Douglas County, CO Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Minor event review
- Administrative, Planning Director
- Major event review
- Board of County Commissioners hearing
- Cleanup fee
- $250, refundable
- Minor event lead time
- 30 days before event
- Major event lead time
- 45 days before event
- Sign allowance
- One 32 sq. ft. temporary sign
Summary
Douglas County requires an entertainment event permit for festivals, carnivals and fairs on unincorporated land. Minor events get administrative sign-off from Planning Services; major events need Board of County Commissioners approval at a public meeting. Every permit carries a $250 refundable cleanup fee and covers noise, signage, parking and sanitation standards.
Entertainment events shall be permitted in the Sedalia Community, Sedalia Downtown, and Sedalia Mixed Industrial zone districts by right, as well as on conforming parcels in the Agricultural One and Large Rural Residential zone districts, subject to the processes established herein. ... A $250 cleanup fee shall be submitted to Planning Services prior to permit issuance, unless waived by the Director. The cleanup fee is refundable. ... A banner sign shall be permitted for a period not to exceed two weeks. Alternatively, one temporary 32 square foot sign is permitted. Sign permits shall be required in accordance with Part 29, Sign Standards, of this chapter.
Full Breakdown
Part 22B of the Douglas County Zoning Resolution governs entertainment events on unincorporated land, including Highlands Ranch, Roxborough Park, The Pinery and Sedalia. Organizers hold a presubmittal meeting with Planning Services, then submit a full application at least 30 days ahead for a minor event or 45 days ahead for a major one under §§ 1-2204B and 1-2205B. Staff routes the application to referral agencies such as Engineering Services, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, the local fire district, the health department and any homeowners association, and sends courtesy notice to abutting landowners and anyone within 300 feet.
Minor events, allowed by right in the Sedalia Community, Sedalia Downtown and Sedalia Mixed Industrial districts and on conforming Agricultural One and Large Rural Residential parcels, are decided administratively by the Planning Director. Major events go before the Board of County Commissioners at a noticed public meeting, with mailed notice to abutting owners at least 14 days out. Every permit requires a $250 cleanup fee, refundable once Planning Services confirms the site was cleaned within 48 hours of the event's expiration, plus evidence that parking, sewage, potable water and refuse are handled.
Noise is capped under § 1-1703A unless the applicant requests a modification, which bumps the application to major-event review. Signage is limited to one banner for up to two weeks or a single 32-square-foot temporary sign, permitted under Part 29. Permits run with the specific property and permittee and cannot be transferred on sale.
Violations & Fines
Noncompliance with permit conditions lets the Planning Director revoke the entertainment event permit outright. A revocation, or any adverse administrative decision on a minor event, can be appealed to the Board of Adjustment under Part 26A. The County withholds the $250 cleanup fee refund until an inspection confirms the site was restored, and running an event without the required minor or major permit is a zoning violation enforceable by the Planning Division.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to hold a street fair in unincorporated Douglas County?
How far in advance do I need to apply?
What does the permit cost?
Can I put up banners advertising the festival?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Douglas County
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