Douglas County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code

To provide areas for a full range of retail business, commercial, services, office, research, warehousing, small product assembly, manufacturing, distribution, and residential uses 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 services, and public utilities shall be available to serve the development. Growth should occur in a phased and contiguous manner to avoid the costly, premature extension of basic infrastructure.

Development within this district shall be designed to provide for such uses on well-landscaped sites such that they can be located in proximity to other business, commercial and residential uses in accordance with the intent of the Douglas County Comprehensive Master Plan. High performance standards are set forth for this district to assure that development is compatible with adjoining land uses.

The MI District is characterized by a full range of commercial and light industrial uses with residential and mixed-use development. Uses allowed within this district shall operate with minimal dust, fumes, odors, refuse, smoke, vapor, noise, lights, and vibrations. 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. Development, or use of land, in this district is permitted only in accordance with the provisions herein. Heavy freight operations (railroad or multi-modal transfer) are not in keeping with the character of the district; new freight rail sidings are discouraged on private lots.

Community Uses.

Agriculture (Site Improvement Plan not required).

Agricultural recreational activities (Site Improvement Plan not required).

Animals (refer to Part 24) – household animals shall be an accessory use (Site Improvement Plan not required).

Bank or financial institution (no drive-up facility).

Building materials – retail, wholesale, or both.

Commercial storage area.

Construction office – temporary (refer to Part 22).

Day-care center.

Entertainment event (refer to Part 22B).

Equipment service, repair, or both.

Equipment sales, rental, or both – large or small.

Firing range – indoor.

Garden – public – one acre maximum (Site Improvement Plan not required).

Greenhouse.

Hotel.

Industrial or manufacturing operation which does not emit unusual or excessive amounts of dust, smoke, fumes, gas, noxious odors, or noise beyond the lot boundary.

Motel.

Motor vehicle sales.

Motor vehicle service, repair, or both.

Motor vehicle service station with gas pumps.

Motorcycle sales, service, repair or all.

Office – general, medical, professional, government.

Office – temporary (refer to Part 22).

Parking lot – public or private.

Product distribution, storage, or both (no hazardous materials).

Recreational vehicle storage lot.

Research and development facility.

Residence – minimum of two acres.

Restaurant, fast food restaurant (no drive-up facility).

Retail business or service business, or both – indoor or outdoor.

Retreat – religious.

Sales office – temporary (refer to Part 22).

Satellite earth station.

Seasonal use (refer to Part 22A).

Theater – indoor or outdoor.

Training facility for horses, riders, or both (maximum 14 lessons per week).

Utility service facility (refer to definition).

Veterinary clinic or hospital.

Warehouse.

Warehouse – mini or self storage.

Wholesale business – sales, service, or both.

Youth-oriented agricultural activities (refer to definition) (Site Improvement Plan not required).

The following uses shall be allowed only when a principal use has been established on the lot.

Residential:

Non-residential:

Bar or lounge.

Bed-and-breakfast.

Campground.

Cemetery.

Church – seating capacity greater than 350.

Club or country club.

Group residential facility.

Horse boarding facility – number of horses greater than allowed by right.

Jail or correctional facility.

Kennel.

Propane distribution, storage, or both.

Recycle facility, trash transfer facility, or both.

Residence.

Satellite earth station (exceeding maximum health and height standards).

Sewage treatment (refer to "utility service facility" definition).

Telecommunication facility (within or exceeding maximum height and health standards).

Utility – major facility.

Wind energy conversion system (refer to Part 21).

Maximum building height:

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 (refer to Part 36, § 1-3602, "building height" definition, spire height calculation).

The maximum height of a parapet wall shall be as approved by the staff based on overall mass and bulk and its compatibility with the surrounding area.

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

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.

Structures that do not require building permits may encroach into a rear setback. Any encroachment into an easement requires permission from the easement holder.

A garage directly accessed from an alley may encroach into a rear setback. Any encroachment into an easement requires permission from the easement holder.

Until such time, the use of on-site wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) may be permitted, provided the proposed use does not create more than a design flow of 2,000 gallons of effluent per day, as determined by Douglas County Health Department's OWTS Regulation.

The proposed use and associated OWTS is evaluated by the Douglas County Health Department, and other applicable agencies, to determine if the use is compatible with an OWTS:

If a Responsible Management Entity (RME) exists at the time of land use application, the subject land will be served by the RME.

All uses shall be served by a central water system. The use of individual wells may be permitted, provided:

Minimum off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with County regulations.

Parking for non-residential uses shall be provided as shown on the approved USR plan exhibit or Site Improvement Plan in accordance with Part 28 of this chapter.

For residential uses, inoperable or unlicensed, operable vehicles parked outside shall be concealed by a solid fence, berm, vegetative barrier, or any combination thereof.

Unscreened parking of operable, unlicensed vehicles may be allowed in association with motor vehicle sales as shown on an approved Site Improvement Plan in accordance with Parts 27 and 28 of this chapter.

Concertina, razor wire, or other hazardous materials used for fencing shall be prohibited.

Electrically charged fencing material shall be permitted when it is installed for the purpose of containing animals within the boundaries of the lot.

Barbed wire shall be permitted when located a minimum of six feet six inches in height measured from the ground level outside the fence.

Fences, walls, or hedges shall not be erected in the public right-of-way, but shall be allowed within a setback.

A building permit shall be required for any retaining wall as required by the Building Code, as amended and adopted by Douglas County.

A building permit is required for any 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 a fence is required in order to conceal outdoor storage. Then the fence may exceed four feet in height for no more than 50% of the linear frontage of the lot. Fences extending above six feet, to a height of 10 feet, may be permitted only with the approval of the Director or designee.

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 is required for any fence greater than six feet in height, or as required by the Building Code, as amended and adopted by Douglas County.

Fences or walls shall be designed and maintained so that they are architecturally harmonious with the principal structures on the lot. When abutting a property with a residence, such fences or walls shall be opaque and may not be constructed of woven wire.

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.

Sound barrier walls, when constructed by the landowner other than the Colorado Department of Transportation adjacent to a street, shall be designed in accordance with the State Department of Transportation criteria and approved by the Director or designee.

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 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.

For outdoor storage of vehicles, see the parking standards in this part.[1]

Outdoor storage shall not be allowed within any required landscaped area.

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.