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Douglas County, CO Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Zoning Resolution § 1-714 (SR District)
Principal building cap
35 feet
Accessory building cap
20 feet
Church spire formula
max 1.62x church height
Antenna height rule
capped at distance to nearest lot line

Summary

Douglas County's SR Suburban Residential district caps principal buildings at 35 feet and accessory buildings at 20 feet under Zoning Resolution § 1-714. Church spires, chimneys, antennas, water tanks, and similar rooftop features are exempt from the cap, though a spire cannot exceed 1.62 times the church's height and antennas cannot exceed their distance to the nearest lot line.

City-specific rules exist: Castle Rock has its own structure height limits rules that differ from Douglas County's county-level regulations. If you live in Castle Rock, check the city-specific page instead.

§ 1-714. Building Height. 1. Maximum building height: A. Principal building: 35 feet. B. Accessory building: 20 feet. 2. The maximum building height shall not apply to belfries, cupolas, penthouses or domes not used for human occupancy, roof-mounted church spires, chimneys, skylights, ventilators, water tanks, silos, parapet walls, cornices, antennas, utility poles and necessary mechanical appurtenances usually carried above the roof level. A. The maximum height of a roof-mounted church spire/steeple shall not exceed 1.62 times the height of the church measured from the lowest finished floor to the roof peak. The height of the roof-mounted spire shall be measured from the top of the spire to the finished floor of the lowest walkout level of the church... B. The height of an antenna shall be no greater than the distance to the nearest lot line (refer to Part 27A for cell sites and Part 21 for telecommunication facilities).

Full Breakdown

Section 1-714 sets two separate height ceilings for the SR District: a principal building tops out at 35 feet, while an accessory building is capped at 20 feet, a lower limit than the county's A-1 Agricultural district, which allows accessory structures the same 35-foot maximum as the principal building. The code then lists a specific set of features exempt from either cap entirely: belfries, cupolas, penthouses, or domes not used for human occupancy, roof-mounted church spires, chimneys, skylights, ventilators, water tanks, silos, parapet walls, cornices, antennas, utility poles, and necessary mechanical appurtenances usually carried above the roof level.

62 times the height of the church, measured from the lowest finished floor to the roof peak, with the spire's own height measured from its top down to the finished floor of the lowest walkout level of the church. An antenna's height is capped at the distance to the nearest lot line, meaning a taller antenna requires a proportionally larger setback from every property line, and cell sites and telecommunication facilities are cross-referenced to Part 27A and Part 21 for additional site-specific standards beyond this general height rule.

Height for other zone districts differs: the county's A-1 Agricultural district under § 1-309 caps principal buildings at the same 35 feet but does not separately restrict accessory building height the way the SR District does.

Violations & Fines

Constructing a principal or accessory building above the § 1-714 height limits, or a church spire or antenna exceeding its formula-based exemption, is a Zoning Resolution violation: the Director issues a written notice with at least a 10-day cure period, after which the county can pursue a $100 civil infraction per violation, a civil penalty of $500 to $1,000 with a continuing penalty of up to $100 per day, or a court injunction ordering the structure reduced or removed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall can a house be built in Douglas County's SR district?
35 feet maximum for the principal building under § 1-714(1)(A). A detached accessory building on the same SR-zoned lot is capped lower, at 20 feet under § 1-714(1)(B), so a garage or shop cannot match the height allowed for the house itself.
Are chimneys and antennas counted against the 35-foot height limit?
No. Section 1-714(2) exempts belfries, cupolas, chimneys, skylights, water tanks, antennas, utility poles, and similar rooftop features from the maximum building height entirely, though two of those, church spires and antennas, still carry their own separate height formulas.
Is there a limit on how tall a church spire can be?
Yes. Section 1-714(2)(A) caps a roof-mounted church spire or steeple at 1.62 times the height of the church itself, measured from the lowest finished floor to the roof peak, even though spires are otherwise exempt from the general building height maximum.
Can I install a tall antenna anywhere on my lot?
Only if it fits the setback-style rule in § 1-714(2)(B): the antenna's height cannot exceed its distance to the nearest lot line, so a taller antenna must sit further from every property boundary. Cell sites get additional standards under Part 27A.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Douglas County

All Douglas County rules

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