What Westminster Regulates: A Complete Ordinance Overview

Westminster is a mid-sized city in Adams County, Colorado, with about 116000 residents. Like most cities its size, it has a set of local rules that may differ significantly from neighboring municipalities. Here is an overview of 97 ordinances across 34 categories that affect daily life in Westminster.

Landscaping Rules

Water Restrictions: During a declared drought or water shortage emergency, Westminster's City Manager can limit lawn watering to specific days or times, ban new lawn installs and outdoor irrigation, and fine violators up to $1,000, under Code Section 8-7-24..

Also covered: Artificial Turf (permissive), Native Plants (permissive), Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (moderate). See the full landscaping rules guide for Westminster for details.

Parking Rules

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles: Westminster bars trucks, buses, semi-tractors, truck trailers and construction equipment from parking on any public street or highway in the city under Section 10-1-12(B)(3), with a narrow exception for loading and unloading next to a permitted construction site. Commercial vehicles must also meet the state's federal safety inspection standard under Section 10-1-11 before operating on any city street..

Also covered: EV Charging (moderate), Loading Zones (limited), RV & Boat Parking (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for Westminster for details.

Animal Ordinances

Pet Store Rules: No retail store in Westminster may sell, deliver, or offer for adoption any dog or cat. Stores can still host lawful rescue or shelter adoption events on-site, provided they take no ownership stake or adoption fee and post the rescue's name on each animal's enclosure..

Also covered: Breed Restrictions (restrictive), Beekeeping (moderate), Dog Leash Laws (moderate). See the full animal ordinances guide for Westminster for details.

Business Licensing & Operations

Auto Repair on Residential Property: Westminster's home occupation rules make running an auto repair business from a residence essentially impossible. Section 11-4-10(B)(4) bans using a garage for a home occupation at all, and subsection (6) caps any motor used in the business at two electric horsepower, far below what repair equipment needs..

Also covered: Adult Entertainment (restrictive), Pawnbrokers (restrictive), Massage Establishments (restrictive). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Westminster for details.

Hotels & Lodging

Transient Occupancy Tax: Westminster charges a 7% excise tax on the purchase price of hotel, motel, and short-term rental rooms. The vendor collects the tax from the guest and remits it to the City; stays of 30 or more consecutive days under a written agreement are exempt..

Trash & Recycling

Bin Placement Rules: Westminster caps outdoor household trash cart storage at eight containers and bars keeping them in a front yard or any side or back yard facing the street, under Section 8-1-11(B). Carts may only go to the curb up to 24 hours before pickup and must return to storage within 24 hours after the scheduled collection..

Also covered: Collection Schedule (moderate), Yard Waste Collection (moderate), Illegal Dumping (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Westminster for details.

Home Business

Signage Rules: A Westminster home occupation may display only one sign, and it must be unanimated, non-illuminated, flat against a wall or window, and no larger than one square foot in area under Section 11-4-10(B)(3)..

Also covered: Home Daycare (moderate), Customer Traffic Restrictions (moderate), Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (moderate). See the full home business guide for Westminster for details.

Special Events & Permits

Parade Permits: Westminster requires a special event permit for any public event on city parks, trails or open space that is open to the public or expected to draw 25 or more people. Applications go to the Parks Director at least 45 days before the event..

Also covered: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (moderate), Park Event Permits (restrictive), Block Party Permits (moderate). See the full special events & permits guide for Westminster for details.

Building Setbacks & Zoning

Structure Height Limits: Westminster caps principal residential buildings at 25 feet in the RE, R1, RA, R2 and O1 districts, rising to 35 feet in R3, R4 and T1. Accessory buildings top out at 15 feet in every residential zone.

Also covered: Setback Rules (moderate), Lot Coverage Limits (moderate). See the full building setbacks & zoning guide for Westminster for details.

Outdoor Lighting

Light Trespass & Shielding: Westminster requires off-street parking areas to carry security lighting that is designed so as not to unreasonably disturb occupants of adjacent residential structures, under Section 11-7-4(C)(10)..

Environmental Rules

Flood Zones: Westminster requires a floodplain development permit for any construction in a special flood hazard area, bars storage of flammable or buoyant materials in a floodplain, and prohibits new residential lots platted entirely within the 100-year floodplain, under Section 11-8-13..

Also covered: Flood Elevation Requirements (moderate), Stormwater Management (restrictive), Erosion Control (moderate). See the full environmental rules guide for Westminster for details.

Public Conduct

Public Marijuana Use: Openly and publicly displaying, consuming or using up to one ounce of marijuana anywhere in Westminster is a violation of Section 6-12-3, carrying a fine fixed at $100.00 and up to 15 days of imprisonment. The only carve-out in the section itself is for transporting marijuana plants for personal use, as allowed under Article XVIII, Section 16 of the Colorado Constitution..

Also covered: Public Alcohol Use (moderate), Public Urination (moderate), Loitering Rules (moderate). See the full public conduct guide for Westminster for details.

Fence Regulations

Material Restrictions: Westminster's zoning code bans electrically charged fences outright and prohibits barbed wire or similar sharp-pointed fencing unless it's specifically approved on an Official Development Plan or Preliminary Development Plan, in which case it must sit at least six feet above grade. Ordinary fences are sorted into five material classes under Section 11-4-6(P)..

Also covered: Height Limits (moderate), Fence Permit Requirements (moderate), Retaining Walls (moderate). See the full fence regulations guide for Westminster for details.

Garage & Yard Sales

Frequency, Duration & Permits: Westminster caps every garage sale at three consecutive days and limits residents to one sale per 90-day period under City Code Section 8-1-7. Violations draw a fine set by the city's general penalty schedule and can be pursued as a public nuisance..

Building Safety

Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Westminster requires carbon monoxide alarms installed to the manufacturer's instructions in buildings covered by the adopted Building Code, under Section 11-9-5(E), which locally replaces International Building Code Section 915.4. The parallel Residential Code amendment, Section R315.1.2, applies the same installation standard to one- and two-family homes..

Also covered: Electrical Permits (moderate), Plumbing Permits (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Westminster for details.

Curfew Laws

Park Curfew: Westminster closes its parks and community buildings from 11:00 p.m. to sunrise, with narrow exceptions for city employees, permitted activities, and people just passing through on foot or bike.

Also covered: Juvenile Curfew (moderate). See the full curfew laws guide for Westminster for details.

Drone Rules

Park Drone Restrictions: Westminster bans flying drones in any city park unless it is a city staff member or licensed city contractor operating one on official duty. Violations are misdemeanor park-code offenses enforced by the Parks Director or police..

Rental Property Rules

Rental Registration: Westminster requires every rental property owner to either hold a rental property license or register the dwelling with the City, tied to a periodic inspection cycle that runs every two to six years depending on the building's age..

Also covered: Repairs & Habitability (moderate). See the full rental property rules guide for Westminster for details.

Rental Inspections

Inspection Programs: Westminster runs a scheduled, risk-based inspection program for licensed rental properties (four or more units) tied to building age, while smaller rental dwellings are inspected only on complaint. Inspectors can get a municipal court order if access is refused..

Short-Term Rentals

Short-Term Rental Permits: Any person offering a short-term rental in Westminster must first obtain a City license under W.M.C. 5-24-3.

Also covered: Occupancy Limits (moderate), Taxes & Fees (moderate). See the full short-term rentals guide for Westminster for details.

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

No-Knock Registry: Posting a 'NO SOLICITATIONS' or 'NO TRESPASS' sign at a Westminster residence makes it criminal trespass under W.M.C. 6-3-5(C)(3) for anyone to knock and try to sell goods, distribute materials, or solicit funds.

Sign Regulations

Digital Billboards: Westminster bans billboards outright, so a new off-premise digital billboard cannot be permitted anywhere in the city. Any legal digital sign that does exist must meet strict brightness, hold-time and shutoff standards enforced by the Planning Manager..

Also covered: Garage Sale Signs (limited), Window Signs (limited). See the full sign regulations guide for Westminster for details.

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Obstruction Rules: Westminster makes it unlawful to let anything block a public sidewalk, curb or gutter next to your property under Section 9-1-5 of Title IX. Piles of materials, overhanging vegetation, weeds and structures under seven feet of clearance all count as obstructions, and the City can order them removed within 24 hours before billing or citing the property..

Also covered: Sidewalk Repair (moderate), Encroachment Permits (moderate). See the full sidewalk & pedestrian rules guide for Westminster for details.

Solar Energy

Panel Permits: Westminster treats solar panels as an accessory use under Section 11-4-6(Q.5). Ground-mounted residential systems are capped at 400 square feet and 10 feet tall, must sit in side or rear yards, and both ground- and roof-mounted systems can't create glare that bothers neighbors or Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport operations..

Water Use Rules

Recycled Water Rules: Westminster limits reclaimed and non-potable water under Chapter 12 of Title VIII to landscape irrigation on commercial, industrial, park and golf course sites, plus common areas in residential developments. The rules flatly bar reclaimed water from single-family residential use, any indoor use, and irrigation of food crops, and every new development must apply through Public Works and Utilities before connecting..

Also covered: Leak Reporting Duty (moderate). See the full water use rules guide for Westminster for details.

Accessory Structures

Shed & Carport Rules: Westminster homeowners can skip a building permit for a detached tool shed, playhouse, gazebo, or pergola only if its floor area stays at or under 120 square feet, under Section 11-9-3(A)(2) of the Municipal Code. A shed of 121 square feet or larger, or any accessory structure with plumbing or electrical service, needs a full permit..

Also covered: ADU Rules (moderate). See the full accessory structures guide for Westminster for details.

Right to Farm

Agricultural Zoning Protection: Westminster's zoning use table confines crop production, dairy farming, pasture and livestock raising to the O1 (Open) zoning district, marking that use with a 'P' only in the O1 column. Every residential district, from RE through T1, plus the B1, C1, C2 and M1 business and industrial districts, carries no permitted, conditional, or special-use entry for these agricultural uses..

Cannabis Regulations

Dispensary Zoning: Westminster prohibits marijuana establishments citywide: it is unlawful to operate a medical marijuana center, optional premises cultivation operation, marijuana-infused products manufacturer, or any recreational marijuana establishment anywhere in the City..

Also covered: Home Cultivation (moderate). See the full cannabis regulations guide for Westminster for details.

Fire Regulations

Outdoor Burning: Nearly all open burning in Westminster requires a permit from the Westminster Fire Department under Code Section 8-6-1, covering everything from rubbish fires to agricultural crop burning. Only backyard cooking, like barbecues, and certain safety flares are exempt..

Also covered: Wildfire Zones (moderate), Smoke Detectors (moderate). See the full fire regulations guide for Westminster for details.

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Food Truck Permits: Mobile food preparation vehicles operating in Westminster must hold an operational permit from the Fire Prevention Bureau before serving. The requirement is written into the City's Fire Code amendments alongside carnivals, hot work and other activity-based operational permits, with fees set by City Council resolution..

Noise Ordinances

Barking Dogs: Westminster makes it a civil infraction for an owner to let an animal disturb neighbors with unreasonably loud, persistent barking, howling, or yelping. A written warning must precede any citation, and a summons at trial needs two witnesses from different households or five minutes of corroborating video..

Also covered: Quiet Hours (moderate), Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (moderate). See the full noise ordinances guide for Westminster for details.

Public Health Rules

Rodent Control: Westminster requires household trash to be kept in a liquid-tight container with a tight-fitting cover, precisely because loose trash and debris can become a breeding place for flies, mosquitoes, or vermin under Code Section 8-1-11. Outdoor storage before pickup is also capped at eight containers..

Swimming Pools & Spas

Pool Permits: A backyard swimming pool, spa, or hot tub in Westminster needs a building permit before construction starts, per Section 11-9-3(A)(1) of the Municipal Code. Only prefabricated pools or portable wading pools under 24 inches deep are exempt; anything permanent, including in-ground pools and hot tubs plumbed to a circulation system, must be permitted and inspected..

Also covered: Fencing & Safety Requirements (moderate). See the full swimming pools & spas guide for Westminster for details.

Property Maintenance

Property Blight: Westminster's Building Official can declare any structurally unsafe, unsanitary, fire-hazard, or improperly-occupied building a public nuisance under Section 11-9-2(E) of the Municipal Code and order it repaired, vacated, secured, or demolished. Owners who ignore a Notice to Abate face Municipal Court action, and the City can lien the property for abatement costs..

Also covered: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (moderate). See the full property maintenance guide for Westminster for details.

What to Do With This Information

If you are moving to Westminster, buying a home, or starting a project, use this as a starting point. Each category links to detailed pages with the full text, penalties, and FAQs. Verify anything time-sensitive with Westminster's city hall or code enforcement office.