Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Sheridan, Colorado

At a glance

Zoning

Sheridan adopts its own zoning (Code Chapter 56) with RES-SF, RES-SFLL, RES-MF and MH districts¹

Building code

City-adopted 2021 ICC codes and 2020 NEC, with city amendments²

Building permits

City of Sheridan Building Department³

Minimum lot (RES-SF)

6,000 sq ft⁴

Minimum home size (RES-SF)

700 sq ft⁶

RV living

Prohibited in the MH district unless in an overnight campground as a conditional use⁷

Accessory dwelling units

Allowed with single-family homes, up to 800 sq ft in most cases⁸

Septic

Not confirmed inside the city; ask Arapahoe County Public Health⁵

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Does Sheridan, Colorado have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Sheridan adopts its own zoning in Chapter 56 of the city code, with RES-SF, RES-SFLL, RES-MF and MH districts¹. Rules differ by district, so check the parcel's district before you plan.

In RES-SF, one household dwelling needs a minimum lot of 6,000 square feet and a front setback of at least 20 feet⁴⁹. All buildings, including accessory structures, may cover no more than 35 percent of the lot¹⁰. A single-family home in RES-SF must have at least 700 square feet of floor area⁶.

In the RES-SFLL large-lot district, the minimum lot is 8,000 square feet and coverage is capped at 40 percent¹¹¹². In RES-MF, a one-household lot is 6,000 square feet¹³.

Do you need a building permit in Sheridan, and who issues it?

The City of Sheridan Building Department handles building permits inside city limits, and the city says it has two processes: one for over-the-counter permits and one for plans that need review³. Sheridan adopts 2021 editions of the International residential and building codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code as the city building code, with its own amendments². Permitted work is inspected, and the permit holder must give access for required inspections¹⁴.

Fee amounts are set by city council resolution; see the city's fee schedule or call the Building Department¹⁵³. Arapahoe County's building division serves unincorporated parts of the county only, so it is the wrong counter for an address inside Sheridan.

Can you live in an RV, manufactured home or accessory dwelling in Sheridan?

RVs: in the MH Manufactured Home Park District, Sheridan's code bars occupying an RV unless it sits in an overnight campground as a conditional use⁷. We did not find the rule for other districts, so ask the Building Department before parking an RV on a lot³.

Manufactured homes: parks require a setup permit and an electrical permit before a home moves in, and flood hazard areas need additional permits¹⁶.

Accessory dwelling units are allowed with single-family homes, with interior and attached units capped at 800 square feet and detached units allowed only in rear yards⁸. We could not confirm Sheridan's rules for tiny homes or temporary camping; call the city.

How do septic permits work inside Sheridan?

We could not confirm who permits septic systems inside Sheridan city limits, and we did not find a city rule on septic or on private wells. Arapahoe County Public Health permits septic systems in Arapahoe County and requires a permit for new installations, expansions, repairs and use¹⁷¹⁸. Ask that office, and the City of Sheridan, whether an address is served by public sewer or would need its own system⁵³.

Colorado law requires a permit to construct or use an onsite wastewater treatment system where the building is not served by a sewage treatment works¹⁹. Every new groundwater-diverting well in Colorado also needs a state well permit²⁰.

Building a home in Sheridan: the steps, in order

1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district and its lot size, setback and coverage limits with the city¹³.
2. Call the Building Department at 303-762-2200 before you design; staff say contacting them first avoids delays³.
3. Settle sewer or septic: ask the city about sewer, and Arapahoe County Public Health about septic⁵.
4. Apply for a building permit through the city, under the 2021 codes²³.
5. Schedule inspections as the work proceeds¹⁴.
6. If a certificate of occupancy applies, confirm the requirement with the city; we could not confirm it.

What stays with Arapahoe County, and what to check before you buy in Sheridan

Land outside Sheridan city limits is governed by Arapahoe County. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Arapahoe County page. Within Sheridan, county septic permits and the county health department are the offices to confirm with⁵.

Before you buy, we could not confirm Sheridan's floodplain overlay, height limits or subdivision rules; ask the city planner. Arapahoe County's typical home value is about $516,233, and its effective property tax rate is 0.5 percent, with a median bill of $2,767 a year²¹²²²³.

Watch-outs

• Sheridan's lot-size, setback and coverage figures here are for the named districts only; other districts and side and rear setbacks were not confirmed⁹.
• The county Building Division serves unincorporated areas only; inside Sheridan, use the city Building Department³.
• Septic, well, short-term rental and certificate of occupancy rules inside Sheridan are unconfirmed; call the city at 303-762-2200³.

Sources

1. Sheridan Code Sec. 56-113 RES-SF lot size and coverage (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
2. Sheridan Code Sec. 18-1 Adoption of technical codes (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
3. City of Sheridan Building Department (ci.sheridan.co.us)
4. Sheridan Code Sec. 56-113 RES-SF lot size and coverage (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
5. Arapahoe County Public Health – Environmental Health (arapahoeco.gov)
6. Sheridan Code Sec. 56-112 RES-SF permitted uses (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
7. Sheridan Code Sec. 56-315 MH district prohibited uses (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
8. Sheridan Code Sec. 56-706 ADU types permitted; standards (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
9. Sheridan Code Sec. 56-117 RES-SF front setback (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
10. Sheridan Code Sec. 56-113 RES-SF lot size and coverage (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
11. Sheridan Code Sec. 56-133 RES-SFLL lot size and coverage (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
12. Sheridan Code Sec. 56-133 RES-SFLL lot size and coverage (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
13. Sheridan Code Sec. 56-154 RES-MF lot size and coverage (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
14. Sheridan Code Sec. 18-3 IRC amendments (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
15. Sheridan Code Sec. 18-3 IRC amendments (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
16. Sheridan Code Sec. 56-319 Manufactured home setup requirements (Sheridan), quoted and re-checked
17. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
18. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
19. Title 25 - Public Health and Environment - Colorado Revised Statutes 2024 (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
20. Water Administration (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
21. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
23. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 16, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.