Bolthole Index

Elbert County, Colorado

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Kiowa, Colorado

Inside the Town of Kiowa, Colorado, the town issues building permits through its own building department and applies its own zoning districts.12 Septic permits for town addresses come from Elbert County Public Health, not the town.3 Elbert County's building and zoning rules cover only unincorporated land outside town limits.4

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the town for addresses inside Kiowa town limits; Elbert County issues permits outside them1
Zoning
Yes: the town has its own zoning districts and map25
Building code
The town's municipal code adopts the 2012 International Residential Code with local amendments6
Septic
Elbert County Public Health permits septic systems, including inside town37
RV living
Limited: an occupied RV on private property not zoned for it is unlawful beyond 10 days in any 90-day period8
Manufactured homes
Permitted on separately owned lots in the M-1 district; other districts not confirmed9
Contractor license
The town does not require contractor licensing or registration to pull a permit1

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Kiowa Building Department

Building permits, sign permits and inspections for addresses inside Kiowa town limits

303-621-2366

sdavidson@townofkiowa.com

404 Comanche Street Kiowa, CO 80117

Septic permits

Elbert County Public Health, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS)

Septic (OWTS) permits, plan review and inspections in Elbert County, including inside Kiowa

720-595-3620

75 Ute Avenue Kiowa, CO 80117

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

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Does the Town of Kiowa have zoning, and what does it mean for lots and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Kiowa divides its land into its own zoning districts: R-1, R-2, R-3, C-1, MU, C-2, A-1, I-1, I-2, I-3, F, M-1, M-2, PL-1, MB-1 and PD.2 The boundaries are drawn on the map titled "Official Zoning Districts of Kiowa", so the first step on any town lot is to find which district it sits in.5

One dimensional rule we confirmed: accessory buildings such as sheds and garages in the R-1, R-2 and R-3 residential districts need a rear yard of at least 5 feet from the property line.10 We could not confirm front or side setbacks, minimum home size, lot coverage or building height for the town; ask Kiowa Town Hall before you design anything.1

The larger lot sizes and setbacks in Elbert County's zoning regulations apply only to unincorporated land outside town limits, not to town lots.11

Do you need a building permit in the Town of Kiowa, and who issues it?

The Town of Kiowa issues building permits only for addresses inside its municipal limits, and the town says addresses outside those limits must get their permit through Elbert County.1 The town's building services, including plan review, inspections and permit issuance, are supported by a contracted firm, SafeBuilt, Inc.1

The town's municipal code adopts the 2012 International Residential Code, subject to local amendments, as the Town of Kiowa Residential Building Code.6 Building without a permit is costly: the town doubles its permit fees as a penalty for construction started without one.1

The town does not require contractor licensing or registration to pull a permit.1 Which small projects, if any, are exempt from a permit inside town we could not confirm, so ask the Building Department.

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Kiowa?

Septic permits for Kiowa addresses come from Elbert County Public Health, not from the town. Elbert County's on-site wastewater regulation states that it applies to all systems in unincorporated areas of the county and over all municipal corporations within the county's boundaries.3 Prior to installing, altering, expanding or repairing a septic system, the applicant must obtain a permit from the county health department.7

A septic permit is also required for title transfers, and the application calls for a soils report and a system design where needed.12 Whether a given lot must connect to town sewer instead we could not confirm, so ask Town Hall before you plan a septic system.1 The septic office is at 75 Ute Avenue in Kiowa.13

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or manufactured home in the Town of Kiowa?

RVs: the town's code makes it unlawful to park an occupied recreational vehicle on private property not specifically zoned for that use for more than 10 days in any 90-day period.8 Parking an RV on the street is limited to 48 hours in any 7-day period.8 A longer stay, even on your own lot, depends on the district allowing it.

Manufactured homes: the M-1 Mobile Home Parks district allows manufactured or factory-built homes on separately owned individual lots of at least 4,000 square feet.9 We could not confirm the rule in the town's other districts.

Tiny homes: we could not confirm a tiny-home provision in the town's code. Colorado does allow Division of Housing-approved tiny homes for long-term living, but only where local zoning permits them.14 Elbert County's tiny-house-on-wheels rule covers unincorporated land only.15

Building a home in the Town of Kiowa: the steps, in order

  • Confirm the address is inside town limits by calling Kiowa Town Hall, because a three-digit address does not guarantee it is inside them.1
  • Find the lot's zoning district on the town's zoning map.5
  • Ask Town Hall whether the lot connects to town water and sewer or needs a septic system.1
  • If the lot needs septic, apply to Elbert County Public Health first; the county requires the permit before installation.7
  • Submit the building permit application to the Town Building Department.1
  • Schedule inspections through the town's inspection line, listed on the Building Department page.1

What stays with Elbert County, and what to check before you buy in Kiowa?

Septic permits stay with Elbert County Public Health.3 Land outside town limits falls under the county, where a building permit is required for most new construction and the Elbert County Building Department issues it; see the Elbert County page for those rules.4

Before you buy, verify the lot is inside town limits, because that decides which permit office and which zoning rules apply.1 A new private well needs a state well permit from the Division of Water Resources.16 Direct driveway access to a state highway needs a state access permit.17

County-level context: Elbert County's effective property tax rate is about 0.4%.18

Watch-outs

  • An address that looks like it is in Kiowa may be outside town limits and under Elbert County's permit rules instead, so verify with the town before you rely on any rule here.1
  • The town's building department page and its municipal code may differ on which building code edition applies, so confirm the current edition with the Building Department before you design.6
  • We could not confirm town rules on tiny homes, accessory dwelling units, minimum home size, building height or fees; ask Kiowa Town Hall.1
  • Septic requirements inside town follow the county health department's regulation, so a septic permit is needed even where the town issues the building permit.3

Sources

  1. Town of Kiowa Building Department (townofkiowa.colorado.gov)
  2. Kiowa Municipal Code Sec. 16-21 Establishment of Zoning Districts (Town of Kiowa), quoted and re-checked
  3. OWTS Regulations | Elbert County, CO, quoted and re-checked
  4. Permits | Elbert County, CO, quoted and re-checked
  5. Kiowa Municipal Code Sec. 16-21 Establishment of Zoning Districts (Town of Kiowa), quoted and re-checked
  6. Kiowa Municipal Code Sec. 18-21 Adoption (International Residential Code) (Town of Kiowa), quoted and re-checked
  7. OWTS Regulations | Elbert County, CO, quoted and re-checked
  8. Kiowa Municipal Code Sec. 16-119.5 Parking of recreational vehicles (Town of Kiowa), quoted and re-checked
  9. Kiowa Municipal Code Sec. 16-32 M-1 Districts; permitted uses (Town of Kiowa), quoted and re-checked
  10. Kiowa Municipal Code Sec. 16-35.1 Minimum rear yards for accessory buildings in residential districts (Town of Kiowa), quoted and re-checked
  11. Regulations | Elbert County, CO, quoted and re-checked
  12. OWTS Permitting, quoted and re-checked
  13. Elbert County Public Health, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS) (elbertcounty-co.gov)
  14. Consumers of Manufactured Homes and Tiny Homes - HUD (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. elbertcounty-co.gov, quoted and re-checked
  16. Water Administration (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Access Permits | Frequently Asked Questions (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Effective property tax rate: 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 Kiowa

Town of Kiowa’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Residential construction inside Kiowa town

    • Adopted subject to the amendments contained in Article III.
    • Chapter 18 also contains other adopted codes (UBC, mechanical, plumbing, fire per the disposition table); only the IRC text was opened.

    code edition: IRC 2012 (Chapters 1 through 43 and Appendix Chapters G and H)

    “The International Residential Code, 2012 Edition, as published by the International Code Council, 4051 West Flossmoor Road, Country Club Hills, IL 60478, Chapters 1 through 43 inclusive and Appendix Chapters G and H, is hereby adopted by reference as the Town of Kiowa Residential Building Code as if fully set out in this Article subject to the amendments contained herein.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Kiowa town limits

    • Districts: R-1, R-2, R-3, C-1, MU, C-2, A-1, I-1, I-2, I-3, F, M-1, M-2, PL-1, MB-1, PD.
    “In order to carry out the provisions of this article, provision is hereby made for the division of the Town into the following zoning districts:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Land inside Kiowa town limits

    • Districts are shown on the map entitled "Official Zoning Districts of Kiowa"; the map itself was not opened.
    “The Town is divided into such of the aforesaid districts as are shown on the map entitled "Official Zoning Districts of Kiowa."”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Accessory buildings in R-1, R-2 and R-3 residential districts inside Kiowa town (rear yard only)

    • Other yards and principal-building setbacks (Sec. 16-35) not located in provided text.

    minimum accessory building rear yard: >= 5 ft

    “notwithstanding section 16-35 above, accessory buildings in zoning districts r-1, r-2 and r-3 shall have a minimum rear yard of five (5) feet from the property line.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Occupied recreational vehicles on private property inside Kiowa town

    • Applies to private property not specifically zoned to allow such use.
    • Occupied means used as a domicile with actual daily physical presence.
    • Street parking limited to 48 hours in any 7-day period.
    • RVs on a temporary basis in mobile home parks (M-1) are by special review under Sec. 16-54.

    occupancy limit: <= 10 days in any 90-day period (where zoned to allow such use)

    “It shall be unlawful to park an occupied recreational vehicle on private property not specifically zoned to allow such a use for more than ten (10) days in any ninety (90) day period.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    M-1 Mobile Home Parks district inside Kiowa town

    • Permitted in M-1 on separately owned individual lots.
    • Other districts not researched.

    minimum lot size: >= 4000 sq ft (M-1 district only)

    “manufactured homes or factory-built homes on individual lots which are separately owned. minimum lot size shall be four thousand (4,000) square feet.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Kiowa town
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Kiowa town
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Kiowa town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Kiowa town
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Kiowa town
16 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • 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 Kiowa publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Elbert County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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