Mesa County, CO Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Typical single-family cap
- 35 feet
- Highest multi-family cap
- 72 feet (RMF-24)
- Accessory structure cap
- 2 stories / 25 feet
- Accessory height exception
- I-1, I-2, Rural districts
- Variance authority
- Board of Adjustment, § 4.22
Summary
Mesa County caps most single-family districts at 35 feet under the LDC's zoning tables, rising to 60-72 feet in higher-density multi-family districts. Accessory buildings and structures are separately capped at two stories or 25 feet in most districts.
The maximum height of accessory buildings or structures shall not exceed two (2) stories or twenty-five (25) feet, except within the I-1, I-2, or Rural Zoning Districts.
Full Breakdown
The Land Development Code's Chapter 5 Density and Dimensional Standards tables set a 'Maximum ... Height (feet)' column for every zoning district. The rural Agricultural and Forestry District (AF-35), where minimum lots run 35 acres, caps structures at 35 feet, matching the cap used across the urban single-family districts (RSF-R, RSF-E, RSF-1, RSF-2 and RSF-4). Height climbs with density in the multi-family districts: RMF-5 and RMF-8 stay at 35 feet, RMF-12 and RMF-16 rise to 60 feet, and RMF-24 tops out at 72 feet; the General Industrial District (I-2) allows a 40-foot principal/65-foot accessory split.
A lets one accessory structure go up without a principal residence on rural or qualifying urban lots of at least one acre. A bars altering the ground solely to gain height allowance for a fence-height structure, a principle the county applies to structure-height measurement generally. 22, which is barred from granting any variance that would function as a use variance.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding a district's maximum structure height without an approved variance is a Land Development Code violation under Section 11.02.B (activities inconsistent with the LDC) and can also void site plan or building approvals; Section 11.04 lets the County withhold or revoke permits, order a stop-work, or seek injunctive relief or abatement in court under C.R.S. § 30-28-124. Continued noncompliance after notice is a separate violation for each additional day under Section 11.03.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be built in most Mesa County residential zones?
How tall can a detached garage or shed be?
Can I build higher than the zoning table allows?
What happens if a structure is built taller than allowed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mesa County
Compare Mesa County to another location·View the Colorado building setbacks & zoning overview
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