Douglas County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code

To provide areas for office, research, warehousing, and product assembly, manufacturing and distribution facilities located to efficiently utilize public investment in infrastructure and to exercise economies of scale. Adequate facilities, such as roads, water and sanitation, fire protection, emergency service, and public utilities shall be available to serve the development. Growth should occur in a phased and contiguous manner to save on the costly, premature extension of basic infrastructure.

Development within this district is intended for use by the largest manufacturing operations, heavy equipment, construction and fuel yards, major transportation terminals and other basic industrial activities required in an urban economy, in accordance with the intent of the Douglas County Comprehensive Master Plan, as amended.

The GI zone district is characterized by office, warehousing, assembly, and distribution. By their very nature these uses may emit more noise, dust, fumes, odors, refuse, smoke, vapor, lights, and vibration and other environmental pollutants than permitted in the light industrial district; however, all such impacts shall be mitigated in accordance with applicable County, state, and federal regulations. Any other impacts shall be mitigated to the maximum extent possible. Traffic to and from the district may be intensive. Development or use of land in this district is permitted only in accordance with the provisions herein. Land disturbance activities may require permit(s).

All principal uses in the LI district.

Utility – major facility.

Accessory uses and buildings.

Residence – single or multifamily for management or employees only.

Antenna.

Batch Plant – concrete, asphalt, or mortar (not including temporary batch plants; see Douglas County's Grading, Erosion, and Sediment Control Manual, as amended, for processing details).

Chemical and hazardous material storage/transfer/disposal facility.

Firing range – outdoor.

Heliport.

Jail/correctional facility.

Junk/scrap yard.

Landfill – private/public.

Mining, quarry, sand and gravel pit or similar extractive land use.

Natural medicine business: Healing center, cultivation facility, products manufacturer, testing facility, or any other natural medicine business licensed by the State Licensing Authority, as defined in Colorado Regulated Natural Medicine Rules 1 CCR 213-1 and Colorado Revised Statutes. Natural Medicine businesses are not a permitted use in the PD – Planned Development District.

Propane distribution/storage facility.

Recycle/trash transfer facility.

Satellite earth station that exceeds the zone district height limitation or exceeds minimum health standards.

Telecommunication equipment (excluding whip-type antennas) that exceeds the zone district height limitation or exceeds minimum health standards.

All uses shall be served by a central water and sanitation facility.

Use of individual wells and individual septic systems may be permitted, provided:

A cornice, canopy, eave, fireplace, wing wall, or similar architectural feature may extend three feet into a required setback. Fire escapes may extend six feet into a required setback.

A building permit shall not be issued for any structure which is to be located within an easement unless written approval by the easement holder(s) is provided.

Utility distribution lines and related equipment commonly located along property lines may be located within a required setback. A neighborhood substation or gas regulator/meter station shall meet the required setbacks.

The maximum building height shall not apply to belfries, cupolas, penthouses, or domes not used for human occupancy, roof-mounted church spires, chimneys, skylights, ventilators, water tanks, silos, parapet walls, cornices, antennas, utility poles, and necessary mechanical appurtenances usually carried above the roof level.

The maximum height of a roof-mounted church spire shall not exceed 1.62 times the height of the church. The church height shall be measured from the main level finished floor (walk-out level excluded) to the highest roof peak. The height of the roof-mounted spire shall be measured from the top of the spire to the finished floor of the lowest walkout level of the church (refer to Part 36, § 1-3602, "building height" definition, spire height calculation).

The maximum height of a parapet wall shall be established on the approved USR plan exhibit or Site Improvement Plan based on overall mass and bulk and its compatibility with the surrounding area.

The height of an antenna shall be no greater than the distance to the nearest lot line except, engineered structures which shall be in compliance with the minimum setbacks (refer to Part 27A for cell sites and Part 21 for telecommunication facilities).

All roof-mounted equipment (mechanical, ventilating, antennas) shall be properly screened, with the exception of solar collectors/heaters.

Fences, walls, or hedges shall not be erected in the public right-of-way, but shall be allowed within a setback. A building permit is required for any retaining wall greater than four feet including footer, in height or a fence greater than six feet in height, or as required by the Building Code, as amended and adopted by Douglas County.

Solid fences, walls, or hedges shall not exceed four feet in height when located within the required setback from a street except when the fence, wall, or hedge is required in order to provide a screen for outdoor storage. Then the fence may exceed four feet in height for no more than 50% of the linear frontage of the lot.

Fences, walls, or hedges shall be erected and maintained in a manner which does not obstruct the vision of automobile traffic on streets, rights-of-way, or driveways in accordance with the Douglas County Roadway Design and Construction Standards manual.

Fences, walls, or hedges shall be maintained in good structural or living condition. The landowner is responsible for the repair or removal of a fence, wall, or hedge which constitutes a public safety hazard by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, obsolescence, or abandonment.

Fences constructed of woven wire or ornamental iron which are a minimum of 80% open may be constructed with no height limitation; however, a building permit may be required for any fence greater than six feet in height, or as required by the Building Code, as amended and adopted by Douglas County.

Electric fences that are part of a non-lethal alarm notification system may be permitted only upon the approval of, and in accordance with, a USR plan exhibit or Site Improvement Plan in compliance with the following standards:

Barbed wire shall be permitted when located a minimum of six feet six inches in height measured from the ground level outside the fence; however, concertina, or razor wire or other hazardous materials used for fencing shall be prohibited.

Swimming pools shall be enclosed by a fence or wall that meets or exceeds the requirements of the Building Code, as amended and adopted by Douglas County.

Outdoor storage including but not limited to raw materials, supplies, finished or semi-finished products, or equipment shall be screened from view from abutting properties and public streets or trails bordering the site by a solid fence, wall, or hedge that is a minimum of six feet in height. Employee or customer parking or merchandise display areas shall not be considered outdoor storage.

Operable vehicles, trailers, or other equipment designed to be towed or lifted as a single component may be visible above the height of a six-foot-tall fence, wall, or hedge without being additionally screened.

Outdoor storage shall be allowed within the required setback from a street, provided that the storage area does not occupy more than 50% of the linear frontage at the right-of-way.

Outdoor storage shall not be allowed within any required landscaped area, detention or water quality facilities, or drainageways.

Where the topography of the land is such that a solid fence, wall, or hedge would not prevent viewing outdoor storage from abutting properties and public streets or trails bordering the site, additional landscaping above the height of the fence, wall, or hedge to mitigate site-specific visual impacts may be required.

A solid fence, wall, or hedge shall not be required at a shared property line which merely separates outdoor storage areas.