Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Lone Tree, Colorado

At a glance

Zoning

Lone Tree adopts its own zoning code (Chapter 16)¹

Building permits

Applied for through the city's Building Division online portal²

Septic permits

Douglas County Health Department, in all areas of the county³

Minimum lot (SR-1 and SR-2)

7,500 square feet⁴⁵

RV parking at home

Up to 72 hours per month outside, more only by special permit⁶

Short-term rentals

Limited: primary residence only, license required⁷

Floodplain

New homes in mapped flood areas must sit 2 feet above base flood elevation⁸

Who to call

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

Does Lone Tree, Colorado have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Lone Tree adopts its own district development standards in Chapter 16 of the city code¹. We reviewed only the SR Suburban Residential districts (SR-1, SR-2, SR-E, SR-L and SR-M), so confirm any other district with the city's Planning Division⁹.

Minimum lot area is 7,500 square feet in SR-1 and in SR-2⁴⁵. SR-E needs 12,000 square feet, SR-L needs 10,000 and SR-M needs 6,500¹⁰.

In SR-1, the street setback is 20 feet with a front-entry garage and 15 feet with a side-entry garage or alley access; the rear setback is 20 feet and interior side setbacks are 5 feet¹¹. In SR-2, the rear setback is 15 feet, rising to 25 feet along South Yosemite Street or Lincoln Avenue, with 5-foot interior sides¹². SR-E and SR-L require 25 feet front and rear and 15 feet on the side; SR-M requires 20 feet front and rear and 10 feet on the side¹³. Buildings in SR-E, SR-L and SR-M top out at 35 feet, chimneys excepted¹⁴.

Do you need a building permit in Lone Tree, and who issues it?

Inside Lone Tree city limits, the city's own Building Division takes building permit applications, and it accepts them only electronically through its permitting portal². Douglas County's Building Division covers unincorporated land only¹⁵.

We could not confirm Lone Tree's rules on which projects need a building permit, its owner-builder rules, inspection steps or fee schedule. Call the Building Division at 720-390-5211 before you plan a project².

The city's floodplain code adds a rule for new homes. In a special flood hazard area with base flood elevation data, the lowest floor of a new residence must be at least 2 feet above the base flood elevation⁸.

How do septic permits work inside Lone Tree?

The Douglas County Health Department permits the installation, repair and use of septic systems in all areas of Douglas County, under regulations adopted by the county Board of Health³. The county says a septic permit is required for new installations, expansions and repairs, with some exceptions¹⁶.

We could not confirm how Lone Tree lots are served in practice, or whether a particular address is on sewer or would need a septic system. Ask the Douglas County Health Department at 720-643-2400, and ask the City of Lone Tree whether sewer is available at the address¹⁷.

For sewer-served lots in unincorporated Douglas County, the county accepts a wastewater district will-serve letter in place of a septic permit¹⁸.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Lone Tree?

Lone Tree limits RV parking sharply and does not appear to offer a path to living in one on a residential lot. In Lone Tree's SR residential areas, outside off-street parking of recreational vehicles and trailers is allowed up to 72 hours per month, with another 72 hours per month only by special permit from the Community Development Department⁶. The city's code does not directly address long-term RV occupancy in the text we reviewed⁶.

Camping on private property inside the city requires the consent of the owner, tenant or agent¹⁹. Short-term rental of an RV or outdoor camping space on the property is prohibited⁷.

On public roads in the Lone Tree Municipal Planning Area, Douglas County does not allow a recreational vehicle to stay parked longer than 72 hours within a 7-day period²⁰.

Colorado allows Division of Housing-approved tiny homes for long-term living, but they must also meet local zoning²¹. We could not confirm Lone Tree's own tiny-home rule, so ask the Planning Division at 720-509-1180²².

Can you rent a home short-term in Lone Tree?

Only a primary residence, and only with a license. Lone Tree prohibits short-term rental of a residence that is not the licensee's primary residence, short-term rental of an accessory dwelling unit, and short-term rental of an RV or camping space parked on the property⁷.

Building a home in Lone Tree: the steps, in order

1. Confirm the zoning district for the address with the Planning Division at 720-509-1180, then check the minimum lot size and setbacks for that district²².
2. Check whether the lot touches a mapped floodplain; new residences there need the lowest floor 2 feet above base flood elevation⁸.
3. Apply for the building permit through the Building Division's online portal; call 720-390-5211 with questions².
4. Ask the Douglas County Health Department at 720-643-2400 whether the address needs a septic permit¹⁷.
5. Schedule inspections with the Building Division once work is permitted².

What stays with Douglas County, and what to check before you buy

Septic permits come from the Douglas County Health Department, not the city³. For land outside Lone Tree city limits, see the Douglas County page for the county's own building, zoning and septic rules.

Douglas County's effective property tax rate is 0.6%, and its median property tax bill is $3,707 per year²³²⁴. The typical Douglas County home value is about $711,894²⁵. Those figures are county-wide, not specific to Lone Tree.

Watch-outs

• We reviewed only Lone Tree's SR Suburban Residential districts, so a lot in any other zoning district may have different lot sizes and setbacks⁹.
• The Douglas County planning and building offices serve unincorporated land, so a Lone Tree address should not be taken to the county counter²⁶.
• We could not confirm which Lone Tree projects need a building permit; call the Building Division at 720-390-5211 first².
• Short-term rentals are limited to a primary residence, and an accessory dwelling unit or RV on the property cannot be rented short-term⁷.

Sources

1. Lone Tree Code Sec. 16-7-160 SR-1 development standards (Lone Tree), quoted and re-checked
2. City of Lone Tree Building Division (cityoflonetree.com)
3. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
4. Lone Tree Code Sec. 16-7-160 SR-1 development standards (Lone Tree), quoted and re-checked
5. Lone Tree Code Sec. 16-7-190 SR-2 development standards (Lone Tree), quoted and re-checked
6. Lone Tree Code Sec. 16-7-80 Parking standards (SR district) (Lone Tree), quoted and re-checked
7. Lone Tree Code Sec. 6-6-40 Short-term rental prohibitions (Lone Tree), quoted and re-checked
8. Lone Tree Code Sec. 15-3-220 Flood specific standards (Lone Tree), quoted and re-checked
9. Lone Tree Code Sec. 16-7-290 SR-E, SR-L, SR-M development standards (Lone Tree), quoted and re-checked
10. Lone Tree Code Sec. 16-7-290 SR-E, SR-L, SR-M development standards (Lone Tree), quoted and re-checked
11. Lone Tree Code Sec. 16-7-160 SR-1 development standards (Lone Tree), quoted and re-checked
12. Lone Tree Code Sec. 16-7-190 SR-2 development standards (Lone Tree), quoted and re-checked
13. Lone Tree Code Sec. 16-7-290 SR-E, SR-L, SR-M development standards (Lone Tree), quoted and re-checked
14. Lone Tree Code Sec. 16-7-290 SR-E, SR-L, SR-M development standards (Lone Tree), quoted and re-checked
15. Residential – New Home Construction, quoted and re-checked
16. Septic System FAQs, quoted and re-checked
17. Douglas County Health Department (douglasco.gov)
18. Residential – New Home Construction, quoted and re-checked
19. Lone Tree Code Sec. 10-6-40 Unauthorized camping (Lone Tree), quoted and re-checked
20. New Parking Restrictions in Douglas County, quoted and re-checked
21. Consumers of Manufactured Homes and Tiny Homes - HUD (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
22. City of Lone Tree Planning Division (cityoflonetree.com)
23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
24. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
25. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
26. Zoning Resolution, quoted and re-checked

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.