Dothan, AL zoning: where a drive-thru restaurant is allowed
Is a drive-thru allowed in Dothan, AL?
A drive-thru restaurant is allowed by right (no conditional use permit, special exception or rezoning) in these zoning districts: B-1, B-2, L-I.
It is not allowed in 12 districts: B-3, H-I, MH-1, MH-2, O-2, O-3, O-I, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-A.
10 districts are not confirmed yet.
Drive-thru restaurant rule by zoning district
| District | Drive-thru restaurant | What the code says | Section | Source | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-C | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 | |
| AIRPORT | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 | |
| B-1 | By right | Table: 'Restaurant, Fast-Food' P in B-1, B-2 and L-I (no separate drive-through row). Fast-food restaurant permitted; drive-through not separately regulated; parking table requires queuing for fast food. Column alignment verified by row length. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| B-2 | By right | Table: 'Restaurant, Fast-Food' P in B-1, B-2 and L-I (no separate drive-through row). Fast-food restaurant permitted; drive-through not separately regulated; parking table requires queuing for fast food. Column alignment verified by row length. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| B-3 | Not allowed | Table: 'Restaurant, Fast-Food' blank in this column (other restaurant types may be allowed). Blank cell. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| DT | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 | |
| DTE | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 | |
| H-I | Not allowed | Table: 'Restaurant, Fast-Food' blank in this column (other restaurant types may be allowed). Blank cell. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| INST | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 | |
| L-1 | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 | |
| L-I | By right | Table: 'Restaurant, Fast-Food' P in B-1, B-2 and L-I (no separate drive-through row). Fast-food restaurant permitted; drive-through not separately regulated; parking table requires queuing for fast food. Column alignment verified by row length. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| MH-1 | Not allowed | Restaurant, Fast-Food: blank in AC, residential and MH columns. Residential district. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| MH-2 | Not allowed | Restaurant, Fast-Food: blank in AC, residential and MH columns. Residential district. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| MUD2 | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 | |
| MUD3 | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 | |
| MUD4 | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 | |
| O-2 | Not allowed | Table: 'Restaurant, Fast-Food' blank in this column (other restaurant types may be allowed). Blank cell. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| O-3 | Not allowed | Table: 'Restaurant, Fast-Food' blank in this column (other restaurant types may be allowed). Blank cell. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| O-I | Not allowed | Table: 'Restaurant, Fast-Food' blank in this column (other restaurant types may be allowed). Blank cell. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| PUD | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 | |
| R-1 | Not allowed | Restaurant, Fast-Food: blank in AC, residential and MH columns. Residential district. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| R-2 | Not allowed | Restaurant, Fast-Food: blank in AC, residential and MH columns. Residential district. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| R-3 | Not allowed | Restaurant, Fast-Food: blank in AC, residential and MH columns. Residential district. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| R-4 | Not allowed | Restaurant, Fast-Food: blank in AC, residential and MH columns. Residential district. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
| R-A | Not allowed | Restaurant, Fast-Food: blank in AC, residential and MH columns. Residential district. | Zoning Ordinance table of permitted uses | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-14 |
"By right" means permitted with site plan and building permit review only. Overlay districts, planned developments (PD/PUD) and conditions attached to a past rezoning can change the answer for a single parcel.
Official zoning map layer
To find the district for a parcel, query the jurisdiction's own GIS zoning layer: https://services.arcgis.com/UXN4FGWBfn79LLPC/arcgis/rest/services/Dothan_SDE_Zoning092625/FeatureServer/3 (district field: ZONE)
City of Dothan zoning (Dothan_SDE_Zoning092625 layer 3, Sep 2025, field ZONE).
Sources
How to confirm before you buy
- Look up the parcel on the official zoning map to get its district and any overlay.
- Open the code section linked in the table and read the use table and the drive-thru standards.
- Call the planning office and ask whether a drive-thru restaurant needs anything beyond site plan review at that address.
Why this library exists
I'm Luke Smith. I find land for drive-thru brands like 7 Brew, Ellianos Coffee and Starbucks, sign the tenant, build the shop and sell it as a net lease property. Every deal starts with the same question: is the use allowed here without a rezoning? Getting that answer takes too long, so we read the codes (with AI research help), and I publish what we find with a link back to every source so you can check it yourself.
If you have a site that fits a drive-thru, or you want to learn how these deals are put together, join the free Reverse Deal Finder community on Skool, see cap rates and land prices by brand, or call 1-760-392-1525. Brokers welcome: I pay commissions.