Bolthole Index

Weld County, Colorado

Building permits, zoning and land rules in the Town of Nunn, Colorado

The Town of Nunn, Colorado, in Weld County, requires a building permit for new buildings, additions and most remodels, and applications go to the Town Clerk at Town Hall1. Inside town limits, Nunn adopts and enforces its own zoning and building code23. Septic permits and wells are a different office: we could not confirm who handles septic inside Nunn, so call Weld County Environmental Health Services4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside Nunn town limits, with exemptions for small sheds and low fences5
Zoning
Nunn has its own zoning code with A and R-1 districts, among others26
Building code
International Building and Residential Codes, 2018 editions, with town amendments3
RV living
Not allowed as a dwelling, except a self-propelled RV with a temporary use permit7
Minimum lot
5 acres in the A district; 10,000 sq ft per dwelling in R-189
Minimum home size
1,000 sq ft in A; 750 sq ft in R-11011
Septic
Not confirmed inside town limits; ask Weld County Environmental Health Services12

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Nunn, Town Clerk's office (building permits and planning)

Building permit applications, planning board review and permit fees inside the Town of Nunn; inspections are done by the town's contracted inspection firm

970.897.2385

town.clerk@townofnunnco.gov

185 Lincoln Ave/P.O. Box 171 Nunn, CO 80648

Septic permits

Weld County Environmental Health Services (On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems / Septic)

Septic (on-site wastewater treatment system) permits, site evaluations and inspections in Weld County

(970) 400-6415

1150 O St., Greeley, CO 80631

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

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Nunn, CO?

Yes. Inside Nunn town limits, building work generally needs a permit, and the town's code exempts only small items such as one-story detached sheds up to 120 square feet with a roof height up to 10 feet, and fences not over six feet5. The town's own list of typical permit projects adds new buildings, including agriculture buildings, additions, decks, re-roofing, furnace and water heater replacements, and any renovation that changes walls, plumbing or electrical1. A permit expires if work does not start within 180 days5.

The Town of Nunn adopted the 2018 International Building Code and International Residential Code with local amendments3. Residential projects also get an added insulation inspection before wall coverings go up13.

Who issues building permits in Nunn, and how do you reach them?

The Town Clerk's office at Nunn Town Hall takes every building permit application: "All building permits are applied for at the Town of Nunn clerk's office"1. Call 970.897.2385 or email town.clerk@townofnunnco.gov; Town Hall is at 185 Lincoln Ave/P.O. Box 171 Nunn, CO 806481.

The town does not inspect work itself: "Town of Nunn does not do inspections; you will be responsible for contacting SAFEbuilt for all inspections as required"1. Projects on buildings over 120 square feet also need planning board approval first1. The Weld County Building Division serves unincorporated land only, so a parcel inside Nunn does not go to the county counter14.

Does Nunn have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes, lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Nunn has its own zoning in Title 17 of its code, with agricultural (A), R-1 and R-2 residential, commercial and industrial districts26. The rules differ by district:

  • A (Agricultural): minimum lot of five acres8, minimum home of 1,000 square feet10, and a 50-foot front yard15.
  • R-1 (Single-Family Residential): minimum lot of 10,000 square feet per dwelling9, minimum home of 750 square feet, excluding basement, carport and garage11, a 25-foot front yard, 10-foot side yards and a 30-foot rear yard for the main building16.

A manufactured home counts as a single-family dwelling only if it has a permanent foundation with a concrete or masonry perimeter enclosure and meets minimum size rules of 864 square feet, 24 feet wide and 36 feet long17. We could not confirm town rules on tiny homes or accessory dwelling units; ask the Town Clerk1.

How do septic permits work in Nunn?

We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside Nunn town limits, so ask before you plan a system. In Weld County, Environmental Health Services administers permits for on-site wastewater systems with flows under 2,000 gallons a day12, and a permit is required for any new, repaired, upgraded or reconnected system18. The county's stated policy is to require public sewer where feasible and to limit on-site systems to areas where sewer is not feasible4. Call (970) 400-6415 to confirm whether your lot must connect to sewer or can have a septic system4.

Wells are state-regulated: Colorado requires a permit for every new groundwater-diverting well, including residential wells19.

Can you live in an RV on your land in Nunn?

Mostly no. Nunn's code says conveyances may not be used as dwelling units except as listed7. The one exception: a self-propelled recreational vehicle may be used as a dwelling unit only when specifically approved in a temporary use permit for a use the zoning code allows7. We could not confirm town rules on camping on private land or on tiny homes, so ask the Town Clerk before parking anything you plan to sleep in1.

The county's RV allowance for living on-site during construction applies only to unincorporated Weld County, not inside Nunn20.

Building a home in Nunn: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district of your lot with the Town Clerk, since lot size, home size and setbacks depend on it1.
  2. Settle sewer or septic with Weld County Environmental Health Services at (970) 400-64154.
  3. Fill out the building permit application and submit plans showing easements and setbacks to Town Hall1.
  4. Attend the planning board for buildings over 120 square feet; variances go to the Town Board1.
  5. Pay the fees the town invoices after SAFEbuilt returns the review, then begin work1.
  6. Schedule inspections, including the added insulation inspection, directly with SAFEbuilt113.

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

Outside Nunn's limits, the county's rules apply instead. Unincorporated Weld County requires building permits and has its own zoning, and the county page for that land is Weld County2122. Septic and floodplain questions also route through county offices12.

If your lot lies in a mapped flood hazard area, Nunn requires the lowest floor to sit one foot above base flood elevation23. Weld County's effective property tax rate is 0.5%24.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm septic permits, certificate of occupancy rules or owner-builder rules inside Nunn town limits; call the Town Clerk at 970.897.2385 and Weld County Environmental Health Services at (970) 400-641514.
  • Nunn's code adopts the 2018 building codes, while the town's permit page links a 2024 International Building Code; confirm which edition applies to your plans with the Town Clerk31.
  • Weld County's rules for unincorporated land, including its RV and owner-builder provisions, do not apply inside Nunn town limits20.

Sources

  1. Town of Nunn, Town Clerk's office (building permits and planning) (townofnunn.colorado.gov)
  2. Nunn Code 17.12.010 R-1 uses permitted (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  3. Nunn Code 15.04.120 International Residential Code (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  4. Weld County Environmental Health Services (On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems / Septic) (weld.gov)
  5. Nunn Code 15.04.120 International Residential Code (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  6. Nunn Code 15.12.010 Use of a conveyance as a building (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  7. Nunn Code 15.12.010 Use of a conveyance as a building (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  8. Nunn Code 17.32.020 A district minimum lot area (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  9. Nunn Code 17.12.020 R-1 minimum lot area (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  10. Nunn Code 17.32.070 A district minimum floor area (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  11. Nunn Code 17.12.070 R-1 minimum floor area (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  12. Environmental Health Services, quoted and re-checked
  13. Nunn Code 15.04.120 International Residential Code (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  14. Building Permit Applications and Inspections, quoted and re-checked
  15. Nunn Code 17.32.040 A district minimum front yard (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  16. Nunn Code 17.12.040 R-1 minimum front yard (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  17. Nunn Code 17.60.010 Terms defined (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  18. New System, Repair, Vault, and Statement of Existing, quoted and re-checked
  19. Water Administration (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Current Planning – Weld County, quoted and re-checked
  21. Building Permit Applications and Inspections, quoted and re-checked
  22. Current Planning – Weld County, quoted and re-checked
  23. Nunn Code 17.84.200 Flood specific standards (Town of Nunn), quoted and re-checked
  24. 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 Nunn

Town of Nunn’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Building work inside Nunn town

    • Exempt: one-story detached accessory structures (sheds, playhouses) up to 120 sq ft and roof height up to 10 ft; fences not over six feet; minor shingle repair
    • Permit expires if work not commenced within 180 days

    exempt shed floor area: <= 120 sq ft (roof height not over 10 ft)

    “irc section r105.2 (work exempt from permit) is amended by:”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Nunn town

    • Adopted with local amendments
    • IBC 2018 and IRC 2018 and IPC 2018; IECC 2012

    IRC edition: 2018 (town amendments) · IBC edition: 2018 (town amendments)

    “The International Building Code, 2018 edition, as published by the International Code Council”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted residential construction inside Nunn town

    • Insulation inspection added by town amendment to IRC R109.1.5
    “Inspection of the structure shall be made following installation of the wall, ceiling and floor insulation and exterior windows and before wall coverings are installed.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Nunn town limits; Title 17 Zoning with A, R-1, R-2 and other districts

    “The following uses shall be permitted in the R-1 district:”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Zoning districts inside Nunn town (A, R-1, R-2, commercial, industrial seen in code)

    • Only some district chapters were retrieved; no zoning map reviewed.
    “Within the industrial, commercial, and agriculture zoning districts:”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Residential district inside Nunn town

    • Excludes basement, carport, garage

    minimum floor area: >= 750 sq ft per dwelling

    “the minimum floor area in the r-1 district shall be 750 feet per dwelling.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    A Agricultural district inside Nunn town

    minimum lot area: >= 5 acres

    “the minimum lot area in the a district shall be five acres.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — R-1 Single-Family Residential district inside Nunn town
      “the minimum lot area in the r-1 district shall be 10,000 square feet per dwelling.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Residential district inside Nunn town

    • Accessory buildings have different yards from principal buildings

    front yard principal: >= 25 ft · front yard accessory: >= 25 ft · side yard principal: >= 10 ft each side · side yard accessory: >= 5 ft each side · side yard abutting street: >= 25 ft · rear yard principal: >= 30 ft · rear yard accessory: >= 5 ft

    “the minimum side yard in the r-1 district shall be as follows:”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Dwelling use of RVs inside Nunn town

    • Conveyances may not be dwelling units except as listed
    • Self-propelled RV only with temporary use permit for a use allowed by zoning code
    “a person may use a self-propelled recreational vehicle or recreational camper as a dwelling unit when specifically approved in the issuance of a temporary use permit for a use allowed by the town zoning code.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile/manufactured homes as single-family dwellings inside Nunn town

    • Permanent foundation and concrete or masonry perimeter enclosure
    • Wheels removed
    • Compatible with neighborhood character

    minimum floor area: >= 864 sq ft · minimum width: >= 24 ft · minimum length: >= 36 ft

    “as defined herein, the term "single-family dwelling does not include a mobile home unless such mobile home meets each of the following criteria:”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Special flood hazard areas inside Nunn town

    • Applies where base flood elevation data has been provided
    • Lowest floor one foot above BFE; certification by Colorado PE, architect or surveyor

    elevation above base flood: >= 1 ft

    “new construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor (including basement), electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, and air conditioning equipment and other service facilities (including ductwork), elevated to one foot above the base flood elevation.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder inside Nunn town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Nunn town
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Nunn town
  • Building height — Building height limits inside Nunn town
  • Camping on your land — Camping on private land inside Nunn town
14 more unanswered
  • 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 Nunn publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Weld County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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