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Permits & Applications Codes & Requirements Inspections Signs Code Enforcement Frequently asked questions

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Forms Land Use Code Zoning Comprehensive Plan Applications under review Boards and Commissions Floodplain

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Community Development

Community Development hours

We accept walk-ins 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. We can also accommodate your needs via phone and email. Please call 970-945-8212, Monday – Friday between 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. for assistance.

Building inspections

• To request a building inspection, please call 970-945-1377, ext. 1621.
• Inspection requests received before 4:30 p.m. on any business day will be performed on the following business day between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. If your request is received on a non-business day (weekends/ holidays) the inspection will be performed on the second business day following.
  
  

Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (formerly known as septic systems)

• Garfield County Public Health manages the regulation of onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS). Visit the OWTS page for fees and regulations.
• To request a septic inspection, please call 970-945-6614, ext. 8150.
• Contact the system designer, as well as public health, at least 48 hours prior to requesting a final inspection of the installed system – prior to backfill.
  
  

Building Permit applications

• Applicants can submit a re-roofing, demolition or sign permit application online here.
• Submittal of all other application types will need to be coordinated by our staff. Please call 970-945-8212 directly. Messages will be returned within 24 hours.
  
  

Land Use Permit applications

• Submittal of applications will need to be coordinated by our staff. Please call 970-945-8212 directly. Messages will be returned within 24 hours.

Board of Adjustment openings

The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is currently seeking citizen volunteers to fill seats on the Board of Adjustment.

The Board of Adjustment is a decision-making body, tasked with reviewing variance requests, along with appeals to administrative interpretations. There are four current vacancies on the Board of Adjustment. Each vacancy is for a three-year term ending on 12/31/2026. The board meets on the fourth Monday of each month, on an as needed basis, at 6:30 p.m.

Please send a letter of interest specifying the position you would like to fill, and relevant background, to Community Development or call 970-945-1377, ext. 1605

Community Development Water Forum Presentation

Community Development presented at the semi-annual Garfield County Water Forum. The presentation is available here.
presentation-|

FireWise construction

FireWise Construction booklet
Decks

Roofs
Siding
Windows and glass

Defensible space standards

Colorado State Forest Service fact sheet/info

Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan

Garfield County has adopted a new Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan that prioritizes natural disaster risks and focuses on ways to prevent loss of life and destruction of private property.
Hazard Mitigation Plan

Road impact fees updated

Garfield County has updated its road impact fees, and has expanded them to include non-residential development, such as commercial, industrial, and office uses, beginning in 2017.
press release
map
impact fee table
road impact fee calculator

Text amendment opens way for tiny homes

Garfield County has approved a text amendment to its Land Use and Development Code and its building code that opens the way for tiny homes to be built in the area. The move strikes an existing square-footage requirement in the code that set the minimum size of a single family home at 20-foot wide by 20-foot long. The amendments take effect in April.
press release

Short-term rentals approved in some locations

Garfield County approved a resolution in late 2015, amending the County Land Use and Development Code, to allow short-term or vacation rentals in some zoning districts within the county, but not in Planned Unit Developments (PUDs).
additional details

Marijuana

Do you need to know about marijuana in Garfield County? Find information about recreational marijuana, medical marijuana, public health impacts and other frequently asked questions.
resources

Energy resource inventory

Garfield County benefits from a balance between energy resource development, promoting recreation and tourism, and maintaining the high quality of life in rural and agricultural areas. The Energy Master Plan helps strike this balance.
energy resource inventory