Westminster, CO Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)
Key Facts
- ODP Amendment
- Required except for Level 1/2 charging
- DCFC screening
- Masonry, fencing, or dense vegetation
- Parking credit
- EV space counts as 1 standard space
- Van-accessible EV space
- Counts as 2 standard spaces
- PUD/SPD low-density areas
- City Council review required
Summary
Westminster lets EV charging stations go in as an accessory or primary zoning use under Municipal Code Section 11-4-6(T). Home Level 1 and Level 2 chargers skip the Official Development Plan process entirely, but larger charging projects need an ODP Amendment, and DC fast chargers must be screened with a masonry wall, matching fence, or dense vegetation.
(T)EV charging stations. EV charging stations shall be permitted subject to the following:(1)All EV charging projects, with the exception of Level 2 and Level 1 charging, shall require an ODP Amendment. The City Manager or designee may, but is not required to, approve the ODP Amendment without hearing or notice.(2)Installation of an accessory use EV charging project shall not trigger the requirement for conformance with other land use regulations, unless simultaneous changes are proposed for the site or its uses or structures, which changes would otherwise require such conformance.(3)For all PUD and SPD Districts, primary use EV Charging projects and accessory use EV charging projects are permitted as uses by right where low-density housing is not allowed. For all PUD and SPD Districts where low-density housing is allowed, primary use EV charging projects and accessory use EV charging projects shall be subject to review by the City Council.(4)Any parking space served by an EV charging port or any parking space used to site EV charging stations or EV charging equipment shall count toward applicable parking minimums as at least one standard automobile parking space.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12).
Full Breakdown
Section 11-4-6(T) treats EV charging stations as a permitted use, but the paperwork depends on scale. Under (T)(1), every EV charging project needs an ODP Amendment except Level 1 and Level 2 charging, and the City Manager or designee may approve that amendment without a hearing or public notice. Installing an accessory-use charger doesn't force compliance with other land-use rules unless the property owner is simultaneously changing the site, use, or structures in a way that would already trigger review, per (T)(2). District placement matters too: under (T)(3), primary and accessory EV charging projects are allowed by right in PUD and SPD districts where low-density housing isn't permitted, but where low-density housing is allowed in that same district, the project goes to City Council for review.
§ 42-4-1208. S. Access Board recommendations and any DOJ or DOT accessibility rules (T)(6), and accessory equipment can sit within the property's normal setbacks (T)(7). DC fast chargers carry the toughest physical standard: (T)(9) requires full-height screening, masonry, complementary fencing, or dense vegetation, for perimeter-sited equipment, with exceptions only through the ODP Amendment process, and screening can't crowd the clearance zones set by national electrical safety codes. Weather canopies over charging equipment follow the same siting and design rules as any other structure under (T)(10).
The section was adopted by Ord. No. 4071 in 2021 and amended by Ord. No. 4078 (2021), Ord. No. 4274 (2024), and Ord. No. 4330 (2025).
Violations & Fines
A primary-use EV charging project in a low-density PUD or SPD district that skips the required City Council review, or DCFC equipment installed without the masonry, fencing, or vegetation screening required by (T)(9), does not qualify for final sign-off. Because the underlying electrical and structural work still falls under the City's adopted Building Codes, installing charging equipment without the associated building or electrical permit exposes the installer to the same permitting and inspection requirements that apply to any other electrical installation in the City.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need city approval to install a Level 2 charger at my Westminster home?
Does a DC fast charger need screening in Westminster?
Can an EV charging space count toward my required parking?
Does a commercial EV charging station need City Council approval?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westminster
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