Jefferson County requires wildfire-defensible space around foothills homes. Zone 1 (0–5 feet) must have no combustible mulch and only mature trees; Zone 2 (5–30 feet) requires removing dead plants and surface fuels. A Defensible Space Permit applies in the WUI overlay above 6,400 feet.
As a Wildland-Urban Interface county, Jeffco follows Colorado State University Extension standards (Fact Sheet 6.302) referenced in its Zoning Resolution. In Zone 1 (0–5 feet from the home), there should be "No plants except mature trees" and "No combustible mulch such as wood mulch," and tree crowns must be trimmed 5 feet from structures and 10 feet from chimneys. Zone 2 (5–30 feet) requires "Removal of hazardous dead plants" and no large accumulations of surface fuels (logs, slash, mulch, firewood piles), with shrubs kept 10 feet from tree branches and no junipers, arborvitae, or Gambel oak near the home. Mitigation work in the WUI Overlay District (above 6,400 feet) can require a Defensible Space Permit and forester inspection.
Failure to maintain required defensible space in the WUI overlay can block building permits and trigger County zoning enforcement; specifics are handled by Planning & Zoning.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Jefferson County.
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