Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup
Environmental Rules

Colorado Springs's Environmental Rules: The Rules That Matter

By CityRuleLookup Editorial Team

Every city handles environmental rules a little differently. In Colorado Springs, Colorado, there are 5 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Stormwater Management

Colorado Springs City Code Section 7.4.701 and the Stormwater Criteria Manual (SCM) impose comprehensive stormwater management requirements for all development and redevelopment. The city operates under a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit from CDPHE. Projects must design permanent water quality and detention facilities per the Drainage Criteria Manual (DCM), and construction sites must implement erosion and sediment controls. Stormwater discharge to Monument Creek, Fountain Creek, and their tributaries is closely regulated.

Key details: Code Section: City Code §7.4.701; Stormwater Criteria Manual. MS4 Permit: CDPHE-issued Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit. Drainage Manual: DCM governs channels, conveyance, detention. Storm Events: Must safely pass 2-yr, 25-yr, and 100-yr flows. Enforcement: Stormwater Enterprise, (719) 385-5918.

Failure to implement stormwater plan: stop-work order. Illicit discharge to storm drains: fines $500 to $10,000. Maintenance failures: notice and fines after non-compliance.

Compared to other cities, Colorado Springs takes a harder line on stormwater management. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Erosion Control

Colorado Springs City Code Section 7.4.601 requires grading, erosion, and stormwater quality controls for all land-disturbing activities. A Grading and Erosion Control (GEC) permit is required before any grading or land disturbance begins. The Stormwater Criteria Manual contains all criteria related to sediment control, erosion control during construction, and GEC permitting. Best Management Practices including silt fences, inlet protection, and construction entrance stabilization must be installed and maintained throughout construction.

Key details: Code Section: City Code §7.4.601 Grading, Erosion & Stormwater Quality. Permit Required: Grading and Erosion Control (GEC) permit. BMPs: Silt fences, inlet protection, stabilized entrances. Criteria Manual: SCM contains all erosion/sediment control criteria. Wildfire Risk: Post-fire erosion on Waldo Canyon, Black Forest burn scars.

Missing erosion controls: stop-work order and fines $250 to $2,500. Sediment discharge to waterways: fines $1,000 to $25,000 per day. Failure to stabilize: daily fines until corrected.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Colorado Springs actively enforces its erosion control requirements.

Coastal Development

Colorado Springs is a landlocked city in the interior of Colorado at an elevation of approximately 6,035 feet, so coastal development regulations do not apply. The city has no ocean coastline, tidal zones, or coastal resources. Waterway-adjacent development along Fountain Creek and Monument Creek is instead regulated through the Streamside Overlay (SS-O) zone district under City Code Section 7.2.603, which establishes buffer zones and vegetation requirements along stream corridors.

Key details: Coastal Zones: Not applicable — landlocked city at 6,035 ft elevation. Waterway Overlay: Streamside Overlay (SS-O) district applies instead. Stream Buffers: Inner buffer requires 1 tree per 20 ft of stream frontage. Key Waterways: Fountain Creek, Monument Creek.

Building in buffer zone without permit: stop-work and fines $500 to $5,000. Wetland violations: federal fines up to $25,000 per day. Unpermitted streambank work: restoration orders.

Colorado Springs is more permissive than most cities when it comes to coastal development. That said, there are still limits.

Flood Zones

Colorado Springs participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and regulates development in all FEMA-designated floodplains and floodways. Fountain Creek and Monument Creek corridors present the highest flood risk, along with tributaries including Sand Creek and Cheyenne Creek. A Floodplain Development Permit is required for any construction in the 100-year floodplain. The Drainage Criteria Manual requires developers to determine floodplain elevations and perform downstream hydrologic analysis. The 2013 flooding events caused significant damage and prompted stricter floodplain management.

Key details: NFIP Status: Participating community in National Flood Insurance Program. Permit Required: Floodplain Development Permit for 100-year floodplain. Major Flood Risk: Fountain Creek, Monument Creek, Sand Creek corridors. Analysis Required: Downstream hydrologic analysis for all development. Historic Floods: 2013 flooding prompted stricter floodplain rules.

Construction below flood elevation: retroactive compliance required, fines $500 to $5,000. Floodway encroachment: removal order. Failure to maintain flood insurance: lender force-placement at higher cost.

This is one of the stricter rules in Colorado Springs's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Grading & Drainage

Colorado Springs City Code Section 7.4.601 and the Drainage Criteria Manual govern all grading and drainage activities. A Grading and Erosion Control permit is required before any land disturbance. The Drainage Criteria Manual specifies design standards for open channels, underground conveyance, permanent control measures for water quality treatment and detention. All development must ensure downstream stormwater infrastructure can safely pass 2-year, 25-year, and 100-year storm events, with analysis extending at minimum to the next two downstream structures.

Key details: Code Section: City Code §7.4.601; Drainage Criteria Manual. Permit Required: Grading and Erosion Control permit before disturbance. Design Standards: Open channels, underground conveyance, detention. Downstream Analysis: Must extend to at least 2 downstream structures. Storm Events: Infrastructure must pass 2-yr, 25-yr, 100-yr flows.

Unpermitted grading: stop-work order and fines $250 to $2,500. Redirecting drainage to neighbors: corrective action required. Slope failure from improper grading: liability and remediation costs.

This is one of the stricter rules in Colorado Springs's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Colorado Springs is tougher than many cities when it comes to environmental rules. Out of the 5 rules covered here, 4 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Colorado Springs, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Colorado Springs's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.