Bolthole Index

Delta County, Colorado

Building permits, RV rules and septic in the Town of Orchard City, Colorado

The Town of Orchard City, Colorado, in Delta County, runs its own Building Department, which handles building inspections, code enforcement and subdivisions under the 2018 International Residential Code12. Delta County's "no building permit" rule covers only unincorporated land, not the town. We could not confirm the town's zoning rules or who issues septic permits inside town limits; Delta County Environmental Health is the office to ask3.

At a glance

Building permits
Issued by the Town of Orchard City Building Department12
Building code
2018 International Residential Code, with local amendments2
Septic
Delta County Environmental Health issues septic permits countywide3
RV living
Up to 90 days in a twelve-month period off approved sites; RV parks prohibited45
Water tap
No tap for parcels under 1 acre unless in an approved subdivision with smaller lots6
Driveway permit
Access permit from the Town Clerk7
Wells
State Division of Water Resources permit for any new well8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Orchard City Building Department

Building inspections, code enforcement and subdivision administration inside the Town of Orchard City

970-835-3337

9661 2100 Road Austin, CO 81410

Roads & driveways

Orchard City Town Clerk

Town records and meetings; issues access (driveway) construction permits onto town roads and keeps the fee schedules on file

970-835-3337

9661 2100 Road Austin, CO 81410

Septic permits

Delta County Environmental Health Services

Septic systems, drinking water and other environmental health services in Delta County

970-874-2165

255 West 6th Street, Delta, CO 81416

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 Orchard City means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Orchard City, Colorado?

Yes, building inside the Town of Orchard City goes through the town's own Building Department, which reviews plans, issues building permits and inspects work1. The town adopted the 2018 International Residential Code for detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses, with local amendments in Sec. 18-2.2-202.

The town code exempts agricultural buildings as defined in IRC Section 202 and described in Appendix C9. Fee amounts sit in a schedule kept with the Town Clerk, so call before you budget; a permit fee may be refunded at 85% if the project has not started and no inspections have happened10.

Delta County's rule that generally no building permit is needed applies only to unincorporated Delta County, not to land inside the town11.

Who is the Orchard City building department, and how do you reach them?

The Town of Orchard City Building Department provides building inspections, code enforcement and subdivision administration for the town1. Call 970-835-3337 or visit 9661 2100 Road, Austin, CO 814101.

The Planning Commission meets on the 4th Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall1. Driveway and road access permits are a separate stop: the Orchard City Town Clerk issues the access construction permit before any access to a town road is built7.

Does Orchard City have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

We could not confirm the town's zoning districts, setbacks, minimum dwelling size or rules for accessory dwellings and tiny homes. Ask the Orchard City Building Department, which administers subdivisions and works with the Planning Commission, before you commit to a lot1.

Two town rules do apply. Recreational vehicle parks and resorts are prohibited within town limits5. The town also will not issue a water tap to a parcel under 1 acre unless it sits in an existing, approved subdivision with smaller lots6.

Delta County's Land Use Code governs unincorporated land only12. Its lot sizes and setbacks do not apply inside Orchard City.

How do septic permits work inside Orchard City?

Septic permits in Delta County are processed through Delta County Environmental Health, and the county's septic rules apply countywide313. A structure with a restroom or sewer drain needs a septic permit, and an address must be assigned before you apply14.

The county requires a site inspection and a final inspection, with approval before occupancy15. We could not confirm whether a particular lot inside town is served by a town sewer or needs its own septic system, so ask the Building Department and Environmental Health before you buy.

Wells are permitted by the state: every new well that diverts groundwater needs a permit from the Division of Water Resources8. We could not confirm a separate town rule for wells.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Orchard City?

An RV may be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping for up to 90 days in any twelve-month period when it is parked somewhere not specifically approved for that use4. RVs may not be parked on a public street or parking lot for more than 72 consecutive hours, and longer use needs an application approved by the Town Administrator4. A limited exception covers a temporary dwelling on the same parcel while the primary residence is being built4.

RV parks and resorts are prohibited in town5.

We could not confirm a town rule on tiny homes. Colorado's Division of Housing approves tiny homes for long-term living when they meet state codes and local zoning, so the zoning answer comes from the town16.

Building a home in Orchard City: the steps, in order

  1. Call the Orchard City Building Department at 970-835-3337 to confirm zoning, setbacks and the permit process for your lot1.
  2. Confirm the water tap: parcels under 1 acre need to be in an approved subdivision with smaller lots6.
  3. Ask Delta County Environmental Health about septic and apply for the septic permit, which is issued before construction starts17.
  4. Apply for the building permit under the town's 2018 IRC2.
  5. Get an access construction permit from the Town Clerk before building a driveway onto a town road7. A driveway onto a state highway needs a state access permit instead18.
  6. Schedule inspections with the Building Department1.

What stays with Delta County, and what to check before you buy in Orchard City

Septic permits come from Delta County Environmental Health, and well permits from the state38. For land outside town limits, use the Delta County page, where the county's own rules apply to unincorporated land.

In a floodplain, the town requires a floodplain development permit and an elevated lowest floor for residential construction19. Driveways are limited to a 20-foot width and must sit at least 100 feet from an intersection7.

County-level figures: Delta County's effective property tax rate is 0.3%20, and only about 4% of its soils are rated not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so expect a site evaluation or an engineered system21.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Orchard City's zoning districts, setbacks or minimum dwelling size; ask the Town Building Department at 970-835-3337 before you buy1.
  • Delta County's no-building-permit rule applies to unincorporated land, not inside Orchard City, which has its own Building Department111.
  • Building permit fee amounts are kept on file with the Town Clerk, so request the current schedule before you budget10.
  • The town allows RV living for 90 days in a twelve-month period off approved sites, with no RV parks; longer stays need Town Administrator approval45.

Sources

  1. Town of Orchard City Building Department (orchardcityco.org)
  2. Orchard City Municipal Code Sec. 18-2.4-10 Adoption (2018 IRC) (Town of Orchard City), quoted and re-checked
  3. Water/Wastewater, quoted and re-checked
  4. Orchard City Municipal Code Sec. 18-8-30 Storage of recreational vehicles (Town of Orchard City), quoted and re-checked
  5. Orchard City Municipal Code Sec. 18-8-20 RV parks and resorts prohibited (Town of Orchard City), quoted and re-checked
  6. Orchard City Municipal Code Sec. 13-1-20 Water system general regulations (Town of Orchard City), quoted and re-checked
  7. Orchard City Municipal Code Sec. 11-3-100 Access to public roads (Town of Orchard City), quoted and re-checked
  8. Water Administration (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Orchard City Municipal Code Sec. 18-2.2-20 Amendments (Town of Orchard City), quoted and re-checked
  10. Orchard City Municipal Code Sec. 18-2.2-20 Amendments (Town of Orchard City), quoted and re-checked
  11. Building/Land Use/Subdivision, quoted and re-checked
  12. Land Use Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  13. Delta County Environmental Health Services (deltacountyco.gov)
  14. Water/Wastewater, quoted and re-checked
  15. Water/Wastewater, quoted and re-checked
  16. Consumers of Manufactured Homes and Tiny Homes - HUD (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Water/Wastewater, quoted and re-checked
  18. Access Permits | Frequently Asked Questions (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Orchard City Municipal Code Sec. 18-6-110 Floodplain definitions (Town of Orchard City), quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: 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 Orchard City

Town of Orchard City’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses inside Orchard City town

    • Adopted with Appendix Chapters B, E, F, H, I, J, M, Q, R, S, and T
    • Subject to local amendments in Sec. 18-2.2-20
    • Plumbing and fuel gas follow the State of Colorado Plumbing Board codes

    residential code edition: IRC 2018

    “the Town adopts by reference as its residential code the International Residential Code, 2018 Edition”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Parcels needing a Town water tap inside Orchard City town (not a zoning district minimum)

    • Exception: the parcel is in an existing and approved subdivision containing lots smaller than one acre
    • The parcel must conform to subdivision rules
    • More than one single-family dwelling per parcel needs Town Administrator approval, based on water, capacity and a County Health Department sanitation statement

    minimum parcel size for water tap: >= 1 acre (existing approved subdivision with smaller lots)

    “No tap shall be issued for any parcel, lot or site less than one (1) acre in size unless the same is located in an existing and approved subdivision containing lots smaller than one (1) acre.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Living in a recreational vehicle inside Orchard City town on locations not specifically approved for such use

    • Not on a public street or parking lot
    • RVs not parked on a public street or public or private parking lot more than 72 consecutive hours
    • Longer use requires an application approved by the Town Administrator
    • Limited exceptions include a temporary dwelling while the primary residence is being constructed on the same parcel

    maximum RV living period: <= 90 days per twelve-month period (Town Administrator approval)

    “no recreational vehicle shall be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping purposes for longer than ninety (90) days during any twelve-month period when parked in any location not specifically approved for such use.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Agricultural buildings inside Orchard City town (building permit exemption)

    • Must be an agricultural building as defined in IRC Section 202 and described in Appendix C
    “g) item 17 is added and reads: all agricultural buildings as defined in section 202 and as described in appendix c.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of property inside Orchard City town

    • The Town's subdivision standards also apply to manufactured housing subdivisions
    • The subdivision ordinance itself was not opened
    “the parcel, lot or site must conform to all currently existing rules and regulations for the subdivision of property”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Any access or driveway onto an Orchard City public road

    • Permit is obtained from the Orchard City Town Clerk
    • Fee is set by the Town Board and kept on file in the Town Clerk's Office
    • Access openings are normally limited to one per legally established lot
    • Driveway accesses are a maximum of 20 feet wide
    • Accesses must be no closer than 100 feet from any intersection
    • Accesses may not exceed a 10% grade within the right-of-way

    maximum driveway access width: <= 20 feet

    “contractors, developers, property owners, or governmental agencies must obtain an access construction permit from the office of the orchard city town clerk prior to construction of any access to a public road.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in Special Flood Hazard Areas inside Orchard City town

    • If FEMA has not defined the SFHA, permits are required for all proposed construction or development in the community
    • Residential construction must have its lowest floor elevated to or above base flood elevation
    • Manufactured homes in Zones A1-30, AH and AE must be elevated to one foot above BFE (Sec. 18-6-360)
    “floodplain development permit means a permit required before construction or development begins within any special flood hazard area (sfha). if fema has not defined the sfha within a community, the community shall require permits for all proposed construction or other development in the community”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building permit fees inside Orchard City town

    • The fee schedule is kept on file with the Town Clerk, so amounts were not seen
    • Building permit fees are refundable at 85% if the project has not commenced and no inspections have been conducted

    refund rate: 85 percent (no refund after work has commenced)

    “building permit fees may be refunded at a rate of 85% of the building permit fee provided the project for which the permit was issued has not commenced and/or inspections have not been conducted. no refunds will be made after work has commenced.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Orchard City town
  • Inspections — Inspections inside Orchard City town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Orchard City town
  • Local zoning — Zoning inside Orchard City town
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Orchard City town
15 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Short-term rentals
  • 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 Orchard City publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Delta County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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