RESEARCH PARK APPLICATIONS DISTRICT REGULATIONS

Huntsville Code of Ordinances pt. App. A, art. 52

in effect

Huntsville Code of Ordinances, App. A, art. 52, § 52.1 Uses permitted.

52.1. - 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: A single-family dwelling only in connection with bona fide agricultural operations, as defined in [this] section 52.1 hereof. Accessory structures and uses to those permitted herein. Agricultural operations on tracts of ten acres or greater, provided no sales are made on the premises, but not including commercial animal or poultry farms or kennels. Commercial heliports and/or helipads. Communication services, not elsewhere classified. Computer and data processing services. Educational, scientific, and research organizations. Engineering, architectural, and design services. Exterior storage in conjunction with the above-mentioned uses, completely screened from adjacent property lines and streets. Federal, state, county, city or public utility owned or operated buildings and uses. Limited, temporary sleeping quarters for scientists, laboratory technicians, custodians and caretakers that are demonstrated to be necessary to carry out a permitted use in this district. Manufacturing, processing, fabrication, or assembly of the following: (1) Printing and publishing. (2) Electrical and electronic machinery, equipment and supplies. (3) Professional, scientific, and controlling instruments. (4) Plastics, glass and rubber products. (5) Machinery other than electrical. (6) Transportation equipment. (7) Metal and metal products. (8) Chemicals and chemical products. (9) Ordnance and accessories, except ammunition. Medical and dental laboratories. Mobile food vending sites. Mobile food vending units. Office buildings for general office purposes. Permitted uses as special exceptions as defined and regulated by subsection 92.5.3 hereof. Radio and television studios but not including broadcast towers. Research, experimental and testing laboratories. Telecommunications. Warehousing, interior storage, and distribution in conjunction with manufacturing, assembly and office use. (Ord. No. 96-1008, § 2, 1-23-1997; Ord. No. 05-547, § 6, 8-23-2005; Ord. No. 09-1053, § 1, 12-17-2009; Ord. No. 15-479, § 1, 8-27-2015; Ord. No. 12-581, § 2, 8-23-2012)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances, App. A, art. 52, § 52.2 Performance standards.

52.2. - Performance standards. The performance standards listed in section 50.2, research park district, shall be required for all uses located in the research park applications district.

Huntsville Code of Ordinances, App. A, art. 52, § 52.3 Required yards.

52.3. - Required yards. 52.3.1. Yards facing an existing or proposed street other than a controlled access highway shall be considered front yards. Such yards shall have a minimum depth of 100 feet, provided that no building shall project through an imaginary height plane as described in section 52.8.1. 52.3.2. All other yards shall have a minimum depth of 50 feet, provided that no building shall project through an imaginary height plane as described in section 52.8.2. 52.3.3. All required yards shall be kept clear of driveways, vehicular access ways and parking areas, except as provided for in sections 52.6.1 and 52.6.2, and shall be kept clear of loading areas, exterior storage areas, accessory uses and buildings, provided however, a gate or security station may be located in a required yard. (Ord. No. 97-676, § 1, 10-23-1997; Ord. No. 09-430, § 23, 7-9-2009)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances, App. A, art. 52, § 52.4 Density regulations.

52.4. - Density regulations. 52.4.1. Buildings shall not cover an area greater than 30 percent of the total area of the tract upon which the buildings are located. 52.4.2. Buildings and all paved areas shall not cover an area greater than 70 percent of the total area of the tract. 52.4.3. Minimum lot area shall not be less than four acres for each tract. 52.4.4. Minimum lot width of each tract shall not be less than 200 feet measured at the minimum building line.

Huntsville Code of Ordinances, App. A, art. 52, § 52.5 Street access and frontage.

52.5. - Street access and frontage. 52.5.1. Each lot shall have a minimum frontage of 100 feet on a public road. 52.5.2. Access to building sites shall be via collector or arterial streets, wherever possible. No access roads serving plants shall be permitted which may place heavy traffic on residential streets that are not classified as major collector or arterial streets.

Huntsville Code of Ordinances, App. A, art. 52, § 52.6 Off-street parking and loading requirements.

52.6. - Off-street parking and loading requirements. Except as provided for herein all off-street parking and loading requirements shall be provided for as set forth in article 70 hereof. 52.6.1. Driveways and vehicular access ways, except as necessary to cross a required yard, are not permitted in any required rear or side yard, nor within 100 feet of the property line in any required front yard. Driveways and vehicular access ways shall be paved and properly drained. 52.6.2. Parking areas shall not be placed in any required side or rear yard, or within 100 feet of the property line in any required front yard. All parking areas shall be paved and properly drained. No parking shall be permitted any place other than paved parking areas. 52.6.3. Loading areas shall not be placed within any front yard or any required side or rear yard and shall be located and properly screened so as not to be visible from any existing or proposed street. 52.6.4. Parking and loading areas shall be landscaped in accordance with section 52.9, landscaping requirements. 52.6.5. Lighting of off-street parking and vehicular use areas is required in accordance with section 71.6, PVA lighting requirements. Required bicycle parking spaces and facilities shall be provided as set forth in article 76 hereof. (Ord. No. 99-1020, § 10, 1-13-2000; Ord. No. 05-547, § 7, 8-23-2005; Ord. No. 09-430, § 24, 7-9-2009; Ord. No. 10-507, § 2, 8-26-2010)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances, App. A, art. 52, § 52.7 Signs permitted.

52.7. - Signs permitted. Signs shall be permitted in accordance with section 72.4.2 and shall be regulated in accordance with the provisions of article 72—Sign control regulations. (Ord. No. 21-46, § 1(Exh. A, § B.2.), 2-25-2021)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances, App. A, art. 52, § 52.8 Height requirements.

52.8. - Height requirements. 52.8.1. No portion of any building shall project through imaginary height planes leaning inward from a front yard, as defined in section 52.3.1, at a slope of 0.3 foot of height for each foot of horizontal distance measured perpendicularly to the property boundary. 52.8.2. No portion of any building shall project through imaginary height planes leaning inward from any yard other than a front yard, as defined in section 52.3.2, at a slope of 0.6 foot of height for each foot of horizontal distance measured perpendicularly to the property boundary. (Ord. No. 97-676, § 1, 10-23-1997)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances, App. A, art. 52, § 52.9 Landscaping requirements.

52.9. - Landscaping requirements. Every building site on which a building shall be placed shall be landscaped in the following manner. All landscaping must be installed in accordance with the provisions of section 73.19, installation of landscaping. 52.9.1. All yards required under this ordinance shall be landscaped and maintained. A minimum of one tree per 20 linear feet of distance for each boundary line shall be planted in the required yards. 52.9.2. All off-street parking areas shall be screened, as well as practicable, from view from streets by the use of earth berms or landscaping materials. 52.9.3. All off-street parking areas, to include drives within the parking areas, greater than either 20 automobile spaces or 6,000 square feet, shall have at least five percent of the interior of the parking area landscaped in planting islands or peninsulas. Width of islands or peninsulas shall be a minimum width of at least five feet between backs of curbs and at least one tree per 20 parking spaces shall be planted within the planting islands or peninsulas in addition to other landscaping materials and plants.

Huntsville Code of Ordinances, App. A, art. 52, § 52.10 Development procedure for tracts or parcels.

52.10. - Development procedure for tracts or parcels. 52.10.1. Any landowner of property lying in a research park applications district desiring to dedicate any street, road, or right-of-way to the public must submit to the planning commission a plan of the proposed street, road, or right-of-way for approval. 52.10.2. Anyone desiring to secure a building permit for the use of land lying in a research park applications district must submit to the manager of planning the following information, as appropriate for approval of plans: (1) A site plan for traffic engineering analysis, showing location and design of buildings, driveways, driveway intersections with streets, parking areas, loading areas, maneuvering areas and sidewalks; (2) The percent of coverage of the total site in buildings, parking areas, accessory structures and drives; (3) A grading plan and a planting plan, including screen walls and fences, for analysis of adequacy of visual screening and landscape architectural design; (4) A site plan showing utilities and utility easements, including any waste disposal facilities; and (5) Plans for all signs to be erected, including location, design, color and lighting of each sign. The manager of planning shall review and approve by signature the proposed plot plan upon finding that the same complies with these regulations. If the proposed plot plan is not approved, the manager of planning shall state in writing on the proposed plot plan the cause for such disapproval.

Huntsville Code of Ordinances App. A, art. 52 RESEARCH PARK APPLICATIONS DISTRICT REGULATIONS

ARTICLE 52. - RESEARCH PARK APPLICATIONS DISTRICT REGULATIONS Purpose. The purpose and intent of the research park applications district regulations are to provide a controlled environment designed specifically for those manufacturing and assembly plants and processing, warehousing, wholesale, and distribution operations that support and complement the existing research park district. Within the research park applications district as shown on the official Zoning Maps of the City of Huntsville, Alabama, the following regulations shall apply:

Source: City of Huntsville, Alabama, publisher code (Municode) + enacted ordinances (City Council/Legistar)URL: https://library.municode.com/al/huntsville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_APXAZOOR_ART52REPAAPDIREFetched: 11/6/2026