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

At a glance

Zoning

Yes, the Town zones its own land under the Firestone Development Code (Title 16)¹

Zoning districts

RR, R-A, R-B, R-C, OTR, OTC, NC, RC, LI, AG, OS, PLI, PUD and DR, plus FPO, DO and UO overlays⁵

Building permits

Issued by the Town's Building Division, not Weld County²

Building code

International Residential Code adopted with local amendments⁶

Septic

Permits come from the local public health agency, not the Town; whether septic is allowed on a given lot inside town is unconfirmed³

Camping on Town property

Needs written permission from the Town Manager or designee⁷

Floodplain

Residential lowest floor must be at least 1 foot above base flood elevation⁸

Wells

State well permit required for a new well that diverts groundwater⁴

Who to call

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

Does Firestone, Colorado have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Firestone zones the land inside its limits under the Firestone Development Code, Title 16 of the municipal code, and publishes a Town zoning map¹. The code establishes these districts: RR, R-A, R-B, R-C, OTR, OTC, NC, RC, LI, AG, OS, PLI, PUD and DR, plus FPO, DO and UO overlays⁵. Newly annexed undeveloped land is zoned DR Developing Resource unless the Town zones it otherwise at annexation¹.

Lot sizes, setbacks, height limits and minimum dwelling size depend on the district, and we could not confirm those numbers for the RR, R-A and AG districts. Ask the Town's Planning Department at planning@firestoneco.gov or 303-833-3291 for the standards that apply to your parcel⁹. Colorado leaves zoning and building-code adoption mostly to local governments¹⁰.

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

The Town's own Building Division issues building permits inside Firestone. Its page says the division reviews construction plans, issues permits, performs inspections and enforces ordinances². Weld County's Building Inspection Division covers unincorporated Weld County, not land inside town limits¹¹.

We could not confirm which small projects the Town exempts from a building permit, or the Town's owner-builder rules, so call 303-833-3291 or email building@firestoneco.gov before you start any work². Firestone's municipal code adopts the International Residential Code with local amendments⁶, and the Town's fee page lists the 2018 International Residential Code among its adopted codes¹². Fees are tied to project valuation, which the Town defines as the total cost of labor and materials¹².

How do septic permits work inside Firestone?

The Town does not issue septic permits. Colorado law requires a permit from the local public health agency before anyone constructs, alters or installs an on-site wastewater treatment system³. In Weld County, that is the county health department's Environmental Health Services Division, which oversees septic permitting for systems under 2,000 gallons per day¹³.

We could not confirm whether the Town allows septic systems at all inside its limits or requires a sewer connection. Weld County's own policy is to require public sewer where feasible and to limit septic to areas where sewer is not feasible¹⁴. Call Weld County Environmental Health Services at (970) 400-6415 and the Town's Planning & Development Department at 303-833-3291 before you count on septic for a Firestone lot¹⁴⁹.

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

We could not confirm a rule for living in an RV on a private lot inside Firestone. The town code provisions we found cover camping on Town-owned property, which requires written permission from the Town Manager or designee, and they do not address private land⁷. Statewide camping rules for state parks do not answer the question for a private lot¹⁵.

For tiny homes, Colorado treats Division of Housing-approved units as approved for long-term living, but they must still meet local zoning¹⁶. HUD-code manufactured homes can be installed in Colorado only where local zoning allows it¹⁷. Ask the Planning Department whether your district allows either one⁹.

Building a home in Firestone: the steps, in order

1. Confirm the parcel is inside Firestone town limits and find its zoning district on the Town zoning map¹.
2. Ask the Planning Department for the district's lot-size, setback and dwelling-size standards⁹.
3. Settle water and sewer: ask the Town whether a sewer connection is required, and call Weld County Environmental Health Services at (970) 400-6415 if septic is even possible¹⁴.
4. Check floodplain maps. Inside a special flood hazard area, a new residence needs its lowest floor at least 1 foot above base flood elevation⁸.
5. Apply for a building permit with the Building Division; the Town's fee page links its online portal¹².
6. Schedule the inspections the Building Division requires; we could not confirm the Town's inspection stages, so ask when you pull the permit².

What stays with Weld County, and what to check before you buy in Firestone

Weld County's building, zoning and septic rules for unincorporated Weld County stop at the town line. Outside Firestone, the county Building Inspection Division requires a building permit for regulated structures¹¹. Septic permits come from the Weld County health department, and private wells need a Colorado Division of Water Resources permit⁴.

A driveway that meets a state highway needs a CDOT access permit¹⁸. We could not confirm the Town's driveway rules for local streets. Taxes are measured county-wide: Weld County's effective property tax rate is 0.5% and the median property tax bill is $2,242 a year¹⁹²⁰.

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm Firestone's rules for private-lot RV living, tiny homes, minimum lot size, setbacks or owner-builder work, so call the Town's Planning & Development Department at 303-833-3291 before you buy⁹.
• Weld County's building and septic answers apply to unincorporated land; a Firestone address follows the Town's Building Division for building permits and the Town's zoning code².
• Septic inside town limits is unconfirmed: Colorado requires an OWTS permit from the local public health agency, but we could not confirm whether the Town permits septic systems at all³.

Sources

1. Firestone Municipal Code 16.2.1 General provisions (zoning districts) (Town of Firestone), quoted and re-checked
2. Town of Firestone Building Division (Planning & Development Department) (firestoneco.gov)
3. Title 25 - Public Health and Environment - Colorado Revised Statutes 2024 (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
4. Water Administration (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
5. Firestone Municipal Code 16.2.1 General provisions (zoning districts) (Town of Firestone), quoted and re-checked
6. Firestone Municipal Code 15.06.085 IRC Section R202 (Town of Firestone), quoted and re-checked
7. Firestone Municipal Code 8.06.010 Unauthorized camping on Town property (Town of Firestone), quoted and re-checked
8. Firestone Municipal Code 15.52.110 Flood hazard reduction specific standards (Town of Firestone), quoted and re-checked
9. Town of Firestone Planning Department (Planning & Development Department) (firestoneco.gov)
10. Land Use Planning and Regulation in Colorado (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
11. Building Permit Applications and Inspections, quoted and re-checked
12. Town of Firestone Building Permits & Fees page (firestoneco.gov)
13. Environmental Health Services, quoted and re-checked
14. Weld County Environmental Health Services (On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems / Septic) (weld.gov)
15. Title 33 - Parks and Wildlife - Colorado Revised Statutes 2024 (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. Consumers of Manufactured Homes and Tiny Homes - HUD (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. Consumers of Manufactured Homes and Tiny Homes - HUD (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
18. Access Permits | Frequently Asked Questions (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
19. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
20. 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.