Grand County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code

A public street;

An approved private street; or

A public or private street via a public or private alley.

Nonconforming lots may be used in accordance with the provisions set forth in Section 1.10.8, Nonconforming lots.

Telecommunications and utilities using land or an unoccupied building covering less than 1,000 square feet of site area shall be exempt from minimum lot area standards.

If a building exceeds 28 feet in height, the rear and side yard setbacks shall be measured at a length equal to the overall height of the building.

Project boundary buffers are intended to provide a suitable transition between large subdivisions which propose a density that is greater than the adjacent existing neighborhood or zoning district. Buffers are required along all sides of proposed subdivisions which are five lots or more, that share a boundary with an existing neighborhood or zone with less density, excluding arterial or collector streets. The project boundary buffer on each edge of the subdivision shall be 20 feet.

Buffer width shall be measured perpendicular to the property lines that define the project area.

Maximum allowable density for constrained lands (or portion of property which constitutes constrained lands) as described in this subsection (below) in all subdivision types shall be reduced by a minimum of 50 percent (see also Section 5.6, Measurements, Computations, and Exceptions).

Constrained lands include lands with natural slopes greater than 30 percent, jurisdictional wetlands, lands in the 100-year floodplain, public drinking water supply water sources (recharge areas for the aquifer in the Glen Canyon Formation), lands affected by unmitigable geohazards, and riparian habitats and archeological sites.

Constrained lands in all developments and subdivisions shall be identified on plats and remain unoccupied by buildings or impervious surfaces, unless the applicant demonstrates to the County Commission that this provision would constitute an unusual hardship and is counter to the purposes of this LUC. In cases where a hardship is granted not more than 10 percent of any constrained land area shall be occupied by such surfaces.

In all residential development the maximum allowable density for constrained lands (or portion of property which constitutes constrained lands) as described in this subsection (below) shall be reduced by a minimum of 50 percent (see also Section 5.6, Measurements, Computations, and Exceptions).

Constrained lands include lands with natural slopes greater than 30 percent, jurisdictional wetlands, lands in the 100-year floodplain, public drinking water supply water sources (recharge areas for the aquifer in the Glen Canyon Formation), lands affected by unmitigable geohazards, and riparian habitats and archeological sites.

Constrained lands in all developments and subdivisions shall be identified on site plans or plats and remain unoccupied by buildings or impervious surfaces, unless the applicant demonstrates to the County Commission that this provision would constitute an unusual hardship and is counter to the purposes of this LUC. In cases where a hardship is granted not more than 10 percent of any constrained land area shall be occupied by such surfaces.

Corner lots. For lots with frontage on 2 intersecting streets, such a lot shall be considered to have 2 front lot lines and shall comply with front yard setbacks from each front lot line.

Double Frontage Lots. Where lots have double frontage, running through from one street to another, a required front yard shall be provided on both streets.

Setback Averaging. If the existing front setbacks of lots within the same zoning district and fronting on the same side of the street are less than the required front setback of the underlying zoning district, applicants shall be allowed to use the “average” front setback on the block. In such cases, the “average setback” shall represent the mean (average) setback of all lots on the same side of the street within 150 feet of the subject lot, provided that lots that are not developed with the same type of use that is proposed on the subject property shall not be included in the calculation. When one (1) or more of the lots on the block are vacant the normally required setback for the vacant lot shall be used in calculating the average setback. This provision shall not be interpreted as requiring a greater front setback than imposed by the underlying zone district. Responsibility for demonstrating eligibility for an “average setback” pursuant to this subsection shall be the sole responsibility of the applicant.

Mandatory Build-to Line. Build-to line refers to the percent of the primary building façade required to be built within 5 feet of the otherwise applicable front or street yard setback along the primary street(s) adjacent to the lot.

Garages, carports, and similar vehicle storage facilities entered from a front or side street and facing thereto shall be set back a minimum of 5 feet further from the street than the principal structure, whichever is more; provided however that this requirement shall not apply to lots on cul-de-sacs.

Garages, carports, and similar vehicle storage facilities entered and accessed from an alley may be reduced to 5 feet.

Lot width shall be the distance between the 2 side lot lines measured 30 feet back from the front lot line.

Average lot width shall be the average lot width of all lots in a given filing or shown on any plat.

Buildings. Building height shall be determined by measuring the vertical distance between the lowest point where the wall face of the building intersects finished grade around the perimeter of the building (or structure other than fences, and telecommunications and microwave towers and antennas) and the highest point on the building.

Telecommunications and Microwave Towers and Antennas. Height of telecommunications and microwave towers and antennas shall be determined by measuring the vertical distance from the lowest point of intersection with the natural grade to the highest point of the tower, including all antennas, other attachments, or structures, when towers are mounted upon other structures.

Accessory Uses. Maximum height of accessory structures shall not exceed 24 feet.

Fences and Walls. Height of fences or walls shall be measured as the vertical distance between finished grade on the highest side of the fence or wall to the top of the fence or wall.

Permitted Exceptions.

Measurement. The maximum area of the lot that is permitted to be covered by buildings, including both principal structures and accessory buildings.

Permitted Exceptions. Building coverage does not include paved areas such as driveways, uncovered porches or patios, decks, open swimming pools, or roof overhangs of less than 2 feet.

Gross floor area shall be determined by the sum of the areas of the floors of a building or structure, including areas used for human occupancy or required for the conduct of the business or use, as measured from the exterior faces of the walls. Gross floor area shall not include basements, unenclosed porches, or attics when not used for human occupancy, nor any floor space in an accessory building, carport, or the main building intended or designed for the parking of motor vehicles in order to meet the County parking requirements, arcades, porticoes, and similar open areas which are located at or near street level, which are accessible to the general public, and which are not designed or used as occupancy, sales, display, storage, service, or production areas.

Basement shall be that portion of a building which is wholly or partly below grade, the ceiling of which is less than four feet above grade.

Scale. Contour maps and slope calculations shall be prepared and certified by a licensed professional engineer or surveyor showing contours at intervals no greater than 5 feet, drawn at a scale of one inch equals two hundred feet maximum.

Calculation. Slopes shall be calculated in horizontal intervals no greater than 50 feet. Small islands, outcrops, and peninsulas having slopes distinctly different from surrounding property may be excluded from slope determination if, in the opinion of the Planning Commission, the exclusion of such areas will not be contrary to the overall purposes of steep slope protection.