Building permits, zoning and land rules in Conejos County, Colorado

New construction, manufactured-home installation and non-exempt remodeling or repairs in unincorporated Conejos County require a construction permit before work begins¹. The permit lasts one year and lapses after 12 continuous months without construction unless the Land Use Administrator approves an extension³. Conejos County adopted the 2018 residential, commercial building and energy conservation codes effective July 2023². Construction inspections require at least 24 hours’ notice, with final inspection before occupancy; electrical and plumbing inspections go through the state². A 2% construction and building-materials use tax is deposited at permit issuance³. Owner-work exemptions cover listed activities, not every owner-built home¹. Agricultural land-use exemptions do not waive construction permits¹.

The Conejos County Land Use Office processes building permits in unincorporated Conejos County; call 719-376-2014 or email landuse@co.conejos.co.us². The county office’s building jurisdiction stops at incorporated town limits, so confirm the parcel’s jurisdiction before applying². The Land Use Office also administers the county OWTS septic program, with county approval and state wastewater standards applying in unincorporated areas^2,3. The county construction process covers access, addressing, soil evaluation, water, septic and state electrical, plumbing and gas requirements³. Depending on the road, a county driveway permit or Colorado Department of Transportation access permit may be required³. County access and address application fees are $100 and $50, respectively³.

Conejos County zoning districts and overlays apply to unincorporated land¹. Inside La Jara, town zoning applies, and the town prohibits septic tanks rather than offering the county septic-permit path^5,6. County districts include Agricultural, Rural, Residential, Community/Townsite, Commercial and Industrial, with riparian and floodplain overlays¹. Agricultural and Rural districts require 40-foot front, side and rear setbacks; maximum heights are 45 feet in Agricultural and 35 feet in Rural districts¹. Agricultural and Rural minimum lot area is one acre, subject to district and nonconforming-lot provisions¹. Rural buildings may cover no more than 20% of lot area¹. Residential and Community/Townsite coverage is 20% above half an acre and 30% below half an acre; ask the Land Use Office about lots exactly at that boundary³. We could not confirm a minimum dwelling floor area; ask the Land Use Office.

The Conejos County Land Use Office issues septic permits in unincorporated Conejos County; county approval and inspection apply alongside Colorado wastewater standards^2,3. Where public sewer or a sanitation-district service area is available, reasonable documented efforts to connect are required; otherwise, an alternative wastewater system may be used¹. Obtain the septic permit before installation². Published septic fees are $325 for a new system and $200 for an alteration or repair, and starting installation without a permit doubles the fee³. Installation inspections require 24-hour notice, and an engineered system needs approval from both the design engineer and county inspector³. A home cannot be occupied without an approved wastewater system; cesspools and outhouses are prohibited³. Only 14.8% of county soils avoid severe conventional-drain-field limits, so test septic feasibility early⁷.

Unincorporated Conejos County limits RV occupancy to temporary travel, recreation or vacation use and prohibits using an RV for long-term dwelling space, storage or an accessory structure¹. RV or tent use is prohibited in a Residential district, while an RV park or campground requires special-use review and a land-use permit¹. Conejos County allows a qualifying tiny house as a single-family dwelling where the zoning district permits that use; it must be permanently anchored, have permanent utility connections and contain no more than 600 square feet including loft space³. A qualifying tiny house cannot be on wheels or designed to be movable, and still needs a construction permit and approved septic service before occupancy³. A manufactured or mobile home also requires a Land Use Construction Permit in unincorporated Conejos County¹.

1. Confirm that the parcel is unincorporated and ask the Land Use Office for its zoning district and overlays².

1. Determine whether a county driveway permit or state access permit applies, then obtain a physical address³.

1. Arrange the soil evaluation and apply to the Colorado Division of Water Resources for a well permit if a well will serve the home^3,4.

1. Submit the construction-permit application with proof of legal water and sanitation and complete drawings; review may take up to 15 days³.

1. Apply for the county septic permit where public sewer is unavailable, or document reasonable efforts to connect where sewer service is available^1,2.

1. Schedule required construction and septic inspections before occupancy^2,3.

Before buying in unincorporated Conejos County, confirm district-specific lot size, setbacks, lot coverage, legal access and any land-division review with the Land Use Office^1,2,3. In the Floodplain Overlay District, residential construction must place the lowest floor, including a basement, at or above base-flood elevation¹. Floodplain development must meet applicable county and FEMA standards, with water and wastewater systems protected against flooding¹. Major subdivisions and planned unit developments in designated floodplains must satisfy flood controls before preliminary-plan submission¹. New groundwater wells require a state well permit; Colorado Division of Water Resources application review may take up to 49 days⁴. Only 14.8% of county soils avoid severe conventional-drain-field limits, so evaluate septic feasibility early⁷.