Bolthole Index

Elbert County, Colorado

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Elizabeth, Colorado

The Town of Elizabeth, Colorado, in Elbert County, has its own zoning code and adopts the International Residential Code with local amendments for construction inside town limits12. New structures must connect to the town sewer, and the town code does not allow individual septic systems3. Outside town limits, Elbert County's building, zoning and septic offices apply instead4.

At a glance

Zoning
Town zoning applies inside Elizabeth (Municipal Code Chapter 16)1
Building code
International Residential Code adopted with local amendments, including an insulation inspection25
Septic
Individual sewerage facilities not allowed; new structures connect to town sewer3
Residential Estate lots
RE-1 needs at least 1 acre; RE-2 needs at least 2 acres6
Floodplain
No building allowed in a FEMA-mapped floodplain7
Camping on public property
Unlawful unless the town permits it8
Wells
A new well needs a state permit9

Who to call

Health department

Elbert County Public Health, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS)

OWTS (septic) permits, plan review and inspections across Elbert County, and county health approval for individual water systems

720-595-3620

75 Ute Avenue, Kiowa, CO 80117

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

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Elizabeth means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does the Town of Elizabeth, CO have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Elizabeth zones the land inside its limits under Chapter 16, Article I of its Municipal Code1. The county's zoning does not govern land inside the town.

The Single-Family Residential districts (R-1, R-1-12 and R-1-20) are meant for low to medium density single-family homes1. The Residential Estate districts are larger: RE-1 requires a lot of at least 1 acre and RE-2 requires at least 2 acres, and both require town services6.

We could not confirm the lot sizes for the other residential districts, setbacks, minimum home size, or whether RVs, tiny homes, manufactured homes or accessory dwellings are allowed in a given district. Those sit in the town's use and dimension tables, so ask the Town of Elizabeth planning staff for the district of the parcel before you buy.

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

Construction inside Elizabeth town limits falls under the town's adopted International Residential Code, amended locally with a 180-day permit expiration, an insulation inspection, a ground snow load of 30 psf and a frost depth of 30 inches2. The insulation inspection happens after wall, ceiling and floor insulation and exterior windows are in, and before wall coverings go up5.

We could not confirm the town's permit application steps, fees, or whether an owner-builder exemption applies inside town limits. Ask the Town of Elizabeth before you plan the work.

Elbert County's building department handles building permits only for unincorporated land4. Do not apply at the county counter for a lot inside Elizabeth.

How do septic permits work inside Elizabeth, CO?

Septic is largely off the table inside town limits. The Elizabeth Municipal Code states that no individual sewerage facilities will be allowed in the town and that all new structures and uses must connect to the town's sewerage system3. Residential districts R-1, R-2, RE-1 and RE-2 require town services3.

Individual water systems may replace public water subject to County Health Officer approval and a minimum lot of 2 acres unsubdivided or 1 acre subdivided3. A new well also needs a state permit from the Division of Water Resources9.

Elbert County Public Health regulates on-site wastewater systems in the county, and its regulations state that they apply over all municipal corporations within the county10. If you own an older system inside town, call11.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Elizabeth, CO?

We could not confirm whether the town allows living in an RV or a tiny home on private land; the town's use table was not available to us. Inside Elizabeth, camping on public property is unlawful unless a permit or the town expressly allows it8. That rule does not address private land.

Elbert County's RV and tiny-home rules cover unincorporated land only12. Ask the Town of Elizabeth for the zoning district's rule before parking a trailer or placing a tiny home.

Building a home in Elizabeth, CO: the steps, in order

  1. Find the parcel's zoning district with the Town of Elizabeth, and confirm lot size and setbacks1.
  2. Check the floodplain: the town code allows no building in a FEMA-mapped floodplain, and no dwellings in major flood channels7.
  3. Confirm town water and sewer service, since new structures must connect to the town's sewerage system3.
  4. Apply to the town for a building permit under the adopted International Residential Code and its local amendments2.
  5. Schedule inspections, including the town's insulation inspection5.

We could not confirm the town's occupancy sign-off or fee schedule; ask the town.

What stays with Elbert County, and what to check before you buy near Elizabeth

Land outside the town limits is unincorporated and follows Elbert County's rules: the county requires building permits there4 and runs zoning there13. The town's rules do not follow you past the boundary.

Septic regulation and individual water-system approval stay with Elbert County Public Health10. Elbert County's effective property tax rate is 0.4%14, and its median property tax bill is $2,981 a year15.

Watch-outs

  • The town's lot-size, setback, and use tables for the R-1, R-2 and manufactured-home districts were not available to us, so confirm the district rules with the Town of Elizabeth before you buy6.
  • A parcel that touches a stream can lose buildable area: until flood channels are designated, no structure may sit within 300 feet of a stream centerline7.
  • A lot with a septic plan will not work inside town limits, because new structures must connect to town sewer3.

Sources

  1. Elizabeth Municipal Code Sec. 16-1-50 Single-Family Residence (R-1) District (Town of Elizabeth), quoted and re-checked
  2. Elizabeth Municipal Code Sec. 18-2-40 International Residential Code amendments (Town of Elizabeth), quoted and re-checked
  3. Elizabeth Municipal Code Sec. 16-1-200 Supplementary regulations (Town of Elizabeth), quoted and re-checked
  4. Permits | Elbert County, CO, quoted and re-checked
  5. Elizabeth Municipal Code Sec. 18-2-40 International Residential Code amendments (Town of Elizabeth), quoted and re-checked
  6. Elizabeth Municipal Code Sec. 16-1-60 Residential Estate (RE-1, RE-2) District (Town of Elizabeth), quoted and re-checked
  7. Elizabeth Municipal Code Sec. 16-1-200 Supplementary regulations (Town of Elizabeth), quoted and re-checked
  8. Elizabeth Municipal Code Sec. 11-6-90 Camping on public property prohibited (Town of Elizabeth), quoted and re-checked
  9. Water Administration (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. OWTS Regulations | Elbert County, CO, quoted and re-checked
  11. Elbert County Public Health, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS) (elbertcounty-co.gov)
  12. elbertcounty-co.gov, quoted and re-checked
  13. Regulations | Elbert County, CO, quoted and re-checked
  14. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  15. 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Elizabeth

Town of Elizabeth’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Residential construction inside Elizabeth town

    • Adopted with local amendments (permit expiration 180 days, insulation inspection, snow load 30 psf, frost depth 30 in., etc.).

    ground snow load: 30 psf · frost line depth: 30 in

    “The International Residential Code is adopted with the following amendments:”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted building work inside Elizabeth town

    • Local amendment adds an insulation inspection.
    “r109.1.5.2 insulation inspection. inspection of the structure shall be made following installation of the wall, ceiling and floor insulation and exterior windows and before wall coverings are installed.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Elizabeth town limits

    • Town zoning is in Chapter 16, Article I of the Municipal Code.
    “The purpose of the Single-Family Residential Districts (R-1, R-1-12, R-1-20) is to provide areas for low to medium density, single-family uses”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential Estate districts RE-1 (1 acre) and RE-2 (2 acres) inside Elizabeth town

    • Town services are required.
    • R-1, R-1-12, R-1-20 and R-2 lot sizes are in Table 16-2, not retrieved.

    RE-1 minimum lot: >= 1 acre · RE-2 minimum lot: >= 2 acres

    “Residential Estate Districts (RE-1, RE-2) are designated for low-density residential use on a lot that is a minimum of one (1) acre in the RE-1 zone and two (2) acres in the RE-2 zone.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping on public property inside Elizabeth town (private land not addressed)

    • Allowed only where expressly permitted by permit or authorized by the Town.
    • Enforcement requires an oral then written warning.
    “it is unlawful for any person to camp upon any public property, except in a location where camping has been expressly allowed pursuant to a permit or as otherwise authorized by the town.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    New structures and uses inside Elizabeth town

    • Residential districts R-1, R-2, RE-1, RE-2 state that town services are required.
    • Individual water systems are allowed in place of public water subject to County Health Officer approval and minimum lot of 2 acres unsubdivided or 1 acre subdivided.
    “individual sewerage facilities: no individual sewerage facilities will be allowed in the town. all new structures and/or uses shall be connected to the town's sewerage system.”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Major flood channels and floodplains inside Elizabeth town

    • Buildings in major flood channels need Board of Trustees (or Planning Commission) approval after public notice and hearing.
    • No dwellings or places of public assembly permitted in major flood channels.
    • Until channels are designated, no structure within 300 feet of a stream centerline.
    • Article XIV Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (Ord. 15-02) also applies.

    setback from stream centerline absent designation: >= 300 feet

    “a. no building shall be allowed in a floodplain as determined by fema mapping.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Elizabeth or Elbert County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Elizabeth town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Elizabeth town
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Elizabeth town
  • Setbacks — Residential districts inside Elizabeth town
  • Lot coverage — Residential districts inside Elizabeth town
15 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Elizabeth publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Elbert County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Elbert County: county rules, score and offices