Mesa County, CO Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

03, no accessory structure may be built on a parcel until permits for the principal use or structure are obtained, with one narrow exception: on rural-zoned lots one acre or larger, a single accessory structure limited to storage of personal items, recreational equipment, or property-maintenance equipment can be built before the principal residence, and on urban-zoned lots one acre or larger that allow single-family use, one accessory structure is likewise allowed without a principal dwelling in place. Properties with an agricultural principal use are not capped at one accessory structure if the buildings, such as barns and outbuildings, are clearly tied to the agricultural use.

B apply in every zoning district unless stated otherwise: accessory buildings cannot exceed two stories or 25 feet in height, except in the I-1 and I-2 industrial districts or the Rural Zoning District. Accessory structures must otherwise meet the same setbacks that apply to the district under Chapter 5, but a specific carve-out lets a structure under 16 feet tall with less than 200 square feet of floor area sit as close as 3 feet to the rear property line. No accessory structure, regardless of size, may be placed over a recorded easement.

Size is capped functionally rather than numerically: an accessory structure must stay subordinate in size, extent and purpose to the principal building, except that on rural, RSF-R and RSF-E lots of one acre or more the accessory structure is allowed to be larger than the principal dwelling itself.