FCC Tower or Antenna
Communications towers registered with and regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
For more information about FCC Towers and Antennas
follow this link.
Federally Designated Historic District:
An area recognized by the federal government for containing a group of buildings, properties or sites that are designated as historically or architecturally significant.
Buildings within a historic district are classified as being either contributing to or non-contributing; Not all structures within a historic district are recognized as historic.
A Federally Designated Historic District imposes no restrictions on what property owners may do with a designated property.
For more information about Federally Designated Historic Districts
follow this link.
To view a map of historic districts in the Huntsville Metro Area
click here.
Locally Designated Historic District:
An area recognized by a local government for containing a group of buildings, properties or sites that are designated as historically or architecturally significant.
Buildings within a historic district are classified as being either contributing to or non-contributing; Not all structures within a historic district are recognized as historic.
A Locally Designated Historic District may have a corresponding Federally Designated Historic District. However the boundaries of the two districts may not match.
Locally Designated Historic Districts offer the most legal protection for historic properties as the districts are administered by the county are the municipal government.
Contributing and non-contributing buildings within a local district require adherence to certain guidelines for styles, upkeep and cleanliness.
For more information about Huntsville's Locally Designated Historic Districts
follow this link.
To view a map of historic districts in the Huntsville Metro Area
click here.
Slope Development District:
A special zoning district which restricts and preserves mountainside development and emphasizes tree preservation, large lots with minimal clearing, and protecting environmentally sensitive areas.
The ordinance requires developers to minimize the degradation of the district’s special ecological character by adapting development to the natural terrain.
The Slope Development Districts are further classified into three zones:
Upper Slope Zone:
All areas of the Slope Development District that have a slope of 20% or greater.
Lower Slope Zone:
All areas of the Slope Development District that are not part of the upper slope zone.
Hazard Zone:
All areas of the Slope Development District that contain known geologic or man-made hazards.
The full list of regulations for these districts is available in Article 65 of the
Zoning Ordinance.
Entertainment District
Arts & Entertainment Districts are designated urban areas where patrons are allowed to purchase alcoholic beverages and consume them outdoors.
Alcoholic beverages must be purchased from an permited restaurant, bar or club that will be served in a special district plastic cup.
Patrons are not allowed to bring alcohol into parking lots and parking garages.
For more information about Arts & Entertainment Districts
follow this link.
To view a map of Huntsville's Arts & Entertainment Districts
click here.
FAA Zones
The FAA and HUD have classified different types of zones around airports relating to airport hazards, noise, potential accidents, restricted airspace and obstructions.
Follow this link to learn more about FAA Zones.
HUBZone
HUBZone is a Small Business Administration (SBA) program for small businesses that operate and employ people in Historically Under-utilized Business Zones (HUBZones).
HUBZones include economically distressed counties and census tracts, Native American reservations, areas affected by military base closures and designated disaster areas.
Based on the HUBZone Empowerment Act of 1998 certified businesses within a HUBZone can receive the following benefits:
1. The federal government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses within HUBZones.
2. These businesses will get a 10% price evaluation preference in full and open contract competitions.
3. HUBZone certified businesses can still compete for contract awards under other socio-economic programs they qualify for.
Small businesses can apply to be HUBZone certified if they meet the following criteria:
1. The firm must be a small business based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for size standards.
2. The business msut be at least 51% owned by U.S. citizens, a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural cooperative or a Native American tribe.
3. The firm's principal office must be in a HUBZone.
4. 35% of the firm's total workforce must reside in a HUBZone.
For more information about HUBZones
follow this link.
Opportunity Zone
Opportunity Zones are census tracts that have been nominated and approved for participation in the Opportunity Zones Program established by the federal government in 2017.
This program aims to encourage investments in low-income rural and urban areas that are economically distressed and in need of economic development.
To qualify as an opportunity zone a census tract must have a poverty rate of at least 20%, median family income of less than 80% of the statewide or area median income and be nominated by that state's governor.
Investments into an Opportunity Zone must be made through a Qualified Opportunity Fund which is a legal entity that makes equity investments into real estate projects and active businesses within Opportunity Zones.
Captial gains invested into an Opportunity Zone grant the following tax benefits to the investor:
1. Tax deferral on gains rolled into an Opportunity Fund.
2. Tax reduction (of up to 15%) on gains rolled into an Opportunity Fund.
3. No tax on appreciation of investments if the investor "cashes out" of the Opportunity Fund after 10+ years.
For more information about Opportunity Zones
follow this link.
Tax Increment Finance District
Tax Increment Finance Districts (TIFs) are special districts designated by the City of Huntsville where the City makes improvements in infrastructure with the intent of stimulating economic development.
As development occurs the value of property within the district increases and so do revenues generated from property taxes paid by the owners.
The City is allowed to use these increased revenues to pay for the improvements it made to stimulate the development of the district and to pay for other public infrastructure improvements.
Property taxes are not increased within TIF Districts; Revenues are increased because of the increased value of the properties within the district.
For more information about TIF Districts
follow this link.