El Paso County, CO Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing table
- LDC Table 5-4, § 5.4.2
- Min lot for stable/corral
- 1 acre
- Applies even in
- RR-0.5 district
- Setback source
- Chapter 5 use standards
Summary
In unincorporated El Paso County, any residential or agricultural parcel with a stable or corral for livestock must have at least one acre of lot area, under the Land Development Code's dimensional standards table.
Parcels containing stables or corrals shall have a minimum lot area of one acre. ... Stables and corrals where allowed by the zoning shall comply with the minimum setbacks established for stables and corrals as established in Chapter 5.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Land Development Code: Supplement 3 | Drainage Criteria Manual: Publication | Engineering Criteria Manual: Supplement 3 | Ordinances: Reformat).
Full Breakdown
Table 5-4 of the Land Development Code, applied under § 5.4.2, sets a minimum lot area of one acre for any parcel containing a stable or corral: a threshold that applies even in the RR-0.5 Rural Residential district, where the base minimum lot for other uses is only 21,780 square feet. The same table note requires that stables and corrals comply with the minimum setbacks established for stables and corrals elsewhere in Chapter 5's use-specific standards, on top of the districts where Table 5-2 already lists 'Animal Keeping' as an allowed accessory use.
Violations & Fines
Placing a stable or corral on a residential parcel under one acre violates Table 5-4's dimensional standard; PCD Director enforcement can require removal or relocation of the structure until the lot meets the minimum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a horse corral on a half-acre lot in El Paso County?
Do stable setbacks differ from the general residential setback?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in El Paso County
How El Paso County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare El Paso County to another location·View the Colorado animal ordinances overview
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