HB337 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Reed IngramRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Municipalities, zoning in police jurisdiction, in counties where another municipality has zoning authority in police jurisdiction, authorized

Summary

HB337 lets certain Alabama municipalities expand zoning control from their city limits into their police jurisdiction when another municipality in the same county already has zoning authority there.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, eligible municipalities (incorporated after 1990) can divide their police jurisdiction into zones such as business, industrial, and residential, and set rules about what can be built or located in each zone. They may establish and adjust zone boundaries and adopt ordinances to manage these areas, giving them full zoning authority within their police jurisdiction similar to their city limits. The bill also creates a process for handling overlapping zoning authority with neighboring municipalities, including a dispute-resolution panel and rules that allow cooperative agreements; property owners can continue existing uses until they change them.

Who It Affects

• Municipalities incorporated after 1990 located in counties where another municipality has zoning authority in its police jurisdiction — would gain zoning authority in their police jurisdiction.
• Property owners within these municipalities' police jurisdictions (including overlapping areas) — their current uses can continue, but may be subject to new zoning rules and potential disputes resolved by a panel.

Key Provisions

• Applies to municipalities incorporated after 1990 located in counties where another municipality has zoning authority in its police jurisdiction.
• Allows the municipality to divide its police jurisdiction into zones (business, industrial, residential) and to set use, structure, and improvement rules; boundaries can be rearranged and ordinances adopted to implement the act; intended to grant full zoning authority within the police jurisdiction.
• If police jurisdictions overlap with another municipality, each may exercise zoning authority up to a boundary equidistant from their corporate limits, and neighboring municipalities can form cooperative arrangements.
• In overlapping areas, municipalities may object to the other’s zoning decisions; objections are resolved by a panel made up of the mayors of the two municipalities and the county commission chair.
• Any zoning authority exercised under the act must follow Chapter 52 of Title 11, Code of Alabama 1975; the act contains severability and repeals conflicting laws; it becomes effective immediately upon governor's signature.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Municipalities