5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Boulder County, Colorado.
Verified from official government sources
Uncontained trash, junk, and garbage on unincorporated land can be a nuisance violation under Land Use Code Article 14. Waste haulers licensed under Ordinance 2019-3 supply the pay-as-you-throw carts; larger trash carts cost more to discourage waste.
Boulder County Hauler Ordinance 2019-3 (PAYT)
Pay-As-You-Throw ... The larger your trash bin the more you pay for collection service, incentivizing waste reduction / diversion.
Article 14 of the Boulder County Land Use Code bans rubbish, junk, garbage and inoperable vehicles on unincorporated land when they cause a public hazard or nuisance. The county can order removal and, on failure, abate the property at the owner's cost.
Boulder County Land Use Code 14-400(C)
Rubbish: Garbage, trash, and junk including, but not limited to, unwanted or discarded household items; waste from building construction, remodeling, and repair; ... motor vehicle parts or tires, or abandoned, unlicensed, or inoperable motor vehicles ... which causes or is likely to cause a public hazard or nuisance.
On residential lots of 2.5 acres or less in unincorporated Boulder County, weeds and brush over nine inches that create a nuisance must be removed under Land Use Code Article 14. Dilapidated, uninhabited structures are separately regulated as 'unsafe structures.'
Boulder County Land Use Code 14-400(E)
Unsafe Structure: A structure or building which ... is a dilapidated building which is unused by the owner or uninhabited because of deterioration or decay, and constitutes a fire hazard or subjects adjoining properties to a danger of damage ... or is a place frequented by trespassers and transients seeking a temporary hideout.
Garage sales are allowed by right in every zoning district in unincorporated Boulder County. A garage or occasional sale may occur no more than four times a year, for no more than three days each. You cannot buy merchandise just to resell it at the sale.
On residential lots of 2.5 acres or less, brush, shrubs, grasses, and weeds must generally be kept under nine inches. Growth over nine inches that causes a nuisance violates Land Use Code Article 14; designated noxious weeds fall under the county's mandatory Weed Management Plan.
Boulder County Land Use Code 14-400(G)
Weeds and Brush: Any underbrush, bush, shrub, or plant material greater than nine inches in height which: ... is allowed to grow in such a manner or extent that it causes or is likely to cause a public hazard or nuisance ... and is not a noxious weed designated under the County's Noxious Weed Management Plan.
2 cities in Boulder County have their own property maintenance rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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