classes of business or services restricted | E & F | E & F
Minimum yard size:
Front yard, in feet | —* | 30*
Rear yard, in feet | —* | 20
Maximum height:
Feet | 45 | 45
Stories | 3 | 3
Maximum width of sidewalk, feet | 7 | —
Maximum building area, percent of gross lot area | 50% | 30%
Off-street loading | (See article VI, section 5)
Off-street parking requirements, parking spaces per each 200 square feet of gross floor area | ½ | 1¼
Prior approval by Planning Commission of development plan before property is used for business | Required | Required
Class:
"A" Stores selling food, general merchandise, apparel, furniture, housewares and household wares, drugs and sundries, jewelry, gift items, flowers and sporting goods, and similar types; small dry cleaning and laundry pickup stations, barber shops and beauty shops, shoe repair, offices, banks, post offices and similar services.
"B" Automobile filling station*, drive-in eating places, motels, automobile repair.
"C" Any retail or wholesale business or services not specifically restricted herein; places of amusement and assembly, hotels, outdoor advertising structures.
"D" Large dry cleaners and laundries; manufacturing incidental to a retail business where articles are sold at retail on the premises, not specifically restricted herein, animal clinics, hospitals or kennels.
"E" Coal yards, rag storing and baling.
"F" Any industrial use not specifically permitted.
"G" Travel trailer parks.
*Setback requirements for pump islands at service stations located in B-2 district shall be at least ten feet from all property lines, and in the B-3 district they shall be at least 20 feet from all property lines, and no part of any sign or canopy shall be closer to the street property lines than ten feet.
Note: Buildings housing clubs, lounges, taverns, dance halls, musical entertainment facilities and other similar places of assembly, which serve alcoholic beverages on premise (excluding restaurants) as defined in Chapter 3, Section 3-1 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Montgomery, Alabama, the minimum setback for structures shall be 250 feet from any residential district boundary or planned unit development residential boundary (based on approved master plan). The distance for setback shall be measured from the closest door of the building, or closest door of a tenant space in a multi-tenant building, to any residential or PUD residential district line. Facilities operating prior to the adoption of this ordinance shall be considered legal non-conforming.
Local Shopping B-4, Community Shopping B-5
Item | Districts
B-4 | B-5
Classes of business or services permitted | A & B | A & B
Classes of business or services which may be permitted on appeal | C & D | D
Classes of business or services restricted | E & F | E & F
Minimum yard size:
Front yard, in feet | 60* | 60*
Rear yard, in feet | 30 | 30
Maximum height:
Feet | 35 | 35
Stories | 2 | 2
Minimum width of sidewalk, feet | 10 | 12
Maximum building area, percent of gross lot area | 25% | 20%
Off-street loading | (See article VI, section 5)
Off-street parking requirements, parking spaces per each 200 square feet of building area | 1¼ | 1½
Prior approval by planning commission of development plan before property is used for business | Required | Required
Class:
"A" Stores selling food, general merchandise, apparel, furniture, housewares and household wares, drugs and sundries, jewelry, gift items, flowers and sporting goods, and similar types; small dry cleaning and laundry pickup stations, barber shops and beauty shops, shoe repair, offices, banks, post offices and similar services.
"B" Automobile filling station*, drive-in eating places, motels, automobile repair, small dry cleaners, self-service laundry; outdoor advertising structures.
"C" Any retail or wholesale business or services not specifically restricted herein; places of amusement and assembly, hotels.
"D" Large dry cleaners and laundries; manufacturing incidental to a retail business where articles are sold at retail on the premises, not specifically restricted herein.
"E" Animal clinics, hospitals or kennels, coal yards, rag storage and bailing.
"F" Any industrial use not specifically permitted.
*In a B-4 or B-5 district a canopy may extend to within ten feet of the street right-of-way line; no part of any sign shall be closer to the street right-of-way line than ten feet; setback requirements for pump islands at service stations in a B-4 or B-5 district shall be at least 20 feet from all property lines.
Note: Buildings housing clubs, lounges, taverns, dance halls, musical entertainment facilities and other similar places of assembly, which serve alcoholic beverages on premise (excluding restaurants) as defined in Chapter 3, Section 3-1 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Montgomery, Alabama, the minimum setback for structures shall be 250 feet from any residential district boundary or planned unit development residential boundary (based on approved master plan). The distance for setback shall be measured from the closest door of the building, or closest door of a tenant space in a multi-tenant building, to any residential or PUD residential district line. Facilities operating prior to the adoption of this ordinance shall be considered legal non-conforming.
(Ord. No. 13-64; Ord. No. 4-66; Ord. No. 22-67, § 1; Ord. No. 44-68, § 1; Ord. No. 31-73; Ord. No. 69-83, § 1, 9-27-1983; Ord. No. 84-2002, § 1, 12-17-2002; Ord. No. 42-2003, § 1, 6-3-2003; Ord. No. 17-2014, § 1, 3-4-2014)
Source: City of Montgomery, Alabama, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/al/montgomery/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=APXCZO_ARTVIIDIRE_S3BUARFetched: 11/8/2026