Twin Lakes, CO
73 local rules on file · Pop. 8,226 · Adams County
Showing ordinances that apply to Twin Lakes, CO
Twin Lakes is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 8,226 in Adams County, Colorado. Because Twin Lakes is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Adams County ordinances apply directly to residential and commercial properties here. The rules below are the county-level regulations that govern your area. Nearby incorporated cities in Adams County may have different rules.
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🏡 Home & Property
🌿 Yard & Garden
🏠 Renting & Housing
🔊 Noise & Neighbors
🐾 Animals & Farming
🔥 Fire & Safety
🚗 Parking & Streets
💼 Business & Licensing
📋 Permits, Signs & Events
🌎 Environment & Utilities
🛡️ Privacy & Civic
🔥 Fire Regulations
Outdoor Burning
Heavy RestrictionsOpen fires, including campfires, are unlawful across every Adams County park, trail and open space area under Resolution 2022-649. Charcoal fires are allowed only in provided picnic…
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
Some RestrictionsSmall backyard recreational fires are allowed when kept under 3 ft by 2 ft and 25 feet from anything flammable, but are completely prohibited during Sheriff-ordered fire restrictions…
Wildfire Zones
Some RestrictionsAdams County adopted the 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code by Ordinance No. 14, effective May 15, 2026, declaring wildland-urban interface hazard areas across the unincorporated…
Fireworks
Heavy RestrictionsAdams County bans possessing, manufacturing, storing, selling, handling or using fireworks anywhere in the unincorporated area under the adopted International Fire Code. The ban does…
🐔 Animal Ordinances
Chickens & Livestock
Some RestrictionsAdams County defines livestock as cattle, swine, sheep, goats, horses, mules and donkeys used in farm or ranch production. Livestock is excluded from the pet code and is instead…
Pet Limits
Some RestrictionsNeglecting, abandoning or mistreating animals is unlawful in Adams County under its Animal Control Code and Colorado's cruelty statute. Officers may impound neglected animals, and…
Exotic Pets
Some RestrictionsAdams County's Animal Control Code covers only "pet animals" kept for companionship and excludes wildlife, feral cats, and livestock. Keeping wild or exotic animals is governed mainly…
Cat Rules
Some RestrictionsAdams County does not require cat licensing, but every cat must be vaccinated against rabies. Off the owner's property, a cat must wear its current rabies tag, and cats causing damage…
Breed Restrictions
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Adams County has no breed-specific ban. Its Animal Control Code regulates dogs by documented behavior instead: Section 5-6 makes it unlawful to own, harbor, keep, or…
Wildlife Feeding
Heavy RestrictionsIntentionally feeding, or trying to feed, any wildlife in an Adams County park, trail or open space area is unlawful without the county's written permission under Resolution 2022-649's…
Dog Leash Laws
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Adams County makes it unlawful for an owner or custodian to let any animal run, go or be at large on a street, public place, or another person's property without written…
🏗️ Accessory Structures
Shed & Carport Rules
Some RestrictionsA carport is an accessory structure in unincorporated Adams County and must meet the same setback and 35-foot height limits as other accessory buildings. On a manufactured-home lot…
ADU Rules
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Adams County permits one ADU per single-family home in any zone district. Minimum 500 sq ft; detached units cap at 1,500 sq ft, up to 25 ft tall. A building permit is…
Tiny Homes
Some RestrictionsA single manufactured or tiny dwelling may serve as a single-family home on an individual lot in any residential zone that allows single-family homes, but it must be no more than 5…
🚗 Parking Rules
Commercial & Oversized Vehicles
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Adams County caps how many vehicles you may store outdoors by lot size: two total on lots under one acre, or two per acre up to a maximum of five on lots of one acre or…
Abandoned Vehicles
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Adams County, inoperable or unlicensed vehicles may not be stored or parked outdoors, and never on a public right-of-way for any period. Under Colorado law, a vehicle…
RV & Boat Parking
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Adams County, RVs, boats, boat trailers, campers, fifth-wheels and motor homes may be stored on residential lots but must sit on an approved asphalt or concrete…
Driveway Rules
Some RestrictionsIn residential zone districts of unincorporated Adams County, all storage of vehicles must sit on an approved hard surface of asphalt or concrete, and no parking is allowed in the back…
Street Parking Limits
Some RestrictionsAdams County's Designated Residential Parking Districts Ordinance lets the Community Safety and Well-Being Department restrict nonresident on-street parking once 60 percent of a…
🧱 Fence Regulations
Height Limits
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Adams County, the maximum height of fencing, walls, and screening is 96 inches (8 feet). Screen fences on residentially used property are capped at 42 inches in the…
Fence Permit Requirements
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Adams County, a residential fence up to 7 feet tall does not need a building permit at all, but the Building Code still requires a standard permit for anything taller…
Material Restrictions
Some RestrictionsAdams County permits barbed wire fencing and allows up to four strands of barbed wire in the top 18 inches of a fence. External boundary electric fences require a Conditional Use…
Retaining Walls
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Adams County, any retaining wall over 4 feet high must be designed by a professional engineer as a condition of the building permit. Walls over 36 inches may be…
Neighbor Fence Rules
Some RestrictionsAdams County does not set a separate 'shared fence' cost-sharing rule; fences on the property line are a civil matter between neighbors. The county does prohibit any fence that…
🌿 Landscaping Rules
Water Restrictions
Some RestrictionsThere is no single county watering rule; limits are set by your water provider. In the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District (Commerce City and vicinity), irrigation is…
Weed Ordinances
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Adams County caps weeds and uncultivated plant growth at 6 inches under Section 302.4 of its Property Maintenance Code, adopted through Ordinance No. 12. Noxious weeds…
🔊 Noise Ordinances
Barking Dogs
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Adams County makes it a petty offense for a dog to bark, howl, yelp, or whine loud enough to be heard off the owner's premises for more than 20 consecutive minutes…
Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound
Significant RestrictionsAdams County treats any amplified sound in its parks, trails, and open-space areas as an automatic "general nuisance" under Rule 12(a), unless the sound is part of a leased event at…
🏊 Swimming Pools & Spas
Pool Permits
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Adams County requires pools and spas to be built under the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, adopted by reference through Ordinance No. 12 and administered…
Fencing & Safety Requirements
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Adams County requires a barrier restricting entry to any pool or spa area under Section 305.1 of the county's Swimming Pool and Spa Code. A pool or spa with a powered or…
📐 Building Setbacks & Zoning
Structure Height Limits
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Adams County, dwellings in the R-1-C and R-2 districts are capped at 25 feet, and accessory structures at 16 feet. Agricultural (A-1/A-2) dwellings may reach 35 feet…
Lot Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsInstead of a flat percentage cap, Adams County limits accessory building coverage: 900 square feet in the R-1-C district (single-family), 450 square feet per unit in R-2, and 80 square…
Setback Rules
Some RestrictionsIn the R-1-C residential district of unincorporated Adams County, principal structures need a 20-foot front setback, 17/5-foot side setbacks, and a 15-foot rear setback. Agricultural…
🗑️ Trash & Recycling
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Some RestrictionsOrdinance No. 17 requires every unincorporated Adams County trash hauler to run leak-proof, tarped vehicles labeled with the company name and phone number, carry at least $150,000 per…
Illegal Dumping
Some RestrictionsDepositing trash on any public or private property in Colorado is illegal littering under CRS 18-4-511, carrying a mandatory fine of $20-$500 for a first offense. In unincorporated…
Bin Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Adams County, waste containers may be set in the front-yard area or at the street only for 24 hours to allow pickup, and every container must be covered. Store bins…
Yard Waste Collection
Light RestrictionsAdams County does not run its own yard waste collection program. Under Ordinance No. 17, licensed Solid Waste Haulers may include grass clippings, branches, leaves and shrub trimmings…
Recycling Requirements
Some RestrictionsAdams County requires every licensed Solid Waste Hauler serving unincorporated residents, multi-family buildings and businesses to offer curbside recycling of at least the county's…
Collection Schedule
Some RestrictionsEvery solid waste hauler licensed to work in unincorporated Adams County must collect trash and offer curbside recycling at least once a month under Ordinance No. 17. The county sets…
🏚️ Property Maintenance
Vacant Lot Maintenance
Some RestrictionsThere is no separate vacant-lot ordinance in unincorporated Adams County, but the same blight, weed and rubbish rules apply. Owners must keep lots free of trash, junk and overgrown…
Property Blight
Significant RestrictionsAdams County Ordinance No. 3 makes it unlawful to store rubbish, junk, weeds, brush or inoperable vehicles outside on any unincorporated property. Public Works can order removal within…
🪧 Sign Regulations
Political Signs
Some RestrictionsAdams County regulates political signs content-neutrally as temporary signs. On residential lots one temporary sign up to 32 sq ft may be displayed for up to 14 consecutive days, and…
Garage Sale Signs
Some RestrictionsGarage-sale signs fall under Adams County's content-neutral temporary sign rule: up to 32 sq ft, on private property, for no more than 14 consecutive days (twice per year per lot)…
💡 Outdoor Lighting
Light Trespass & Shielding
Some RestrictionsExterior lighting in unincorporated Adams County must be arranged and positioned so no direct light or reflection creates a nuisance or hazard on any adjacent property or right-of-way…
Dark Sky Rules
Some RestrictionsAdams County has no formal dark-sky ordinance, but its operational standards require exterior lighting to be shielded, low-level, indirect and diffused, and no taller than 20 feet…
🏪 Business Licensing & Operations
Massage Establishments
Significant RestrictionsSince March 1, 2026, no one may own, operate, or let a property host a massage facility in unincorporated Adams County without a county license under Ordinance No. 18. Every owner…
Adult Entertainment
Significant RestrictionsAdams County's Nude Entertainment Ordinance bars anyone under 21 from nude entertainment establishments in the unincorporated county, limits nude entertainment to 4 p.m. to midnight…
Pawnbrokers
Significant RestrictionsAdams County requires every pawnbroker to log each contract-for-purchase or purchase transaction in a numerical register with the customer's ID, fingerprint and item description…
🌍 Environmental Rules
Stormwater Management
Significant RestrictionsAdams County's MS4 illicit discharge ordinance bans putting anything but rainwater into the county's storm drains, ditches and detention ponds in the unincorporated area. Public Works…
Erosion Control
Some RestrictionsConstruction sites in unincorporated Adams County must control erosion and sediment with Best Management Practices under the county's illicit discharge ordinance, folded into an…
Flood Zones
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Adams County regulates construction in flood hazard areas through Section 1612.3 of its Building Code, which adopts FEMA's Flood Insurance Study and accompanying maps by…
Defensible Space
Some RestrictionsAdams County's wildfire code requires a noncombustible ring of hard-surface materials, such as rock, gravel, sand, concrete, bare earth or pavers, in the Immediate Zone around any new…
🚷 Public Conduct
Public Marijuana Use
Heavy RestrictionsAdams County bans consuming marijuana or marijuana by-product in any public place within its parks, trails, and open-space areas countywide, including Riverdale Regional Park, no…
Skateboarding Rules
Some RestrictionsAdams County does not ban skateboarding on its park and trail system, but Rule 14(c) of the POSCA regulations makes it unlawful to operate a skateboard, bicycle, scooter, or other…
Public Urination
Some RestrictionsUrinating in public or leaving human excrement on the land or in the waters of any Adams County park, trail or open space area is unlawful under Rule 10(b) of Resolution 2022-649. Park…
Public Alcohol Use
Light RestrictionsAdults may possess and drink alcohol in Adams County parks, trails and open space areas under Resolution 2022-649's Rule 11, but anyone under 21 may not possess or consume alcohol or…
Loitering Rules
Significant RestrictionsAdams County bars anyone under 18 from loitering on streets, sidewalks, parking lots, parks or yards, public or private, without permission of the owner or occupant, unless with a…
🎪 Special Events & Permits
🚁 Drone Rules
Park Drone Restrictions
Significant RestrictionsAdams County requires a POSCA Department Director permit before anyone can take off or land a drone on county park, trail, or open-space land under Rule 20(a), since the FAA otherwise…
Event Drone Restrictions
Some RestrictionsThe one drone launch site Adams County allows without a permit, the Riverdale Regional Park drop-in gravel lot, shuts down whenever that ground hosts a permitted special event, a…
🛏️ Homelessness & Encampment Rules
🔧 Building Safety
Electrical Permits
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Adams County adopts the 2023 National Electrical Code by reference under Ordinance No. 12, effective July 1, 2026, and requires a building permit before electrical…
Plumbing Permits
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Adams County adopted the 2024 International Plumbing Code by reference through Ordinance No. 12, effective July 1, 2026, so plumbing work needs a permit under that…
Building Permits
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Adams County adopted the 2024 International Building Code by reference through Ordinance No. 12, effective July 1, 2026, so any construction, alteration, repair or…
🍔 Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors
Sidewalk & Mobile Vending
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Adams County limits food and merchandise vending stands to sidewalks at least 6 feet wide, bans them within 24 feet of any crosswalk or bus stop, and caps stand size at…
Food Truck Permits
Significant RestrictionsAnyone selling food, beverages or merchandise from a stand or vehicle on an unincorporated Adams County street or sidewalk must first obtain a vendor's license from the Director of…
Vending Zones
Significant RestrictionsAdams County bars vending from sidewalks and vehicles along Principal Arterial streets classified in the county's Comprehensive Plan, and prohibits vending anywhere within 100 feet of…
🌱 Cannabis Regulations
Buffer Zones
Significant RestrictionsAdams County's Marijuana Hospitality Business ordinance bars a licensed hospitality or retail-and-sales cannabis business from sitting within 1,000 feet of a school, daycare or…
Dispensary Zoning
Significant RestrictionsLicensed marijuana hospitality and retail-and-sales businesses may operate only in unincorporated Adams County's industrial zone districts or its Commercial-3, Commercial-4 and…
Cities in Adams County
Other Communities in Adams County
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Adams County ordinances.