Aurora, CO Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum setback
- 12 feet from adjacent properties
- Screening standard
- 6-ft masonry wall or opaque fence
- Enclosure coverage
- Screened on three sides
- Prohibited hardware
- Chain-link gates with metal cladding
- Placement (City Code)
- Behind building's front line
Summary
Commercial dumpster enclosures in Aurora, Colorado must sit at least 12 feet from neighboring properties and be screened on three sides by a six-foot masonry wall or opaque fence under the city's Unified Development Ordinance.
All trash dumpsters and recycling bins placed on an existing or developing site must be enclosed and set back at least 12 feet from adjacent properties with residential or commercial uses. The enclosure shall be large enough to accommodate both a dumpster and a recycling bin and shall be completely screened from view of public streets and adjacent properties using one of the techniques listed in Subsection 2.a above. Dumpsters shall be screened on three sides by a minimum six foot high masonry wall or an opaque fence enclosed on the exterior by evergreen plantings. The access opening shall be oriented so that the container is not visible from adjacent properties or public streets and shall have an opaque gate. Chain-link gates with metal cladding are prohibited.
c. Outdoor Storage.
i. Where outdoor storage is permitted, the following standards shall apply.
ii. Outdoor storage shall be located behind required front setbacks or buffer areas.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Aurora's Unified Development Ordinance requires every trash dumpster and recycling bin on a commercial, multifamily, or industrial site to sit in an enclosure set back at least 12 feet from adjacent residential or commercial properties, sized to hold both a dumpster and a recycling bin. The enclosure needs screening on three sides, a minimum six-foot masonry wall or opaque fence backed by evergreen plantings, with the access gate turned away from the street and neighboring lots. Chain-link gates with metal cladding are barred outright. City Code Sec. 114-27 separately requires trash containers to sit behind the building's front line unless a hardship waiver is granted.
Violations & Fines
Code Enforcement can cite the owner for an unenclosed, unscreened, or under-setback dumpster; the notice sets a correction deadline, and an unresolved violation can lead to municipal court charges and fines under the Development Standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far from the property line does an Aurora business need to put its dumpster enclosure?
What kind of screening does an Aurora dumpster enclosure need?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Aurora
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Dumpster Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Arapahoe County handle dumpster rules.