Building permits, zoning and land rules in Kit Carson County, Colorado

A new home in unincorporated Kit Carson County requires county land-use approval, not a general structural-code building permit: the residential Land Use Change Permit fee is $50¹. The Land Use Code applies throughout the unincorporated county, and a Land Use Change Permit is required before a land-use change unless an express exemption applies¹. Traditional agricultural operations, including necessary agricultural sheds and outbuildings, are exempt from that county permit; the exemption excludes confined animal feed lots and does not waive other federal, state or local permits¹. Unlike most counties around it in Colorado, Kit Carson County requires a county building permit only in some cases¹. We could not confirm a general county building-inspection or certificate-of-occupancy requirement; ask the Land Use Department what applies before ordering materials⁸.

Kit Carson County has not identified a general residential structural building-permit office; the first stop for an unincorporated parcel is the Kit Carson County Land Use Department^1,8. County review begins with a pre-application conference, then moves through application, completeness review, administrator evaluation, a Planning Commission public hearing and action, and Board of County Commissioners review¹. For a single-family home the county targets a completeness determination within 15 days and a Planning Commission hearing within 90 days¹. A permit generally expires 3 years after issuance unless the use has been fully implemented, and a change of ownership, use or conditions needs a new application¹. Fees can include the application charge and additional consultant or staff costs¹. Septic is separate: reach Environmental Health at (719) 346-7158 ext 420 or mail materials to 252 South 14th ST, Burlington CO 80807⁸. For land-use questions, call (719) 346-8139 ext. 304⁸.

Yes. Kit Carson County administers land-use controls for changes of use and land divisions throughout the unincorporated county¹. Inside city limits, Burlington divides the city into its own zoning districts, so the county's rules below apply to unincorporated land only². A residential structure generally must sit 70 feet from the front property line or road right-of-way, although cluster developments may receive different setbacks¹. Cluster developments require a Land Use Change Permit and a minimum parcel size of 5 acres; the Planning Commission may consider 2.5-acre lots on qualifying parcels of 35 acres or less that lie entirely within 2 miles of an existing county municipality¹. Those cluster rules are not a universal residential minimum lot size, and the county states no minimum lot size for commercial use beyond a 300-foot lot depth¹. Dividing land into two or more parcels requires Board approval of a plat or exemption plat, with a $50 exemption-plat fee⁹. We could not confirm a general minimum dwelling size, lot-coverage limit or residential height limit; ask Land Use about the parcel⁸.

Kit Carson County Public Health and Environment handles onsite wastewater treatment system permits countywide³. An OWTS permit is required to construct or repair a septic system in the county, and a site evaluation sets suitability and minimum system size; fees are $223 for a new system, $175 for a repair and $100 for a privy, plus $175 when the county performs the perk test and initial site analysis³. An engineer may perform the perk test and initial site analysis, subject to county review before final permit issuance³. Where central sewage is unavailable, a registered engineer must prepare a feasibility study and county health must approve the OWTS design before land-use approval¹. The final county inspection must occur before backfilling; a covered system must be uncovered before the permit is granted³. About 71.5% of county soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field, but each parcel still needs site evaluation¹⁰. Reach Environmental Health at (719) 346-7158 ext 420⁸.

We could not confirm a Kit Carson County rule specifically allowing long-term RV living or private-land camping, so ask the Land Use Department whether the proposed use needs a Land Use Change Permit before relying on an RV during construction^1,8. A Colorado-regulated tiny home can be approved for long-term living, but its plans need Colorado Division of Housing approval before construction, and the unit must meet state standards and local zoning at its installation site⁴. We could not confirm a separate county tiny-home rule or minimum dwelling size, so county land-use review remains essential⁸. Off-grid does not mean sanitation-free: a use without central sewage needs an engineering feasibility study and county-approved OWTS design¹. Applicants must also demonstrate adequate water quantity and quality¹.

1. Ask the Kit Carson County Land Use Department whether the proposed home requires a Land Use Change Permit and begin with the pre-application conference^1,8.
2. Confirm the residential setback, subdivision status and legal access; every lot needs reasonable emergency and traffic access, and driveways must meet county design standards^1,9.
3. Establish water: a new or replacement groundwater well requires a Colorado well permit, with additional basin rules possible¹¹.
4. If central sewage is unavailable, obtain an engineering feasibility study and county approval for the OWTS design¹.
5. Apply to Environmental Health for the septic permit before construction^3,8.
6. Confirm any specialized state approvals even though the county has not established a general structural building permit¹.
7. Keep the septic system uncovered until the final county inspection³.

Kit Carson County is very rural, with about 3.2 people per square mile, and the nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 117 miles from the county center¹⁰. Water deserves early attention because annual precipitation averages about 17.4 inches and severe drought occurs in about 16.9% of years¹⁰. A new or replacement groundwater well requires a Colorado permit, and basin-specific rules may add conditions¹¹. USDA census farmland value averages about $1,406 per acre, while the median property-tax bill is about $1,141 per year at an effective rate near 0.5%¹⁰. Check subdivision status, legal access, setbacks, water and septic feasibility before closing^1,9. Proposed development cannot significantly deteriorate floodplains, wetlands or riparian areas; county offices do not have floodplain maps¹.