Environmental Rules in Commerce City, CO (2026)
4 verified environmental rules for Commerce City, Colorado, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Commerce City bans discharging anything other than stormwater into its municipal storm sewer system or any watercourse, to comply with its Colorado Discharge Permit System requirements. Sec. 10-3002 of the Revised Municipal Code lists narrow exemptions like landscape irrigation and firefighting water, and violations are enforced as civil infractions under Chapter 3, Article II.
Commerce City Stormwater Discharge Rules
Some RestrictionsCommerce City Revised Municipal Code §§ 10-3000(a), 10-3002(a)
(a)The purpose of this article, in conjunction with section 21-6330 of this Code, is to provide for the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of the City of Commerce City through the regulation of nonstormwater discharges to the storm drainage system by establishing methods for controlling the introduction of pollutants into the municipal separate storm sewer system in order to com...
Erosion Control
In Commerce City, no one may grade or disturb land without a grading permit from the city engineer, who will only approve it once an erosion and sediment control plan is submitted and approved. At least 70 percent of disturbed ground must be re-vegetated within 12 months, and exposed soil cannot sit unstabilized for more than 60 consecutive days.
Commerce City Erosion & Sediment Control
Some RestrictionsCommerce City Land Development Code § 21-3214
(1)Requirement. ... Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this section, no person shall modify the elevation or grade of any property by depositing or removing any materials without first obtaining a grading permit. ... (4)Approval Criteria. A grading permit may be approved if the city engineer finds that: ... (c)Erosion and sediment control plans have been submitted and implemented by the app...
Flood Zones
Commerce City's Floodplain Overlay District (FP), created under Land Development Code Sec. 21-4400, adopts FEMA's Flood Insurance Study and maps for Adams County, bars new residential and commercial buildings from the floodplain outright, and requires a floodplain development permit from the city's floodplain administrator for the limited nonresidential uses it does allow.
Commerce City Floodplain Overlay Rules
Significant RestrictionsCommerce City Land Development Code § 21-4400
(1)Description, Purpose and Intent. This district includes all special flood hazard areas and areas removed from the floodplain by the issuance of a FEMA Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F) within the jurisdiction of the city. The special flood hazard areas identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the most current edition of the scientific and engineering report entitl...
Flood Elevation Requirements
Where a nonresidential structure is allowed in Commerce City's floodplain, Land Development Code Sec. 21-4400(7) requires its lowest floor, including any basement, to sit at least one foot above the base flood elevation, or to be flood-proofed watertight to that height, and critical facilities must clear two feet above base flood elevation instead.
Commerce City Floodplain Freeboard Rule
Some RestrictionsCommerce City Land Development Code § 21-4400(7)
(7)Structures.(a)Generally. Residential structures are prohibited in the floodplain. Nonresidential structures, if permitted, shall either have the lowest floor (including the basement) elevated to one foot above the base flood elevation or, together with the attendant utility and sanitary facilities, comply with the following standards:(i)Be flood-proofed so that below the required elevation t...
Looking for Adams County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Commerce City city rules.
Environmental Rules in Adams County →