Douglas County, CO Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

Section 1-712 sets Douglas County's SR District setback table on a sliding scale by lot size rather than a single flat number. 50 acres or less, the required setback is 100 feet from a regional or major arterial street (25 feet from any other street), 5 feet from the side lot line, and 15 feet from the rear lot line, with a 100-foot setback from any 115 kV or larger power line. 0 acre the side setback rises to 10 feet and the rear to 20 feet, with a 15-foot allowance for accessory structures.

0 acre or greater the side setback reaches 15 feet and the rear 25 feet, again with a 15-foot accessory-structure allowance, while the arterial, other-street, and power-line setbacks stay the same across all three tiers. A footnote adds that schools and buildings within recreation areas must sit back 50 feet regardless of the standard table, and the setback itself is measured horizontally from the lot line to the wall of the structure, with the power-line setback measured from the closest edge of the easement rather than the pole itself.

Section 1-713, Encroachments, then carves out specific exceptions: a cornice, canopy, eave, fireplace, or wing wall can extend 3 feet into any required setback, and a covered or uncovered deck or porch can extend 6 feet into a setback everywhere except the side yard. Foundation anchoring and repair systems, and utility distribution lines commonly located along property lines, are also allowed within a required setback without a variance.