Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Overview topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Huntsville Planning Commission schedules August public hearing on C-1 and C-2 zoning updates
Summary
The Huntsville Planning Commission reviewed draft amendments to the C-2 (Commercial Highway) and C-1 (Historic Core) zones at a July 9 work session and set a public hearing on both items for the August meeting. Commissioners discussed short-term rental limits, mixed‑use frontage and density, parking locations, and design standards.
The Huntsville Town Planning Commission reviewed proposed zoning changes to the C-2 and C-1 districts at a work session July 9 and announced a public hearing on those drafts at the August meeting, Chairman Jeff Larsen said.
The draft C-2 language (Section 15.9) describes a Commercial Highway zone intended to support a broader range of commercial and mixed-use development while remaining “connected to the Historic Core.” Draft limits include a 35-foot maximum building height, a two‑story cap, and a maximum lot coverage of 50 percent. Commissioners spent substantial time examining mixed‑use provisions that require at least 60 percent of a building’s frontage to be commercial and that ground‑floor space be occupied by active commercial uses.
Commissioners also reviewed rules that would prohibit short‑term rentals and transient lodging of less than 90 days in the C‑2 zone, require a two‑car garage for each residential unit in mixed‑use buildings, and limit residential density by parcel size. The commission discussed setbacks, frontage, and where parking should be sited so that parking does not dominate street frontage or push traffic into the Historic Core.
The work session concluded with a motion to adjourn by Commissioner Brent Ahlstrom, seconded by Chairman Larsen; the meeting adjourned at 6:03 p.m. The public hearing on the C‑1 and C‑2 drafts will be the next formal opportunity for residents to comment on the changes.
