Littleton, CO Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Current district
- ACR, Acreage Residential
- Former districts
- A-1 Agricultural, R-S, R-L (repealed 2021)
- Minimum lot size
- 2.75 acres in ACR
- ULUC effective date
- October 28, 2021
- Right-to-farm statute
- None found in city code
Summary
Littleton zones agricultural land use through its Acreage Residential (ACR) district, successor to the city's former A-1 Agricultural, R-S Residential-Suburban Agricultural and R-L Residential-Limited Agricultural districts, repealed and replaced when the Unified Land Use Code took effect October 28, 2021. ACR permits single-family homes on large lots alongside limited agricultural uses; Littleton's code carries no separate right-to-farm nuisance-protection statute.
The ACR district provides for large, estate-sized ... lots for which the principal land use is single-family detached residential, although limited agricultural uses are also allowed. ... The former zoning district designations are from Title 10, Zoning Regulations, repealed and replaced on the effective date of this Code.
Full Breakdown
The city's Unified Land Use Code (ULUC), Title 10, organizes zoning around a small set of consolidated base districts rather than the pre-2021 list of 27 individual zones. " A table note explains that "the former zoning district designations are from Title 10, Zoning Regulations, repealed and replaced on the effective date of this Code," meaning the old A-1 Agricultural, R-S Residential-Suburban Agricultural and R-L Residential-Limited Agricultural districts no longer exist as separate zones; land once mapped A-1, R-S or R-L now falls in ACR.
75-acre minimum area, a 175-foot minimum width, and a 30-foot/3-story height cap, standards written for single-family detached housing rather than commercial farm operations. A. What the ULUC does not contain is a standalone right-to-farm provision immunizing agricultural operations from nuisance claims; Littleton's agricultural protection operates entirely through this zoning classification, not through a nuisance-shield statute. A property owner asking whether they can keep livestock, row crops or a farm stand needs to confirm their parcel is mapped ACR before relying on any agricultural use right.
Violations & Fines
Using land for agriculture, livestock or related structures outside a district where it is permitted is a Title 10 zoning violation. The Community Development Department's Planning Division investigates complaints and can issue a written compliance order; unresolved violations are prosecuted in Littleton Municipal Court, which holds exclusive original jurisdiction over Code violations. Continuing a nonconforming agricultural use after an order to cease does not excuse the property owner from correcting the land to a permitted use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Littleton still have an 'A-1 Agricultural' zoning district?
What is the minimum lot size for agricultural use in Littleton?
Does Littleton's code protect farmers from nuisance lawsuits like a right-to-farm law?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Littleton
Compare Littleton to another location·View the Colorado right to farm overview
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Agricultural Zoning Protection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Arapahoe County handle agricultural zoning protection.