Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Greenwood Village, Colorado

At a glance

Building permit

Required for new buildings, additions and site improvements; issued by the city⁵

Zoning

City zoning under its own Land Development Code¹

Building code

2018 International Residential Code, with city amendments²

Septic

Arapahoe County Public Health issues septic permits in Arapahoe County³

RV living

Limited; no more than 72 consecutive hours for a visiting RV used as a dwelling⁴

Minimum lot (R-2.5)

2.5 acres⁶

Minimum lot (Agricultural)

10 acres⁷

Accessory buildings as housing

Guests only, under 15 days in a 30-day period⁸

Who to call

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

Does Greenwood Village have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Greenwood Village administers its own Land Development Code, with Agricultural and residential districts, so the city's Planning program rather than Arapahoe County decides zoning inside city limits¹⁹. Rules differ by district. In the R-2.5 district the minimum lot area is 2.5 acres⁶, and principal buildings need front and rear setbacks of at least 100 feet and side setbacks of at least 50 feet¹⁰. In the Agricultural district the minimum area is 10 acres⁷, dwellings must have at least 1,800 square feet of net area¹¹, and setbacks are 100 feet front and rear and 50 feet on the sides, for accessory structures too¹². In the R-1.0 district the minimum lot is 1 acre¹³. Check the parcel's district with the Planner of the Day before you make an offer⁹.

Do you need a building permit in Greenwood Village, and who issues it?

Greenwood Village's Community Development department issues building permits and inspections inside the city, and its page says a permit is generally required for any new building, addition, alteration, repair, or change in use, as well as site improvements⁵. The city has adopted the 2018 International Residential Code for one- and two-family dwellings, with its own amendments². An accessory structure or building with a footprint of 120 square feet or more needs a building permit¹⁴. Applications go through the city's Online Access Portal⁵. Arapahoe County's Building Division serves unincorporated Arapahoe County only, so it is the wrong counter for a Greenwood Village address¹⁵.

How do septic permits work inside Greenwood Village?

Arapahoe County Public Health permits the installation, repair, and use of on-site wastewater systems in Arapahoe County³, and a septic permit is required for new installations, expansions, repairs and use¹⁶. Colorado law also requires a permit before anyone constructs, alters, installs, or permits the use of an on-site wastewater system¹⁷. We could not confirm from the city code how septic is handled for a specific Greenwood Village lot, or whether a given parcel is on public sewer, so ask Arapahoe County Public Health and the city's Community Development department before you plan on a septic system.

Can you live in an RV, guest house or tiny home in Greenwood Village?

RV living is limited. In the R-2.5 through R-0.5 districts, an RV may be parked or stored only in a side or rear yard and screened from the street and neighbors, and it is not allowed on property without a single-family dwelling⁴. An RV used as a dwelling that the property owner does not own may be occupied for no more than 72 consecutive hours, with the owner's permission⁴. An accessory building may not be used as a dwelling unit except for guests staying fewer than 15 days in a 30-day period⁸. Short term rentals are allowed only in the owner's or lease holder's principal residence¹⁸. We could not confirm how the city treats tiny homes or manufactured homes, so ask Planning before you buy⁹.

How do you build a home in Greenwood Village? The steps, in order

1. Call the Planner of the Day at Community Development to confirm the parcel's zoning district, lot size and setbacks⁹.
2. Ask Arapahoe County Public Health whether the lot needs a septic permit¹⁶.
3. Prepare plans to the city's adopted residential code, the 2018 International Residential Code as amended².
4. Submit the application on the city's Online Access Portal⁵.
5. Wait for the plan review email, then follow its instructions for the invoice and permit⁵.
6. Build, and schedule inspections through the city. We could not confirm the city's inspection steps, certificate of occupancy or owner-builder rules, so ask Community Development.

What stays with Arapahoe County, and what should you check before you buy?

Septic permits stay with Arapahoe County Public Health³. Wells need a state well permit for every new groundwater-diverting well¹⁹. A driveway with direct access to a state highway needs a state access permit²⁰. For land outside the city limits, use the Arapahoe County page, where county rules apply to unincorporated land. Arapahoe County's effective property tax rate is 0.5%²¹ and the median property tax bill is $2,767 a year²². We could not confirm the city's floodplain rules or permit fees, so ask Community Development.

Watch-outs

• Arapahoe County's Building Division and Zoning Division serve unincorporated land only, so a Greenwood Village address goes to the city's Community Development department¹⁵⁵.
• We could not confirm Greenwood Village's rules on floodplain development, driveway access, permit fees or whether a lot is on public sewer; ask Community Development and Arapahoe County Public Health⁹.
• A reader on a rural-sized lot should check the parcel's exact district, because lot size and setbacks differ from district to district¹⁰.

Sources

1. Sec. 16-5-30 R-2.5 Development standards (Greenwood Village), quoted and re-checked
2. Sec. 18-3-10 Adoption (Residential Code) (Greenwood Village), quoted and re-checked
3. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
4. Sec. 16-21-580 Recreational vehicles and recreational trailers (Greenwood Village), quoted and re-checked
5. Greenwood Village Community Development (Building Permits & Inspections) (greenwoodvillage.com)
6. library.municode.com (Greenwood Village), quoted and re-checked
7. Sec. 16-4-40 Agricultural District development standards (Greenwood Village), quoted and re-checked
8. Sec. 16-22-40 Prohibitions (accessory structures) (Greenwood Village), quoted and re-checked
9. Greenwood Village Community Development (Planning & Development Review) (greenwoodvillage.com)
10. Sec. 16-5-40 R-2.5 Setbacks (Greenwood Village), quoted and re-checked
11. Sec. 16-4-40 Agricultural District development standards (Greenwood Village), quoted and re-checked
12. Sec. 16-4-50 Agricultural District setbacks (Greenwood Village), quoted and re-checked
13. library.municode.com (Greenwood Village), quoted and re-checked
14. Sec. 16-22-30 Permit required (accessory structures) (Greenwood Village), quoted and re-checked
15. Arapahoe County Building Division (arapahoeco.gov)
16. Arapahoe County Public Health – Environmental Health (arapahoeco.gov)
17. Title 25 - Public Health and Environment - Colorado Revised Statutes 2024 (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
18. Sec. 16-22-160 Short term rentals (Greenwood Village), quoted and re-checked
19. Water Administration (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
20. Access Permits | Frequently Asked Questions (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
22. 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.