Bolthole Index

Fremont County, Colorado

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Florence, Colorado

Florence, Colorado, in Fremont County, requires city building permits for covered work and administers its own zoning inside city limits.12 The City Clerk issues septic permits only when connection to the Fremont Sanitation District sewer is impracticable, and public sewer must be used where it is available and accessible.34

At a glance

Building permit
Required for covered construction and other building work inside Florence1
Zoning
Florence administers its own zoning districts inside city limits2
Septic
City Clerk permit available only when sewer connection is impracticable3
Minimum home size
400 sq ft for single-family or modular dwellings; other dwelling types differ5
Minimum lot size
6,000 sq ft in R-1 and 1 acre in A-T for single-family development67
RV living
Not confirmed for a private lot; ask Florence Planning before relying on it8
Tiny homes
No separate occupancy rule confirmed; the dwelling-size and zoning rules still apply52

Who to call

Building permits

City of Florence Building Department

Florence building-permit submittals and questions about plans, inspections and required supporting documents

(719) 784-4848

[email protected]

600 W.3rd Street, Florence, Colorado 81226

Zoning

City of Florence Planning Department

City zoning and site-plan questions, including parcel-specific district standards

(719) 784-4848

600 W.3rd Street, Florence, Colorado 81226

Septic permits

Fremont County Building Department: On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems

County review and approval questions for an onsite wastewater system proposed with a Florence building application

(719) 276-7460

615 Macon Ave. Room 212 Cañon City, CO 81212

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 10, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Florence, Colorado?

Yes. Florence requires building permits for covered construction, alteration, moving, demolition, repair, maintenance and use of buildings or structures inside city limits.1 The city has adopted the 2006 International Building Code and the 2006 International Residential Code, subject to local amendments.9

Start with the City of Florence Building Department rather than Fremont County's unincorporated-area building counter. The city's application checklist calls for a completed application, ownership documentation, a site plan, proof of water, proof of sewer or septic, building and foundation plans, and a site-specific soils report.10 Florence's complete inspection sequence and certificate-of-occupancy trigger could not be confirmed; ask the Building Department which inspections and final approval apply before scheduling work.

Who issues building permits in Florence, and how do you apply?

The City of Florence Building Department is the local building-permit office for property inside Florence. Its published checklist directs applicants to submit required materials before a building permit is issued and gives the Municipal Center contact shown above.10 The Building Department should also confirm which plans, professional stamps and inspection stages apply to the specific project.

A Florence building application needs a site plan showing property lines, setbacks, existing and proposed structures, utilities, drainage and driveway location.10 The checklist also requires proof of water service and proof of sewer or an approved septic application.10 Electrical and plumbing permits and inspections are issued and scheduled through the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies rather than the city.10

Does Florence have zoning, and what does it mean for a home?

Florence administers its own zoning districts inside city limits, so the parcel's district controls the applicable lot and building standards.2 In R-1, single-family development requires a minimum lot area of 6,000 square feet and a minimum lot width of 50 feet.6 In the A-T agricultural-transitional district, the minimum lot area is 1 acre and the minimum lot width is 50 feet.7

Florence sets a 400-square-foot minimum gross floor area for single-family and modular dwellings, while manufactured homes require 864 square feet and accessory dwelling units require 300 square feet.5 These are different dwelling categories, not interchangeable labels. Ask Florence Planning to verify the zoning district, allowed housing type, setbacks and any site-specific approval before ordering plans.8

How do septic permits work inside Florence?

Florence does not treat an onsite septic system as the default wastewater option. Where a public sewer is available and accessible within an established sanitary sewer district, a septic tank may not be used.4 A Florence septic permit comes from the City Clerk, and the application must include a statement from the Fremont Sanitation District that sewer connection is impracticable.3

The city's building checklist also calls for Fremont County review and approval of the septic application before it is submitted as proof of septic with the building package.10 Contact the Fremont County onsite wastewater program at the number above about that review.11 The Florence code material does not confirm the septic inspection sequence, so ask both the City Clerk and county program what approvals are required before installation and covering the system.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Florence?

We could not confirm a Florence rule allowing full-time RV occupancy on an ordinary private lot or temporary RV living during construction. Ask Florence Planning for a written parcel-specific answer before buying land or arranging utilities.8 A rule for an RV park or campground would not by itself answer private-lot occupancy.

Florence's verified dwelling-size rule does provide a useful boundary for tiny-home planning: a single-family or modular dwelling must contain at least 400 square feet of gross floor area, while an accessory dwelling unit must contain at least 300 square feet.5 Florence zoning remains district-specific, and no separate tiny-home occupancy provision was confirmed.2 Bring the proposed structure type, foundation, dimensions and intended use to Planning before relying on the tiny-home label.

Building a home in Florence: what are the steps?

  1. Confirm that the parcel is inside Florence and ask Planning to identify its zoning district, allowed residential use and district standards.28
  1. Confirm water and sewer availability. Where public sewer is available and accessible in an established sanitary sewer district, an onsite septic tank may not be used.4
  1. If sewer connection is impracticable, obtain the sanitation-district statement, pursue the City Clerk's septic permit and ask Fremont County about its review.311
  1. Prepare the city building application, site plan, ownership record, utility proof, soils report, and building and foundation plans requested by the checklist.10
  1. Complete the inspections and final approvals identified by the Building Department; the full Florence sequence could not be confirmed.

What should you check before buying land in Florence?

First verify city-limit status and zoning. Florence's municipal building and zoning rules apply inside city limits, while Fremont County's building jurisdiction serves unincorporated land.112 Confirm the district rather than relying on a listing: R-1 and A-T have different lot-size, coverage and accessory-building standards.671314

Next, verify water and sewer service before assuming septic is possible.4 For land with a mapped flood hazard, the City Building Official reviews new-construction and substantial-improvement building applications for flood safety.15 A driveway connecting directly to a Colorado state highway requires a state access permit.16 Private-well requirements and the complete city driveway-approval rules could not be confirmed, so ask the relevant city and state offices before closing.

Watch-outs

  • A Florence septic permit requires a finding that connection to the Fremont Sanitation District sewer is impracticable; septic is not an automatic alternative to available sewer.34
  • Florence's R-1 and A-T dimensional standards differ, so do not apply one district's lot or coverage limit to another parcel.671314
  • Flood-hazard review is part of the city building-permit review for new construction or substantial improvements in affected locations.15
  • Private-lot RV occupancy and a separate tiny-home occupancy category could not be confirmed; ask Florence Planning before relying on either use.8

Sources

  1. Florence Code § 15.04.040, building permit requirement (Florence), quoted and re-checked
  2. Florence Code § 17.20.040, R-1 yard and bulk requirements (Florence), quoted and re-checked
  3. Florence Code § 13.20.020, septic tank permit (Florence), quoted and re-checked
  4. Florence Code § 8.12.010, cesspools prohibited where public sewers are available (Florence), quoted and re-checked
  5. Florence Code § 17.64.130, minimum dwelling unit requirements (Florence), quoted and re-checked
  6. library.municode.com (Florence), quoted and re-checked
  7. library.municode.com (Florence), quoted and re-checked
  8. City of Florence Planning Department (cityofflorenceco.gov)
  9. Florence Code § 1.01.020, adopted codes (Florence), quoted and re-checked
  10. City of Florence Building Department (cityofflorenceco.gov)
  11. Fremont County Building Department: On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems (fremontcountyco.gov)
  12. Planning and Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  13. library.municode.com (Florence), quoted and re-checked
  14. Florence Code § 17.14.050, A-T yard and bulk requirements (Florence), quoted and re-checked
  15. Florence Code § 15.14.050, review of building permit applications (Florence), quoted and re-checked
  16. Access Permits | Frequently Asked Questions (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 10, 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 Florence

Florence’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, alteration, moving, demolition, repair, maintenance, and use of buildings or structures inside Florence city limits.

    • The applicable adopted codes and amendments govern the requirement.
    • No building permit or certificate of occupancy may issue until code requirements are met.
    “The requirement for obtaining building permits relative to the construction, alteration, moving, demolition, repair, maintenance, and use of any building or structure within the City of Florence shall be governed by the most recent adopted edition of the appropriate adopted codes and building standards, including amendments thereto.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Building construction inside Florence city limits.

    • The 2006 International Building Code is adopted subject to Florence amendments in § 15.08.010.
    • The code also adopts the 2006 International Residential Code and other listed codes.
    “The International Building Code, 2006 Edition, promulgated by the International Code Council, save and except for such amendments as are set forth at Section 15.08.010.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Florence city limits; Florence administers its own Title 17 zoning districts.

    • District-specific standards and approvals apply.
    “Yard and bulk requirements in the R-1 district are as follows: Minimum lot area 6,000 square feet”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Dwelling units erected inside Florence city limits.

    • The section specifies different minimums for efficiency units, mobile homes, apartments, single-family/modular dwellings, manufactured homes, and ADUs.

    single-family and modular dwelling minimum gross floor area: >= 400 square feet (14 feet minimum width) · manufactured home minimum gross floor area: >= 864 square feet (minimum 24x36) · ADU minimum gross floor area: >= 300 square feet

    “Dwelling: Single family and modular 14 feet minimum width 400 square feet Manufactured home (min. 24x36) 864 square feet Accessory dwelling unit 300 square feet minimum”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family residential development in the R-1 district.

    • R-1 requires the same minimum lot area per principal structure as the minimum lot area.

    minimum lot area: >= 6000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 50 feet

    “Minimum lot area 6,000 square feet Minimum lot area per principal structure 6,000 square feet Minimum lot width 50 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family residential development in the A-T agricultural-transitional district.
      “Minimum lot area 1 acre Minimum lot area per principal structure 1 acre Minimum lot width 50 feet”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family residential development in the A-T agricultural-transitional district.

    • The A-T maximum is also limited to a maximum of four buildings.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 10 percent of total acreage (maximum of 4 buildings)

    “Maximum lot coverage 10% of total acreage (maximum of 4 buildings)”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family residential development in the R-1 district.
      “Maximum lot coverage 50% if lot is less than 4,000 square feet; 40% if lot is more than 4,000 square feet”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family residential development in the A-T agricultural-transitional district.

    • Lesser maximum heights may apply in an airport approach zone.

    principal structure maximum height: <= 45 feet · accessory structure maximum height: <= 25 feet

    “Maximum height Principal structure: 45 feet Accessory structure: 25 feet Maximum height regulations lesser than those provided herein may be set forth by special regulations for buildings in an airport approach zone.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Septic systems inside Florence city limits.

    • The permit is issued by the City Clerk.
    • The applicant must submit a written statement from the Fremont Sanitation District manager or designee that connection to the district sewer is impracticable.
    “No person, firm or corporation shall build, construct or install a septic tank or septic system upon any rear property within the corporate limits of the City without first obtaining a permit therefor from the City Clerk.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Premises inside Florence city limits within an established sanitary sewer district.

    • A septic tank, cesspool, or privy vault may not be used where public sewer is available and accessible.
    • A septic system permit requires a statement that connection to the Fremont Sanitation District is impracticable.
    “No person, firm, or corporation shall use or maintain any privy vault, cesspool, or septic tank for the storage or disposal of human excrement on any premises within the boundaries of any established sanitary sewer district in any case where a public sewer is available and accessible to the property.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    New construction or substantial improvements inside Florence city limits in locations with flood hazards.

    • The City Building Official reviews all building permit applications for new construction or substantial improvements.
    • Flood-hazard construction must prevent flotation, collapse, and lateral movement; use flood-resistant materials and equipment; and minimize flood damage.
    “The City Building Official shall review all building permit applications for new construction or substantial improvements to determine whether proposed building sites will be reasonably safe from flooding.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Florence or Fremont County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Florence city limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Florence city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Florence city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Florence city limits.
  • Septic inspection — Septic inspections inside Florence city limits.
3 more unanswered
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access

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 Florence publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Fremont County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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