Under City of Cullman Resolution 2021-45, and in accordance with the Code of Alabama 1975, §11-52-3 and §11-52-16 as a Class 6 municipality, the Cullman Planning Commission is comprised of seven (7) members and one (1) non-voting advisory member.

The Planning Commission is authorized and empowered to make and adopt a master plan for the physical development of the city, including any areas outside its boundaries which, in the commission’s judgment, bear relation to the planning of the city. Such plan, with the accompanying maps, plats, charts and descriptive matter, shall show the commission’s recommendations for the development including, among other things, the general location, character, and extent of streets, viaducts, subways, bridges, waterways, waterfronts, boulevards, parkways, playgrounds, squares, parks, aviation fields, and other public ways, grounds and open spaces, the general location of public buildings and other public property, and the general location and extent of public utilities and terminals, whether publicly or privately owned or operated, for water, light, sanitation, transportation, communication, power, and other purposes, and also the removal, relocation, widening, narrowing, vacating, abandonment, change of use or extension of any of the foregoing ways, grounds, open spaces, buildings, property, utilities, or terminals, as well as a zoning plan for the control of the height, area, bulk, location and use of the buildings and premises.

As the work of making the whole master plan progresses, the commission may from time to time adopt and publish any part thereof, any such part to cover one or more major sections or divisions of the city, or one or more of the aforesaid or other functional matters to be included in the plan. The commission is hereby authorized and empowered to exercise all powers and do all things authorized to such commission by Code of Alabama 1975, § 11-52-1 et seq. as it may deem necessary for its work. The commission is also authorized and empowered to exercise all powers and to do all things authorized to such commission by such statute, and to exercise such control as it authorized thereunder with reference to subdivision of unimproved property within three miles of the corporate city limits.

The Zoning Board of Adjustments & Appeals consists of five (5) members and two (2) supernumerary members. The board has the power and duty to hear and decide appeals where it is alleged there is error in any other requirement, decision, or determination made by the administrative officer in the enforcement of the city’s building and zoning regulations, excluding the right to amend, alter, or change the intent of the zoning regulations, and to hear and decide variances. In addition, the board may require the conduct of any use, conforming or nonconforming, which results in unreasonable noise, smoke, gas, vibration, fume, dust, fire, radio interference, or explosive hazard or nuisance to surrounding property, to be modified or changed to abate such hazard to health, comfort, and convenience. The board may issue an abatement order but such order may be directed only after a public hearing by the board, notice of which shall be sent by certified mail to the owners or operators of the property on which the use is conducted, in addition to due notice of advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation. A hearing to consider issuance of an abatement order shall be held by the board either upon petition signed by any person affected by the hazard or nuisance or upon the initiative of the board. An abatement order shall be directed by the zoning board of adjustment only upon reasonable evidence of hazard or nuisance and such order shall specify the date by which the hazard or nuisance shall be abated.

In exercising its powers, the board may reverse or affirm wholly or partly, or may modify the order, requirement, decision, or determination appealed from and may make such order, requirement, decision, or determination as ought to be made, and to that end shall have all the powers of the administrative official from whom the appeal is taken. The concurring vote of four members of the board shall be necessary to reverse any order, requirement, decision or determination of the administrative official, or to decide in favor of the applicant on any matter upon which it is required to pass.

Contact the Building Inspection Office for more information.