Towns we cover
Huntsville
Population 215,006 (2020). City zoning and city building permits apply inside the limits, which also stretch into Limestone County. Check your district with Huntsville Zoning (256-427-5100) before buying a lot.
Madison
Population 56,933 (2020). The City of Madison issues permits and zoning inside its limits, on both the Madison and Limestone County sides. Unincorporated land on the edges falls under the county instead.
Athens
Population 25,407 (2020), the Limestone County seat. City rules inside town; outside, Limestone County has no zoning authority, so deed restrictions and the septic permit are the main checks.
Meridianville
Population 8,209 (2020), unincorporated. Madison County rules: no zoning, a county building permit, septic approval first. Many subdivisions here have recorded covenants, so read them.
Moores Mill
Population 6,729 (2020), unincorporated and up against Huntsville's city limits. Check which side of the line your parcel is on; it changes who issues the permit.
Harvest
Population 5,893 (2020), unincorporated, west of Huntsville. County permit and septic rules. The April 27, 2011 EF5 tornado crossed Harvest, so many owners add a safe room.
Hazel Green
Population 4,105 (2020), unincorporated farmland running up to the Tennessee line. Good barndo acreage under county rules: engineered frame drawings and a septic permit before you build.
Triana
Population 2,890 (2020), a town on the Tennessee River in southwest Madison County. Ask the town about permits, and check flood maps on low ground near the river.
Owens Cross Roads
Population 2,594 (2020); it became a city in 2022, so permits and zoning come from the city, not the county. Hilly ground east of Huntsville can mean more site work.
New Market
Population 1,543 (2020), unincorporated, in the hills of northeast Madison County. County rules; slopes and shallow rock often raise pad and driveway costs.
Ardmore
Population 1,321 (2020), a Limestone County town on the Tennessee line. Town rules inside the limits; rural land around it has no county zoning.
Toney
Unincorporated community in northwest Madison County, along the Limestone line. Confirm which county your land is in: the permit rules are very different on each side.
Tanner
Unincorporated, in southern Limestone County between Athens and Decatur. No county zoning; septic permit from the health department. Hit by the April 27, 2011 EF5.