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Fort Collins, CO Environmental Rules: Defensible Space (2026)

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

Key Facts

Sections deleted
502.1.2, 502.1.3, 502.1.4, 503.2.4, 503.2.4.1, 503.2.5, 503.3.2
Deleting ordinance
Ord. No. 220, 2025, § 1, eff. 12-16-25
What was deleted
materials, plantings, and tree/shrub spacing rules
What remains in force
exterior construction/materials standards
Local vegetation mandate
none under Article IX

Summary

Fort Collins adopted the state's 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code but stripped out every base-code section that would have mandated defensible-space vegetation clearance. Section 5-371 deletes the model code's materials, plantings, and tree/shrub-spacing rules in their entirety, leaving no local vegetation-clearance mandate.

12.Section 502.1.2 Materials is deleted in its entirety.13.Section 502.1.3 Plantings is deleted in its entirety.14.Section 502.1.4 Trees is deleted in its entirety.15.Section 503.2.4 Trees is deleted in its entirety.16.Section 503.2.4.1 Tree Spacing is deleted in its entirety.17.Section 503.2.5 Shrubs is deleted in its entirety.18.Section 503.3.2 Tree Spacing is deleted in its entirety.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 155 | Transitional Land Use Code (for project before May 17, 2024): Supplement 61 | Traffic Code: Supplement 27).

Full Breakdown

Article IX adopts the 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code by reference in § 5-370, but § 5-371 immediately carves out its defensible-space vegetation provisions. 2, Tree Spacing. Those seven deleted sections are the state model code's core defensible-space chapter provisions governing what landscaping materials, plant types, and tree and shrub spacing are allowed near structures in wildfire hazard areas. 1. The other adopted chapters, covering exterior wall and roof construction materials, ignition-resistant assemblies, and permit exemptions, remain fully in force; only the landscaping and vegetation-spacing sections were removed.

Violations & Fines

Because §§ 502.1.2 through 503.3.2 were deleted rather than retained, there is no local vegetation-clearance or tree/shrub-spacing violation to cite under Article IX. Other WUI code violations, such as noncompliant exterior construction materials or unpermitted work, remain civil infractions under § 1-15(f) via amended § C101.3.7, with each day of a violation treated as a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Fort Collins require brush and tree clearance around homes in wildfire areas?
No. While Fort Collins adopted the 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code, § 5-371 deletes the state model's defensible-space sections on materials, plantings, and tree and shrub spacing (§§ 502.1.2-503.3.2) in their entirety, so no local vegetation-clearance mandate applies.
Which defensible-space sections did Fort Collins remove from the state wildfire code?
Seven sections: 502.1.2 Materials, 502.1.3 Plantings, 502.1.4 Trees, 503.2.4 Trees, 503.2.4.1 Tree Spacing, 503.2.5 Shrubs, and 503.3.2 Tree Spacing, each deleted in its entirety by § 5-371, items 12 through 18.
Did Fort Collins remove all of the state wildfire code when it deleted these sections?
No. Only the defensible-space vegetation sections were deleted. The exterior construction and building-materials standards for structures in the wildland-urban interface areas, adopted in § 5-370, remain fully in force and enforceable.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Fort Collins

Parking Rules: Overnight ParkingSome RestrictionsStormwater ManagementSignificant RestrictionsErosion ControlSome RestrictionsFlood Elevation RequirementsSome RestrictionsFlood ZonesSignificant RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Aircraft NoiseFew RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Leaf Blower RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant RestrictionsFence Regulations: Neighbor Fence RulesSome Restrictions

All Fort Collins rules

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