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

Parker Municipal Code § 13.05.050(c)(2) sets the townwide standard for accessory structures such as sheds, detached garages, and workshops. The combined square footage of all accessory structures on a lot cannot exceed twenty-five percent of the principal building's footprint unless a property owner obtains approval through a Use by Special Review, a Variance, or an Administrative Allowance from Community Development. Location is controlled separately: accessory structures are prohibited in front yards unless that placement is customary for the particular use type or the Planning Director specifically approves it, and every accessory structure must still meet the setbacks that apply to its zoning district under § 13.05.050(c)(1) and the district standards in Chapter 13.04.

Design is not an afterthought either; § 13.05.050(c) requires accessory structures to comply with the design standards in § 13.08.100, Building design, and the Development Design Standards. A structure also cannot be built or occupied until the principal dwelling or building already exists on the lot, and it loses its right to remain if the principal use is ever removed. Any accessory structure large enough to need a building permit still goes through the Town's adopted Residential Code under Chapter 11.02 in addition to these zoning limits, so both a zoning check and a building permit review are typically required before a shed foundation goes in.