Pop. 38,827 · Adams County
We currently have 1 ordinance verified for Northglenn, CO. Our research team is actively working to add more categories including noise rules, parking restrictions, fence regulations, building permits, and other local ordinances that affect daily life.
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Northglenn's Unified Development Ordinance (Article 11-4) caps single-family driveways at 40% of the lot width and 50% of the front-yard area, with no single driveway exceeding 30 feet in width. Asphalt is prohibited as a driveway surface for single-family residential properties (rock/gravel allowed). Front-yard storage of vehicles is limited to 48 hours for loading/unloading; RV/boat storage in residential areas is restricted.
Colorado defines and regulates abandoned vehicles under a uniform statewide statute that controls tow authorization, owner notice, auction procedures, and lien recovery for towing operators.
Only 'permissible fireworks' under Colorado C.R.S. 12-28-101(8) - sparklers, ground spinners, fountains, and snakes - are legal in Colorado. All aerial devices, firecrackers, bottle rockets, Roman candles, and audible explosives are illegal statewide. Adams County and its fire protection districts (including North Metro Fire Rescue) routinely ban all fireworks during fire restrictions under C.R.S. 30-15-401(1)(n.7). Sky lanterns are always prohibited.
Colorado requires permits for most open burning under CRS 25-7-123 and Air Quality Control Commission Regulation 9, with universal restrictions during high pollution advisories statewide.
Colorado adopts NFPA 58 Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code by reference under CRS 8-20-232, applying uniform propane storage, container, and installation rules to all jurisdictions statewide.
Colorado HB23-1273 directs the state Wildland-Urban Interface Code Board to adopt minimum statewide WUI building and defensible space standards under CRS 24-33.5-1226 that local jurisdictions must meet or exceed.
Adams County does not currently have a county-specific short-term rental license or permit program. Both owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied STRs are legal in unincorporated Adams County. Operators must still register a business with the Colorado Secretary of State, collect Adams County's 0.75% local sales tax plus 2.9% state sales tax, and may owe lodging tax on stays under 30 days. Colorado HB23-1287 authorizes - but does not require - counties to license STRs.
Unincorporated Adams County has no STR-specific licensing fee, but operators must collect Colorado state sales tax (2.9%), Adams County sales tax (0.75%), and the county's lodging tax on stays under 30 days. Per HB23-1287, listings on platforms like Airbnb must display the operator's state DOR sales-tax license number.
Unincorporated Adams County does not impose STR-specific parking minimums. The Development Standards and Regulations Chapter 4 off-street parking rules for the underlying single-family dwelling apply, and on-street RV/recreational vehicle parking is restricted under county nuisance and right-of-way provisions. Confirm with Adams County Community & Economic Development at 720-523-6800.
Unincorporated Adams County has no STR-specific occupancy cap in the Development Standards and Regulations. Industry guidance commonly applies a 'two per bedroom plus two' overnight figure, but it is not codified locally. Colorado HB24-1007 (effective 2024) bars municipalities and counties from limiting occupancy based on familial or relationship status.
Adams County enforces residential pool barrier rules through the 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) Appendix G and the 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, adopted under Adams County Ordinance 12. Barriers must be at least 48 inches high with no openings allowing passage of a 4-inch sphere. Gates must be self-closing and self-latching. Permits are issued by the Adams County E-Permit Center under Section R105 of the IRC.
Colorado requires state plan review and permits for public swimming pools through the Department of Public Health. Residential pools follow local building codes throughout Colorado.
Colorado mandates public pool safety equipment, lifeguards for certain facilities, and Virginia Graeme Baker drain compliance under CDPHE rules applied uniformly across pools.
Adams County does not set its own decibel-based noise ordinance for unincorporated areas; instead, Colorado state law at C.R.S. 25-12-103 applies. In residential zones, the maximum permissible noise level is 55 dB(A) from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and 50 dB(A) from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., measured at or beyond the property line. The Adams County Sheriff's Office (303.288.1535) handles loud music, party, and disturbance complaints. Construction noise is permitted only between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. per Adams County code compliance policy.
Aircraft noise in Colorado is governed almost entirely by federal aviation law, and state and local governments cannot directly regulate flight operations, though airport proprietors have limited authority.
Colorado treats unreasonably loud amplified music as a public nuisance enforceable statewide under the Noise Abatement Act, while leaving venue licensing and event permits to local control.
Colorado state law expressly exempts construction activity from statutory noise limits during daytime hours, applying uniformly across municipalities though stricter local construction-hour rules remain enforceable.
Colorado fixes industrial noise ceilings at 80 decibels daytime and 75 decibels nighttime statewide under the Noise Abatement Act, with stricter local rules permitted but state minimums universal.
In unincorporated Adams County, any fence or wall taller than 42 inches (3.5 ft) requires a building permit through the Adams County E-Permit Center. Fences 42 inches and shorter do not require a permit. All fences - regardless of height - must be structurally sound and maintained in good repair. Outdoor storage screening requires a 6-foot opaque fence under Section 4-09-01-04 of the Adams County Development Standards and Regulations. Permits and inquiries: epermitcenter@adamscountyco.gov or 720.523.6800.
Colorado defers residential swimming pool barrier standards to locally adopted International Codes, but state law requires public and semi-public pools to meet uniform CDPHE health and safety regulations statewide.
Adams County Ordinance No. 6 (Pet Animal Licensing and Control), updated by Resolution 2022-043 (Animal Control Code), requires dogs in unincorporated Adams County to be under physical control - on a leash or in a fenced area - at all times when off the owner's property. Dogs running at large, repeatedly straying, or chasing wildlife/livestock can be impounded by Adams County Animal Management. Colorado state authority for county dog laws is C.R.S. 30-15-401(1)(j). All dogs 6 months and older must be licensed and currently vaccinated against rabies. Report violations to the Adams County dispatch line at 303.288.1535.
Colorado criminalizes animal hoarding under the cruelty statute when conditions cause suffering. The law applies uniformly statewide regardless of municipal animal limits.
Colorado requires apiary registration with the Department of Agriculture and follows state honeybee health standards under the Bee Inspection Act applied uniformly statewide to beekeepers.
Colorado initially preempted breed-specific bans but the Court of Appeals upheld home-rule authority. Currently, Colorado municipalities may enact or repeal breed restrictions independently.
Colorado's Right to Farm Act protects existing agricultural operations, including livestock and poultry, from nuisance claims when conducted on land zoned or used for agriculture statewide.
Colorado prohibits private possession of most native and exotic wildlife under Parks and Wildlife regulations. The statewide ban preempts local permission for restricted species across Colorado.
Colorado prohibits feeding big game wildlife including deer, elk, and bears under Parks and Wildlife regulations. The ban applies statewide and preempts permissive local practices.
The Colorado Cottage Foods Act lets home producers sell certain non-potentially-hazardous foods directly to consumers without commercial licensing, preempting most local health department permit requirements.
Colorado requires state licensing for any home caring for more than a small number of unrelated children, with uniform health, safety, and capacity rules that override local zoning prohibitions.
Colorado law universally permits residential rooftop rainwater collection up to two rain barrels totaling 110 gallons, overriding the state's strict prior-appropriation doctrine that historically forbade private capture.
The Colorado Noxious Weed Act requires every landowner, including municipalities and private property owners, to manage designated noxious weeds on their property under uniform state classifications and county enforcement.
Adams County participates in the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and administers Flood Control Overlay regulations through Chapter 3 of the Adams County Development Standards. A Floodplain Use Permit is required for any development - including grading, fill, structures, and substantial improvements - within a Special Flood Hazard Area mapped on the FEMA FIRM. Colorado state rules at 2 CCR 408-1 require freeboard of 1 foot above base flood elevation for residential structures.
Colorado administers stormwater discharge permits statewide through the Colorado Discharge Permit System, requiring construction sites and industrial activities to obtain coverage before discharging runoff to state waters.
Commercial drone operations in Colorado are governed almost entirely by FAA Part 107, with limited state additions covering wildlife, critical infrastructure, and privacy that apply uniformly statewide.
Recreational drone operation in Colorado is governed primarily by FAA rules with state restrictions on harassment of wildlife, hunting interference, and law enforcement use that apply uniformly statewide.
Colorado allows local governments to adopt minimum wages above the state rate under CRS 8-6-101, with statewide minimums adjusted annually for inflation.
Colorado requires paid sick leave under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act and offers paid family medical leave through the FAMLI program funded by payroll premiums.
Colorado has no statewide predictive scheduling law but permits local governments to adopt fair workweek and advance notice scheduling ordinances for employers.
Colorado requires a concealed handgun permit issued by the county sheriff to carry a concealed firearm in public, with training and background check requirements.
Colorado repealed firearms preemption in 2021, allowing cities and counties to enact local gun regulations stricter than state law in most circumstances.
Colorado generally permits open carry of firearms by adults without a license, though local jurisdictions may impose restrictions in specific areas after the 2021 preemption repeal.
Colorado allows adults legally able to possess a firearm to carry a handgun in a private vehicle for lawful protection without a permit under CRS 18-12-105.5.
Colorado does not require private employers to use E-Verify and repealed the prior employment eligibility affirmation form in 2016 under HB 16-1114.
Colorado law limits state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement under HB 19-1124, restricting ICE detainers, courthouse arrests, and information sharing statewide.
Colorado HB23-1171 created a statewide for-cause eviction standard requiring landlords to cite specific statutory grounds, such as nonpayment or lease violations, before terminating most residential tenancies.
Colorado statute prohibits counties and municipalities from enacting ordinances that control rent on private residential property, making rent control unenforceable statewide except where the legislature carves out specific exceptions.
Colorado counties zone agricultural lands under state planning laws while preserving farm operations through Right to Farm protections and local agricultural overlays.
Colorado's Right to Farm Act under CRS 35-3.5-102 shields agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits when they follow generally accepted practices and predate complaints.
Colorado banned single-use plastic carryout bags and polystyrene foam containers statewide under the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act, fully effective in 2024.
Colorado prohibits retail food establishments from using expanded polystyrene foam containers for ready-to-eat food and beverages under the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act.
Colorado does not ban plastic straws statewide, but allows cities to restrict distribution and many require straws only upon customer request.
Colorado prohibits HOAs from banning solar energy devices and limits aesthetic restrictions. The protections apply to all common interest communities throughout Colorado uniformly.
Colorado caps solar permit fees and prohibits restrictions on solar access easements. The law preempts local efforts to block residential solar installations across all Colorado.
Colorado prohibits the sale and furnishing of cigarettes, tobacco, and nicotine vapor products to anyone under age 21 statewide under CRS 18-13-121.
Colorado does not impose a statewide flavored tobacco ban, but home rule cities and counties may prohibit flavored vape and tobacco product sales locally.
Colorado requires retailers selling cigarettes, vapor products, and other tobacco items to obtain a state retail tobacco license and follow strict point-of-sale rules.