Arapahoe County, CO Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing overlay
- AIA-O, Airport Influence Area District
- 65-Ldn Zone
- No residential/noise-sensitive zoning or permits
- 60-Ldn Zone interior target
- 45 Ldn max, if permitted
- Buckley APZ I structure cap
- 20% of lot or parcel
- Front Range Restriction Area 1
- 25 dB interior noise reduction required
- Disclosure requirement
- Written notice to all residential buyers
Summary
Unincorporated Arapahoe County bans new residential and other noise-sensitive development inside the 65-Ldn and 60-Ldn airport noise zones around Centennial Airport, Buckley Space Force Base, Front Range Airport and DIA, and requires certified interior noise mitigation construction and buyer disclosure in the lower-noise buffer zones.
11. 65-Ldn Noise Zone (All Airports)
Property shall not be zoned, platted or approved to allow residential or other noise sensitive uses, and building permits shall not be issued for residential or other noise sensitive development.
12. 60-Ldn Noise Zone (All Airports)
Property shall not be zoned, platted or approved to allow residential uses, and building permits shall not be issued for residential development. All other noise sensitive uses may be permitted when constructed in compliance with County noise mitigation construction requirements to achieve an expected interior noise level of no greater than 45 Ldn in this exposure area.
Full Breakdown
1, regulates land use around Centennial Airport, Buckley Space Force Base, Front Range Airport and Denver International Airport based on officially mapped noise contours. Inside the 65-Ldn Noise Zone (all airports), property cannot be zoned, platted or approved for residential or other noise-sensitive uses, and building permits for such uses will not be issued. The same flat prohibition applies to residential uses in the 60-Ldn Noise Zone; other noise-sensitive uses there may proceed only if built to achieve an expected interior noise level no greater than 45 Ldn.
In the 55-Ldn Noise Zone, rezoning for residential, educational or child-care uses is discouraged, and any structures that do go in must meet County noise mitigation construction requirements, including air conditioning, to hit that same 45 Ldn interior target. Airport-specific sub-zones layer on additional restrictions: the Buckley AFB Accident Potential Zone I caps permitted structures at 20 percent of the lot and requires a 250-foot clear path on each side of the runway centerline; APZ II limits residential density to one unit per two-and-a-half acres; the Centennial Airport Approach Zone bars all structures within a 200-by-2,500-foot strip along the extended runway centerline.
Front Range Airport's Restriction Area No. 1 requires an interior noise level reduction of 25 A-weighted decibels for structures where the public is received. 1(C)(1), every new residential unit built within an Airport Influence Area must carry a written disclosure to purchasers, on a Board-approved form, stating the property is impacted by low-lying aircraft and aircraft noise, repeated in sales contracts, brochures, sales-office displays, HOA documents and subdivision plans. An avigation easement releasing the airport and aircraft operators from liability is also required as a condition of plat or building permit approval, recorded with the County Clerk and Recorder, except for unplatted A-E/A-I zoned property or parcels over 35 acres.
Violations & Fines
The Zoning Administrator enforces AIA-O compliance by notifying the Building Division which building permit applications require noise mitigation construction, per § 2-5.1(D)(1). A building permit for a noise-sensitive use inside a 65-Ldn or 60-Ldn residential-prohibited zone will simply not be issued; permits in zones requiring mitigation will not be issued without evidence the structure meets the 45-Ldn interior standard and includes central air conditioning and ventilation sufficient for occupancy without open windows, per § 2-5.1(D)(2). A party seeking relief from these overlay standards must pursue a waiver under LDC § 5-5.5 rather than simply building non-compliant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a house in the 65-Ldn airport noise zone in unincorporated Arapahoe County?
What if my lot is in the 60-Ldn zone instead?
Does the county require buyers to be told a home is in an airport noise zone?
What is an avigation easement and when is it required?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arapahoe County
Compare Arapahoe County to another location·View the Colorado noise ordinances overview
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