101 local rules on file · Pop. 1,308 · Jefferson County
Showing ordinances that apply to Kittredge, CO
Kittredge is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 1,308 in Jefferson County, Colorado. Because Kittredge is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Jefferson County ordinances apply directly to residential and commercial properties here. The rules below are the county-level regulations that govern your area. Nearby incorporated cities in Jefferson County may have different rules.
Colorado's public-pool rule (5 CCR 1003-5, §3.24) requires a 60-inch fence with self-closing, self-latching gates and a latch at least 54 inches high; wrought-iron picket spacing no more than 4 inches. Private residential pools follow the county-adopted 2018 IRC barrier rules.
In unincorporated Jeffco, a county Miscellaneous Permit is required for a swimming pool of any size (in-ground or above-ground) and related structures like diving boards and ladders. Hot tubs and swim spas do not need one. All must meet zone-district setbacks.
Public and semi-public pools in Colorado must submit construction plans to the state health department at least 30 days before building, be inspected, and be certified as built-as-approved before use. Barriers, disinfection, and drain standards under 5 CCR 1003-5 apply. Private residential pools are exempt.
Above-ground pools are treated the same as in-ground pools in unincorporated Jefferson County: a Miscellaneous Permit is required for a swimming pool of any size, and the pool must meet the setbacks and height limits of the property's zone district.
Jefferson County does not require a Miscellaneous Permit for hot tubs and swim spas, but they must still meet the setbacks and height limits of the property's zone district. State rule 5 CCR 1003-5 defines a spa/hot tub and regulates only public/semi-public units, not private backyard tubs.
In unincorporated Jefferson County, noise from a residential property line may not exceed 55 dB(A) from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. or 50 dB(A) from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Nighttime is the effective quiet period.
Jefferson County has no leaf-blower-specific rule. A leaf blower is treated as any non-vehicular residential noise source, so it must not exceed 55 dB(A) (7 a.m.-7 p.m.) or 50 dB(A) (7 p.m.-7 a.m.) at 25 feet from a property line.
Every vehicle in unincorporated Jefferson County must have a working, unmodified muffler. On roads posted 35 mph or less, most vehicles may not exceed 80 dB(A) (measured 50 feet from the lane center); cutoffs and bypasses are prohibited.
Construction in residential zones may reach 80 dB(A) from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and 75 dB(A) from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., for the period allowed by the construction permit or a reasonable completion time.
Industrial-zone noise may reach 80 dB(A) (7 a.m.-7 p.m.) and 75 dB(A) (7 p.m.-7 a.m.) at a property line under CRS 25-12-103. Light-industrial zones are held to 70/65 dB(A).
Jefferson County's noise decibel rules expressly exempt "the sound made by animals," so barking is not a decibel violation. Persistent barking is handled instead through Animal Control's nuisance and disturbance provisions.
Amplified music is regulated as any noise-making "activity." In a residential zone it may not exceed 55 dB(A) (day) or 50 dB(A) (night) at 25 feet from a property line, with a lower cap for shrill or pulsing sound.
Colorado statute CRS 25-12-103 caps noise at a property line by zone: 55/50 dB(A) residential, 60/55 commercial, 70/65 light industrial, and 80/75 industrial (day/night). Jefferson County mirrors these limits.
Outdoor live or recorded music is limited by the same residential caps: 55 dB(A) (day) and 50 dB(A) (night) at 25 feet from a property line. Non-profit and government cultural events are exempt.
Neither Jefferson County nor Colorado's noise statute regulates aircraft noise. CRS 25-12-103(4) states the article does not apply to aircraft, which are governed by federal (FAA) law. Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport handles local complaints.
Jeffco does not require STRs to be a primary residence. It licenses two types: Primary Residence STRs and Investment Property STRs. An owner may hold an interest in only one investment (non-primary-residence) STR at any time.
Yes. As of Section 46 (adopted Dec. 16, 2025; effective Feb. 2, 2026), you must obtain a Short-Term Rental License from Jefferson County Planning & Zoning before operating or advertising an STR in unincorporated Jefferson County.
Occupancy is limited to two people per bedroom, or fewer if the on-site wastewater system is more restrictive. No STR may exceed ten occupants regardless of bedroom count. An STR in an Accessory Dwelling Unit is capped at three occupants.
Section 46 requires every STR to provide a minimum of one off-street parking space per bedroom. The application must include a parking plan (site plan) showing how the required spaces are accommodated on the property.
Yes. Section 46 requires every STR to carry fire, hazard, and liability insurance, either through separate STR liability coverage or a homeowner's policy rider covering STRs, with a minimum of $500,000 in liability coverage. Operating without it is unlawful.
An STR License is issued only to the property owner, is valid for no more than one year, and must be renewed annually at least 30 days before expiration. Licenses are not transferable to another person or location and terminate on sale.
Section 46 requires every short-term rental to comply with the Jefferson County Noise Abatement Policy. A 24-hour Local Representative must be reachable to respond to problems, including noise complaints from neighbors.
Every STR License application carries a nonrefundable processing fee set by the Board of County Commissioners, due once the license is approved. Jefferson County also levies a lodging tax on short-term rental stays, on top of state and county sales tax.
Jeffco does not require the host to be present during stays. Instead, Section 46 requires a designated Local Representative located no more than 30 minutes from the STR, available 24 hours a day with access and authority to make decisions.
Jefferson County Section 46 does not impose an annual limit on the number of nights an STR may be rented. Instead of a night cap, it controls STR density through a 750-foot separation between STRs and a 1% cap per Fire Protection District.
Gas-fueled fire pits are allowed year-round, even during fire restrictions. Wood-burning fire pits and open recreational fires are permitted only when no Sheriff fire restriction is in effect and are prohibited under Stage 1 and Stage 2 bans in unincorporated Jeffco.
Small contained backyard fires are allowed in unincorporated Jeffco only when no fire restriction is in effect. Under Stage 1 restrictions, open burning, bonfires, and campfires (with limited exceptions) are prohibited; only liquid- and gas-fueled appliances remain permitted.
Colorado allows only ground-based and handheld sparkling devices (fountains, ground spinners, sparklers) without a permit. Anything that leaves the ground or explodes—firecrackers, rockets, bottle rockets, roman candles, mortars—is illegal statewide. Jeffco also bans all fireworks whenever fire restrictions are in effect.
Open burning in unincorporated Jeffco requires an Open Burn Permit from Jefferson County Public Health, issued only for agricultural or forest-management burning at 6,400 feet elevation and above. Permits cost $80 and are never issued during a fire restriction or ban.
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.
Jefferson County has no separate county smoke-detector ordinance for existing homes; requirements come from the adopted building codes (International Residential Code) applied to new construction, additions, and remodels. Owners of existing dwellings should follow manufacturer and IRC placement guidance.
Jefferson County has no unique county propane-storage ordinance; residential LPG storage is governed by the adopted International Fire Code and Colorado LP-gas rules. Notably, gas- and liquid-fueled appliances stay legal to use even during Stage 1 and Stage 2 fire bans.
Much of unincorporated Jefferson County lies in the Wildland-Urban Interface. Properties in the WUI Overlay District (generally above 6,400 feet elevation) face defensible-space standards and wildfire-mitigation requirements tied to the County Zoning Resolution and building permits.
On unincorporated county roads, on-street parking is legal unless restricted by a resolution, ordinance, or posted traffic-control device. It is unlawful to park where parking has been restricted or prohibited, except to obey an officer or avoid a traffic conflict.
In unincorporated Jefferson County it is unlawful to park a "Major Motor Vehicle" (8+ feet wide, 25+ feet long, or any truck tractor/road tractor/semi-trailer) on a county road except for loading, unloading, or other immediate active use.
Jefferson County's parking ordinance regulates the public road (Highway), not private driveways. The county sets no general limit on how many operable vehicles you may park in your own driveway, but inoperable vehicles and RV living are limited by the zoning code.
In unincorporated Jefferson County, an RV, boat trailer, or camper may not stay parked on a county road (Highway) more than 28 days in any one-year period. On your own property, storage is allowed, but living in an RV requires an Administrative Exception.
Oversized vehicles fall under the county's "Major Motor Vehicle" rule: any vehicle 8+ feet wide or 25+ feet long (or any truck tractor/road tractor/semi-trailer) may not be parked on a county road except for loading, unloading, or immediate active use.
Jefferson County's parking ordinance sets no EV-specific parking or charging-station rules for residents. Installing a home charger is governed by the county electrical/building permit process, and EV-space signage at public lots is not addressed by the parking ordinance.
There is no blanket overnight on-street parking ban in unincorporated Jefferson County, but parking on the Clear Creek Canyon (US-6) right-of-way is banned longer than 30 minutes between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Using a vehicle as overnight living quarters on public property is prohibited.
A vehicle left unattended on public property outside a city for 48 hours or longer is "abandoned" under Colorado law (CRS 42-4-1802). Jeffco tags illegally parked vehicles, and any impounded vehicle unclaimed within 24 hours is treated as abandoned.
Jefferson County controls curb and roadway markings through official "Traffic Control Devices" placed by the Transportation & Engineering Division. Residents may not paint curbs to reserve or restrict parking; only authorized devices are legally enforceable.
Under the county parking ordinance, brief stops to load or unload passengers or property are exempt from "parking." Even oversized Major Motor Vehicles may stop on a county road for the purpose of loading, unloading, or other immediate active use.
In unincorporated Jefferson County, no fence over 42 inches may sit within the required front setback of the zone district or within the County's Vision Clearance Triangle. Taller fences are allowed elsewhere on the lot subject to setback and sight-triangle standards.
No. Permits are not required for fences in unincorporated Jefferson County. A gate across access still needs a Miscellaneous Zoning Permit (approved first by the fire district), and the fence must comply with the Zoning Resolution's height and placement standards.
Jefferson County lets fences over 42 inches run to the property line between neighboring lots where no street access occurs along that boundary. Corner and multi-frontage lots must keep the fence out of the 55-foot Vision Clearance Triangle so cars can back out safely.
A fence built on top of a retaining wall must count the total combined height of the wall plus the fence, and that total cannot exceed the maximum height allowed in the applicable zone district. Retaining walls over 36 inches high require a permit.
Fences on corner lots must comply with the County's Vision Clearance Triangle. Fences over 42 inches must be set back to the sidewalk edge (or 10 feet from the street flowline where no sidewalk exists) along street frontages and keep a 25-by-25-foot sight triangle at every driveway.
For properties in Jefferson County's Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), fencing within 8 feet of a structure must be built with noncombustible or ignition-resistant materials such as metal, masonry, or tested plastics and composites. Details are in the Wildfire Resiliency Code, Chapter 5.
Outside the wildfire interface, Jefferson County does not restrict fence material types in the Zoning Resolution. Inside the WUI, fencing within 8 feet of a structure must be noncombustible or ignition-resistant, with metal, masonry, and tested composites among the accepted materials.
In many residential zones of unincorporated Jefferson County you may keep up to 2 beehives on single-family, duplex, or two-family lots, but only with a Miscellaneous Permit under the county's Urban Agriculture rules. Agricultural zones allow bees without number limits.
Jefferson County's zoning chart addresses large exotics like buffalo, ostriches, and emu, which are only allowed in agricultural zones. Truly wild/dangerous exotic species are further governed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife rules, which prohibit most private possession of native wildlife.
Jefferson County requires proper care for every animal and treats hoarding-type conditions (inadequate food, water, shelter, sanitation, or feces accumulation) as offenses. Severe cases are prosecuted as cruelty to animals, a Class I misdemeanor under Colorado law.
In unincorporated Jefferson County a dog off its owner's property must be leashed (10-foot max) and under control. A "dog at large" is off-premises, uncontrolled, and out of the owner's sight. Dog at large is a petty offense.
Large livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, hogs) are allowed on larger suburban/mountain-residential and agricultural lots in unincorporated Jeffco. On qualifying zones, density is 1 animal per 9,000 sq ft open space (6,000 sq ft each additional), max 4 per acre.
Whether you can keep chickens or livestock in unincorporated Jeffco depends on your zone district. Most residential zones allow up to 6 chickens/ducks (no roosters) with a Miscellaneous Permit; larger residential and agricultural lots allow horses, cattle, and unlimited poultry.
In most residential zones of unincorporated Jefferson County, the maximum number of cats, dogs, potbelly pigs, and similar domesticated pets you may keep is 3. Litters of puppies and kittens may be kept until weaned. Agricultural lots meeting minimum size have no limit.
Jefferson County cannot ban or restrict dogs by breed. Colorado state law (CRS 18-9-204.5) bars counties and municipalities from regulating dangerous dogs in a breed-specific way, so there is no pit bull or other breed ban in unincorporated Jeffco.
Jefferson County does not license cats or impose a leash law on them, and cats found at large are generally not impounded. Cats count toward the 3-pet zoning limit, and owners must provide proper care, report bites, and honor rabies quarantine.
In Jefferson County, as statewide, it is illegal to intentionally feed big-game wildlife. Colorado Parks and Wildlife prohibits placing feed, salt, or attractants for deer, elk, pronghorn, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and bears. Violators face a fine.
Unincorporated Jefferson County has no countywide grass-height number the way cities do. In the foothills WUI, tall dry grass is governed instead by wildfire defensible-space standards; on the plains your city or fire district may set a height. Noxious weeds must still be managed under state law.
In the foothills WUI, the Jefferson County Zoning Resolution (Sec. 39) defensible-space standards require trees near your home to be trimmed: crowns kept 5 feet from structures and 10 feet from chimneys, and branches pruned 6-10 feet up. Outside the WUI, routine tree pruning needs no county permit.
Unincorporated Jeffco has no general permit to remove a tree on your own property. In the Wildland-Urban Interface, wildfire mitigation (thinning and removing trees) is encouraged and tied to a Defensible Space Permit for building projects. Colorado State Forest Service thinning guidance applies.
Jefferson County has no general county ban on residential artificial turf; check your HOA and city. Colorado's HB22-1151 turf-replacement program funds swapping irrigated bluegrass for 'water-wise landscaping' - defined as practices emphasizing plants with lower water needs. HOAs cannot ban drought-tolerant landscaping.
Every landowner in unincorporated Jefferson County has a legal duty to manage noxious weeds. State law (CRS 35-5.5-104): 'It is the duty of all persons to use integrated methods to manage noxious weeds if the same are likely to be materially damaging to the land of neighboring landowners.'
Jefferson County has no ordinance banning backyard compost piles, and residential composting is allowed. There is no county-run curbside compost mandate for unincorporated areas. Keep piles managed so they don't create odor, rodents, or a nuisance, and away from WUI fuel concerns.
Jefferson County runs no outdoor-watering ordinance; restrictions come from your water utility. Much of metro Jeffco is served by Denver Water, which in 2026 declared a Stage 1 drought: watering limited to two set days weekly, never between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Colorado law lets residents of single-family homes and buildings of four or fewer units collect rooftop rainwater in up to two rain barrels totaling 110 gallons, for outdoor use on the same property. No permit is needed. Jefferson County does not add its own rain-barrel rule.
Colorado protects water-wise landscaping. Under CRS 38-33.3-106.5, an HOA may not prohibit xeriscape or drought-tolerant vegetative landscapes on property a unit owner is responsible for. Jefferson County encourages native-plant gardening and imposes no rule against it.
Unincorporated Jefferson County allows commercial home occupations on residential lots under Zoning Resolution Section 21. The business must be secondary to residential use, not change the property's character, and stay within listed permitted uses; a Miscellaneous Permit is required.
Signage for a Jefferson County home occupation must comply with the Sign Section of the county Zoning Resolution. The home occupation must otherwise produce no offensive noise, vibration, smoke, dust, odor, heat, or glare noticeable beyond the property line.
A Jefferson County home occupation requires a Miscellaneous Permit from Planning & Zoning. It is limited to one non-resident employee, no more than 25 percent or 800 square feet of the main residence, and no more than 2 additional customer vehicles at a time.
Colorado's Cottage Foods Act (CRS 25-4-1614) lets residents sell certain non-hazardous homemade foods directly to consumers without a license or inspection, up to $10,000 in net revenue per product per year. A food-safety course and product labeling are required.
A regular family child care home in Colorado may care for six children from birth to age 18, with no more than two under age two, plus up to two additional school-age children. The home must be licensed by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (7 CCR 1101). Jeffco allows
Carports and garages are accessory structures in Jeffco. Combined accessory square footage (garages, sheds, ADUs, carports) cannot exceed the primary residence's square footage, and an accessory structure's footprint may not exceed 75% of the primary structure's footprint. They must meet the zone-district setbacks and height limits.
Jeffco lets you convert an existing qualifying dwelling area into an ADU. Basements may be converted to an ADU regardless of the size or percentage-of-primary-unit cap. Detached ADUs include units above a detached garage. All conversions need a building permit and must meet ADU standards.
Jeffco allows shipping containers or conex boxes as the building blocks of a home if they meet zone-district setbacks, building height, and full building-code requirements. A permanent tiny home is treated like any dwelling; a detached one used as a second residence must meet the ADU rules.
Jeffco permits one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on a single-family detached lot in every agricultural and residential zone. Owner must occupy one unit, max 3 occupants, and a building permit is required. Colorado's HB24-1152 now mandates ADU allowances in metro jurisdictions.
A detached storage shed 120 sq ft or smaller is a "mini-structure" in Jeffco. Most residential zones cap cumulative mini-structures at 200 sq ft per lot. Sheds must meet the zone-district front setback plus a 5-foot side and rear setback and cannot sit in easements or floodplains.
Gas (propane) grills are allowed year-round in unincorporated Jeffco, including during Stage 1 fire restrictions and Stage 2 fire bans. Charcoal grills, which produce embers, are treated like open fire and are prohibited once the Sheriff declares fire restrictions.
Propane and pellet smokers count as gas-/appliance-fueled cooking and are allowed year-round in unincorporated Jeffco, including during fire bans. Wood- and charcoal-fired smokers that produce embers are treated like open fire and are prohibited when Sheriff fire restrictions are active.
In the Residential-One (R-1) district, the primary-structure front setback is 30 feet, side setbacks are 5 feet minimum with 15 feet total, and side setbacks adjacent to a local or collector street are 20 feet (30 feet at an arterial). Setbacks vary by zone district.
In most Jefferson County residential districts the primary-structure height limit is 35 feet; R-2 is 30 feet, and accessory structures are capped at 25 feet. Multi-family structures reach 45 feet in R-3A and R-4. Chimneys, water towers and similar features are exempt.
Jefferson County residential districts do not set a maximum lot-coverage percentage. Instead, minimum lot size plus setbacks and height control how much you can build. R-1 requires 12,500 s.f. for a single-family dwelling; R-1B is 9,000 s.f.; R-2 is 7,500 s.f. (4,500 for two-family).
Jefferson County has no countywide ordinance dictating where residents store trash carts on their own lot in unincorporated areas; that follows your private hauler's rules. A county Right-of-Way permit ($50) is required only to place a dumpster or roll-off container in a public street.
Every public and private landowner in unincorporated Jefferson County has a legal duty to manage noxious weeds under the Colorado Noxious Weed Act (CRS 35-5.5). List A weeds must be eradicated countywide; List B are eradicated, contained or suppressed depending on location.
Jefferson County has no separate garage-sale ordinance or permit for occasional residential yard sales in unincorporated areas; they are a customary accessory residential use. Sales that become ongoing or commercial in scale can trigger zoning and special-event rules. Incorporated cities may require permits.
In unincorporated Jefferson County, the Zoning Resolution requires that non-commercial vehicles kept on residential property be licensed and operable or stored inside a structure. Broader junk, rubbish and blight on lots is abated by the county under Colorado law CRS 30-15-401.
Owners of vacant lots in unincorporated Jefferson County must control noxious weeds under the Colorado Noxious Weed Act (CRS 35-5.5) and keep the lot free of junk and rubbish. The county can abate weeds and rubbish under CRS 30-15-401 and bill the owner.
For bulk items in unincorporated Jefferson County, arrange a special/bulk pickup with your private hauler or self-haul to a landfill or the Rooney Road Recycling Center. Household hazardous waste and electronics go to Rooney Road at a discounted rate for Jeffco residents.
Jefferson County does not run curbside trash collection. In unincorporated areas residents contract directly with private licensed haulers (Republic Services, Waste Management, and others) who set the pickup schedule, cart type and rates. Incorporated cities may organize their own hauler contracts.
Unincorporated Jefferson County does not mandate curbside recycling. Recycling is available by adding it to your private hauler's service or by using drop-off sites and specialty recyclers in the county's resource directory, including household hazardous waste at Rooney Road.
Jefferson County has no countywide ordinance dictating cart set-out placement or times in unincorporated areas; you follow your private hauler's instructions. A county Right-of-Way permit is required only to place a dumpster or roll-off container in the public street.
Depositing, throwing or leaving trash on public or private land in Jefferson County is littering under Colorado law CRS 18-4-511, carrying a mandatory fine of $20-$500 for a first offense. On private lots, the county can also abate the mess and lien the owner under CRS 30-15-401.
Jeffco Section 12 requires exterior lights to be full cut-off fixtures above set brightness thresholds - all lamps in mountain areas, and lamps over roughly 1,750 lumens (residential) or 2,800 lumens (plains). Pole heights are capped at 14 feet in the mountains and 20 feet in the plains.
Jeffco Section 12 requires that luminaires and their supporting structure be wholly confined to the property, and it caps light measured at the property line. Residential/agricultural uses adjacent to similar uses may not exceed 0.2 foot-candles in the mountains or 0.3 in the plains at the property line.
Jeffco's sign code is content-neutral: political/campaign signs are regulated as "Temporary Ground Signs." Up to six per property are allowed with no permit, each up to 8 sq ft and 42 inches tall in residential zones, displayed no more than 6 months in any 12-month period, and never illuminated.
Jeffco has no separate garage-sale sign category; they fall under content-neutral "Temporary Ground Signs." Up to six per property need no permit, each up to 8 sq ft and 42 inches tall in residential zones, may not sit in the right-of-way, and may not be illuminated.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Jefferson County ordinances.