Weld County, CO Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- buildings 10,000+ sq. ft. in C/I zones
- Minimum space size
- 35 ft. long, 10 ft. wide, 15 ft. clear
- Additional space
- 1 per each extra 20,000 sq. ft.
- Screening required
- from R-1 through R-5 adjacent lots
- Surface
- gravel, asphalt, or concrete, drainage-graded
- Related rule
- semi-tractors kept 50 ft. from lot lines (§23-4-55)
Summary
Weld County requires off-street loading spaces for commercial and industrial buildings over 10,000 square feet, sized at least 35 feet long and 10 feet wide. Sec. 23-4-50 also requires the spaces to be screened from residential zones and surfaced to prevent drainage problems.
Sec. 23-4-50. - Off-street loading required. A.Off-street loading spaces shall be required for LOTS in the I and C Zone Districts. Off-street loading spaces shall be located and SCREENED from PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY and ADJACENT properties zoned R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4 or R-5. One (1) off-street loading space shall be required if the COMMERCIAL or industrial USE is located in a BUILDING containing between ten thousand (10,000) square feet and twenty thousand (20,000) square feet of GROSS FLOOR AREA, and one (1) additional off-street loading space shall be required for each additional twenty thousand (20,000) square feet or fraction thereof of GROSS FLOOR AREA.B.Each off-street loading space shall be at least thirty-five (35) feet in length and ten (10) feet in width and shall be unobstructed from the surface up to a height of at least fifteen (15) feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Charter and County Code: Supplement 95).
Full Breakdown
Sec. " Those spaces must be "located and SCREENED from PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY and ADJACENT properties zoned R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4 or R-5," so a warehouse or retail building next to a residential district cannot leave its loading dock exposed. Subsection B sets a minimum size of 35 feet long by 10 feet wide, with vertical clearance of at least 15 feet, and Subsection C requires the surface to be gravel, asphalt, or concrete, graded to avoid drainage problems, with wheel guards where needed to keep vehicles from striking fences, walls, or other vehicles; any use that already needed Site Plan Review must pave its loading area.
Subsection D requires lighting arranged to minimize illumination onto adjacent residential property and to avoid glare directed at drivers on nearby streets, and Subsection E requires spaces to be positioned so that a vehicle being loaded or unloaded never occupies an adjacent street or sidewalk. A related but separate rule, Sec. 23-4-55, keeps semi-truck tractors parked outside a loading space at least 50 feet from an adjoining lot line unless the neighboring lot is also zoned Commercial or Industrial.
Violations & Fines
Operating a commercial or industrial building without the required off-street loading spaces, or loading in a way that blocks an adjacent street or sidewalk, is an unlawful use of land under Sec. 23-10-20, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $100 fine or 10 days in jail per day the violation continues. Sec. 23-10-40 allows a separate civil penalty of $25 to $1,000, plus a continuing penalty of up to $100 for each day the noncompliant loading area remains, enforced by the Department of Planning Services and the County Attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does a Weld County building need an off-street loading space?
How big does an off-street loading space have to be in Weld County?
Does a loading dock next to a house have to be screened in Weld County?
Can trucks block the street while loading in Weld County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Weld County
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