ADU rules in Eagle County, CO — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Unincorporated Eagle County (the Vail/Beaver Creek/Avon area outside town limits) allows accessory dwelling units in most residential and resource zone districts under the Eagle County Land Use Regulations (ECLUR), Article 3. ADUs are a use by right in the Resource (R) zone and require Limited Review in the Resource Limited (RL), Agriculture Limited (AL), Agriculture Residential (AR), Rural Residential (RR), and Residential Suburban Low Density (RSL) districts, subject to minimum lot size standards. Detached ADUs are typically capped at 850 square feet and intended for caretakers, persons who live and work in Eagle County, or relatives and guests. The towns of Vail and Avon have separate zoning codes (Vail uses an Employee Housing Unit framework). Eagle County is outside Colorado's five metropolitan planning organizations and is therefore not a 'subject jurisdiction' under HB24-1152.
Eagle County's zoning is governed by the Eagle County Land Use Regulations (ECLUR). Article 3 - Zone Districts establishes which uses are allowed in each district and Table 3-340 sets the dimensional limitations (lot size, setbacks, height). Under the Residential and Agricultural Zone Districts use schedule (Section 3-300), accessory dwelling units are permitted by right on conforming parcels in the Resource (R) zone, and by Limited Review on conforming parcels in Resource Limited (RL), Agriculture Limited (AL), Agriculture Residential (AR), Rural Residential (RR), and Residential Suburban Low Density (RSL) districts. ADUs may also be allowed on legal nonconforming lots through Special Review under Article 6, Section 6-120.A.2. A detached ADU is generally limited to 850 square feet, and must comply with the dimensional standards (setbacks, height, lot coverage) of the underlying zone district under Table 3-340. The ECLUR defines an accessory dwelling unit as a secondary living unit designed for occupancy by caretakers, by persons who live and work in Eagle County, or by relatives and guests of the primary household. A 'lockoff' is a separately defined feature, an area of a home that can be locked off behind a door and contains living quarters but no stove. Building permits, zoning permits, and on-site wastewater treatment system (OWTS) approval are issued by Eagle County Community Development; properties on private wells or septic systems must obtain Environmental Health approval before adding bedrooms. The Eagle County Housing and Development Authority operates an Aid for ADU loan program (up to $150,000, 15-year term) for property owners who voluntarily place a 15-year deed restriction limiting the ADU to long-term rental to households earning no more than 100% of Area Median Income. Inside town limits, Eagle County's regulations do not apply: the Town of Vail uses the Employee Housing Unit (EHU) program under Title 12, Chapter 13 of the Vail Town Code, which deed-restricts EHUs to occupancy by at least one local employee with leases of 30 days or longer, and the Town of Avon's zoning code (Title 7) governs its own ADU and short-term-rental rules. Eagle County is not located within any of Colorado's five metropolitan planning organizations (DRCOG, NFRMPO, PPACG, GVMPO, PACOG), so HB24-1152 (the 2024 statewide ADU law that took effect June 30, 2025 for 'subject jurisdictions') does not apply here, and the county retains full discretion over ADU standards under CRS Title 30 county powers.
Constructing or occupying an ADU without the required zoning permit, building permit, and OWTS approval violates the ECLUR and the building code adopted under Article 16. Eagle County Community Development enforces violations through stop-work orders, denial of certificate of occupancy, and abatement under CRS Title 30, Article 28, with daily civil penalties available through Eagle County Court. Converting a permitted accessory structure (garage, barn, shed) into a dwelling unit without separate ADU permits is a code-enforcement matter because accessory uses must be subordinate to the principal residence and an unpermitted living unit is not a recognized accessory use under Article 3. Adding bedrooms or fixtures that exceed the design capacity of a private septic system without Environmental Health approval is separately enforceable. Inside the Town of Vail, occupying or renting an Employee Housing Unit in a way that violates its recorded deed restriction (failing the annual February 1 compliance verification, leasing for fewer than 30 days, or renting to a non-employee) can trigger Town enforcement and termination of the EHU exchange or InDEED benefits. Variances and appeals from a zoning administrator's decision are heard by the Eagle County Board of Adjustment under Article 5 of the ECLUR; appeal deadlines are short, typically 30 days from the date of decision.
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