Loveland, CO Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDC § 18.02.04.11.B, Farm or Ranch
- Required access
- Arterial street access for new farm or ranch use
- Crop restriction
- No crops needing controlled burning or aerial pesticides
- Exemption
- Existing/annexed farms exempt under C.R.S. § 35-3.5-101
- Jurisdiction
- City limits only; Larimer County unincorporated land is separate
Summary
Loveland's Unified Development Code allows farm and ranch use in every zone in this Larimer County, Colorado city, but new operations must front an arterial street and cannot grow crops requiring controlled burning or aerial pesticide spraying. Farms and ranches that existed before the UDC took effect, or that later annex into the City, are exempt under Colorado's protected right-to-farm law.
1. Access to the farm or ranch shall be from an arterial street; and 2. The farm or ranch shall not grow crops that require controlled burning or the aerial application of pesticides. ... b. In recognition of the protected right to farm (C.R.S. § 35-3.5-101, et seq.), the standards of this subsection do not apply to farms or ranches that existed on the effective date of this UDC, or that are annexed into the City after the effective date of this UDC, provided that the standards of C.R.S. § 35-3.5-102 are met.
Full Breakdown
B of the Loveland Unified Development Code, 'Agricultural Land Use Standards,' governs Farm or Ranch use across every zoning district in the city, from the ER estate residential zone through the PP and DR parks and resource zones. Two access and operational standards apply to new farm or ranch uses in all zones: access to the property must come from an arterial street, and the operation cannot grow crops that require controlled burning or aerial application of pesticides. 5-102, the Colorado Right to Farm Act's nuisance-protection and farm-management provisions.
B still depends on the zone permitting the use in the first place. This is city-limits law only: Larimer County's unincorporated land, which surrounds much of Loveland, is regulated under the county's own land-use code, not this UDC.
Violations & Fines
A farm or ranch use that does not qualify for the right-to-farm exemption and fails to meet the arterial-access or crop-restriction standards is a UDC violation, enforceable under Division 18.18.02, Enforcement Procedures. The City's Code Enforcement Officer can issue an inspection order, and violations are punishable under Section 18.18.03.02, Criminal Penalty, by a fine up to the maximum allowed under the Loveland Municipal Code, up to one year's incarceration, or both, in addition to civil remedies such as abatement or injunction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Loveland allow farming and ranching inside city limits?
Are existing Loveland farms exempt from the access and crop rules?
What happens if a new Loveland farm violates the access or crop standard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Loveland
Compare Loveland to another location·View the Colorado right to farm overview
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Agricultural Zoning Protection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Larimer County handle agricultural zoning protection.