Bolthole Index

Weld County, Colorado

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Town of Pierce, Colorado

The Town of Pierce, Colorado requires a town building permit for any building or structure inside town limits1, and the town sets its own zoning through districts such as R-1, A and E2. Septic systems are generally not allowed inside town; a private system needs Board of Trustees approval and only where public sewer is more than 400 feet from the building3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the Town of Pierce for buildings and structures; small sheds are exempt1
Zoning
Town zoning with districts R-1, R-2, MH, C-1, C-2, I-1, I-2, A, E and PUD2
Septic
Generally not allowed; only where public sewer is over 400 feet away, with Board of Trustees approval3
Building code
2024 International Residential Code with town amendments4
RV living
Not confirmed inside town; Weld County's RV rules cover unincorporated land only5
Manufactured homes
Limited to established manufactured home parks6
Minimum home size
900 sq ft in R-1, 1,000 sq ft in A, 1,200 sq ft in E789
Minimum lot size
7,500 sq ft in R-1, one acre in A, 25,000 sq ft in E101112

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Pierce, Building Permits (permitting run by SafeBuilt)

Building permit applications, plan review and inspections inside the Town of Pierce

(970) 834-2851

info@piercecolo.gov

144 Main Avenue, Pierce, CO 80650

Septic permits

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

Septic permits, site evaluations and inspections in Weld County; whether it also reviews systems inside Pierce is not confirmed

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

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Does the Town of Pierce, Colorado have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Pierce divides all land inside town limits into zoning districts13. The districts are R-1, R-2, MH, C-1, C-2, I-1, I-2, A, E and PUD, and the Zoning District Map is held by the Town Clerk2.

District matters. In the R-1 single-family district a lot needs at least 7,500 square feet and a home at least 900 square feet107, with a 25-foot front yard for principal buildings14. In the A agricultural district the minimum lot is one acre and the minimum home is 1,000 square feet118; the rear yard is 20 feet for the house and 10 feet for accessory buildings15. The E estate district asks for 25,000 square feet and a 1,200-square-foot home129.

Manufactured homes may be placed only in established manufactured home parks6. Accessory structures may not contain a dwelling unit or sleeping facility of any kind16. We did not find a tiny-home rule; the minimum floor areas above would apply to any dwelling. Ask the Town Clerk which district a parcel is in.

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

Yes. It is unlawful to erect, alter or change the use of a building or structure inside Pierce town limits without a town building permit1. The Town of Pierce issues building permits for new construction, renovations and additions, reviews plans and inspects the work, and permitting is run for the town by SafeBuilt17.

A permit is issued only when plans conform to zoning and the building code18. Pierce has adopted the 2024 International Residential Code with town amendments4. One-story detached sheds and playhouses up to 120 square feet and 10 feet tall, and fences up to 6 feet, are exempt under the town's amended code1. The town sets its own permit fees; we could not confirm the fee schedule19. We found no owner-builder rule inside town, so ask the town before assuming a homeowner can do their own work.

How do septic permits work inside Pierce?

Septic systems are generally not allowed inside the Town of Pierce. A private sewage disposal system is allowed only where the public sanitary sewer is more than 400 feet from the building, and only after application to the Board of Trustees with a system that complies with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment provisions3. The owner must connect and abandon the septic system when public sewer becomes available3.

Colorado law requires an on-site wastewater permit from the local public health agency before a building not served by a sewage treatment works can be built20. In Weld County that agency is Environmental Health Services21, which also states a policy of requiring public sewer wherever feasible22. We could not confirm on an official page whether the county or the town reviews the system itself inside Pierce, so call both the Town Clerk and Environmental Health Services before relying on a septic plan. Private wells inside town are also unconfirmed.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Pierce?

We could not confirm an RV or tiny-home rule for the Town of Pierce. The town does bar sleeping quarters in accessory structures16 and limits manufactured homes to parks6, so a camper or small structure on a lot inside town is unlikely to be a simple option.

Weld County's rules are different and apply only outside town: in unincorporated Weld County an RV may not be a principal dwelling5, though living in one temporarily while building a home on agricultural land is possible with a county zoning permit23. Do not assume the county's allowance carries over inside Pierce. Colorado's state rules do allow tiny homes approved by the Division of Housing for long-term living24, but town zoning still decides where one may sit. Ask the Town Clerk before you buy.

Building a home in Pierce: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Town Clerk which zoning district the parcel is in and what the minimum lot and home size are2.
  2. Check sewer. Find out where public sewer ends, because septic is generally not allowed within 400 feet of it3.
  3. Talk to the town's building permit technician, then apply through the town's online permit system17.
  4. Submit plans that conform to zoning and the adopted building code; the permit expires if work does not begin within 180 days18.
  5. Request inspections as the work proceeds25.
  6. Confirm with the Town Clerk whether a certificate of occupancy is required; we could not confirm it from the town code.

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

Weld County's building and zoning rules apply to unincorporated land, not inside Pierce. For a parcel outside town limits, see the Weld County page, where a county building permit is required26. Septic permits in Weld County come from Environmental Health Services22.

Before buying inside Pierce, confirm the zoning district, the distance to public sewer, and whether the parcel is in a flood zone; the town's permit technician asks about the floodway and flood zone before applications17. We could not confirm town driveway, height or lot-coverage rules. Weld County's effective property tax rate is 0.5%27.

Watch-outs

  • Septic is the surprise: the Town of Pierce generally bars private septic systems unless public sewer is more than 400 feet away3.
  • The town's own code limits manufactured homes to established parks, and it also has a conflicting foundation provision for homes outside parks, so confirm placement with the Town Clerk before buying6.
  • Short-term rentals of under 30 days need a license from the Town Clerk, and whole-house rentals with no host present are limited to 180 days per year28.

Sources

  1. Pierce Sec. 16-19-30 Enforcement; building permits (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  2. Pierce Sec. 16-1-10 Establishment of districts (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  3. Pierce Sec. 13-2-30 Connection with sanitary sewer required (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  4. Pierce Sec. 18-2-10 Adoption (IRC) (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  5. Zoning Permit for Manufactured Home/Structures (ZPMH) Procedural Guide, quoted and re-checked
  6. Pierce Sec. 16-4-10 MH District uses permitted (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  7. Pierce Sec. 16-2-70 R-1 Minimum floor area (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  8. Pierce Sec. 16-7-70 A Minimum floor area (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  9. Pierce Sec. 16-8-20 E District requirements (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  10. Pierce Sec. 16-2-20 R-1 Minimum lot area (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  11. Pierce Sec. 16-7-20 A Minimum lot area (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  12. Pierce Sec. 16-8-20 E District requirements (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  13. Pierce Sec. 16-1-10 Establishment of districts (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  14. Pierce Sec. 16-2-40 R-1 Minimum front yard (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  15. Pierce Sec. 16-7-50 A Minimum side yard (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  16. Pierce Sec. 16-18-111 Accessory uses and structures (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  17. Town of Pierce, Building Permits (permitting run by SafeBuilt) (piercecolo.gov)
  18. Pierce Sec. 16-19-30 Enforcement; building permits (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  19. Pierce Sec. 16-19-30 Enforcement; building permits (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  20. Title 25 - Public Health and Environment - Colorado Revised Statutes 2024 (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Weld County Environmental Health Services (On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems / Septic) (weld.gov)
  22. Environmental Health Services, quoted and re-checked
  23. Current Planning – Weld County, quoted and re-checked
  24. Consumers of Manufactured Homes and Tiny Homes - HUD (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Pierce Sec. 18-2-30 Amendments (Town of Pierce), quoted and re-checked
  26. Building Permit Applications and Inspections, quoted and re-checked
  27. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  28. Pierce Sec. 6-6-30 Short-term rental license required (Town of Pierce), 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Pierce

Town of Pierce’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erecting, altering or changing use of buildings inside Pierce town

    • Permit issued only if plans conform to zoning and building code.
    • Fee exemptions: remodeling that does not extend floor area or alter walls or structural support; construction valued under $50; accessory buildings of 100 sq ft or less and anchored.
    • IRC R105.2 as amended exempts one-story detached sheds/playhouses up to 120 sq ft and 10 ft roof height, and fences up to 6 ft.
    “It is unlawful to erect, construct, reconstruct, alter or change the use of any building or other structure within the Town limits without obtaining a building permit from the Town”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Residential construction inside Pierce town

    • Adopted with Town amendments (Sec. 18-2-30).
    • Only the residential code is shown here; other codes not checked.

    code edition: IRC 2024

    “is hereby adopted by reference as the Town of Pierce Residential Building Code as if fully set out in this ordinance”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Residential construction under the Town's adopted IRC inside Pierce town

    • Inspections arise through the adopted IRC with Town amendments; full inspection schedule not reviewed.
    “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

    All land inside Pierce town limits

    • Zoning district boundaries are on the Zoning District Map held by the Town Clerk.
    “In order to carry out the provisions of this Chapter, the Town is hereby divided into the following zoning districts:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Pierce town

    • Districts: R-1, R-2, MH, C-1, C-2, I-1, I-2, A, E, PUD.
    • Map is available in the office of the Town Clerk.
    “The boundaries of these districts are established as shown on a map entitled "Zoning District Map" of the Town”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    E Estate District, Pierce town

    • Other requirements same as R-1.

    minimum floor area: >= 1200 sq ft

    “The minimum floor area is 1,200 square feet.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Specified — R-1 Single-Family Residential District, Pierce town
      “The minimum requirement per dwelling for floor area in the R-1 District, not including basement, carport or garage area, is 900 square feet.”
    • Specified — A Agricultural District, Pierce town
      “The minimum requirement per dwelling for floor area in the A District is 1,000 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    E Estate District, Pierce town

    • Livestock or poultry permitted per Sec. 7-5-10.

    minimum lot area: >= 25000 sq ft

    “The minimum lot area is 25,000 square feet.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    A Agricultural District, Pierce town

    • Corner lots: principal building side yard setback is 50 feet.
    • Accessory buildings under 120 sq ft needing no permit may sit in rear and interior side setbacks (Sec. 16-18-111).

    side yard: >= 20 feet (50 feet for principal building on corner lots) · front yard: >= 25 feet · rear yard, principal buildings: >= 20 feet · rear yard, accessory buildings: >= 10 feet

    “The minimum requirements for rear yard setbacks in the A District are as follows: (1) principal buildings: 20 feet. (2) accessory buildings: ten feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — R-1 Single-Family Residential District, front yard only, Pierce town
      “The minimum requirements for front yards in the R-1 District are as follows: (1) principal buildings: 25 feet. (2) accessory buildings: 25 feet.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes inside Pierce town

    • Sec. 16-4-10 limits placement to established manufactured home parks (MH District, approved as planned unit developments).
    • Sec. 16-18-90 separately requires dwellings including manufactured homes not in a park to be on a permanent concrete foundation; the two provisions were not reconciled.
    “Manufactured homes may be located or placed only in established manufactured home parks.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory structures in all zone districts inside Pierce town

    • Accessory structures may not be used as living or sleeping quarters (limited exception for industrial security/maintenance quarters up to 1,200 sq ft).
    • Maximum three accessory structures in residential zones.
    • The short-term rental article refers to accessory dwelling units, so a separate ADU rule may exist; not found.
    “No accessory structure shall contain a dwelling unit or sleeping facility of any kind and shall not have plumbing except for a utility sink and a toilet.”
  • Septic permitLimited

    Private sewage disposal systems inside Pierce town

    • Septic systems are generally not allowed; allowed only where the public sewer is more than 400 feet from the building.
    • Requires application to the Board of Trustees and a system complying with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment provisions.
    • Must connect and abandon the septic system when public sewer becomes available.

    sewer distance threshold: > 400 feet

    “Where a public sanitary sewer is more than 400 feet from the building, sewer may, upon application to the Board of Trustees, be connected to a private sewage disposal system”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Privies, septic tanks, cesspools inside Pierce town

    • Allowed only where the public sewer is more than 400 feet away, upon Board of Trustees application, and compliant with CDPHE.
    “no person shall maintain within the Town any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended for use for the disposal of sewage.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Rentals under 30 days inside Pierce town

    • License required from the Town Clerk; not required for rentals of 30 consecutive days or more.
    • Whole-house rentals with no host present limited to 180 days per calendar year.
    • Only one license per person; deed-restricted affordable housing is ineligible.
    • Maximum occupancy is the lesser of two persons 18 or older per bedroom or septic capacity.

    max days with no host present: <= 180 days per year (unlimited when host present)

    “It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a short-term rental in the Town of Pierce without a license issued under this Article VI.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building permits inside Pierce town

    • Fee amounts are set by the Town (fee schedule not opened).
    • Exempt from fee: remodeling not extending floor area or altering structure, construction under $50, anchored accessory buildings of 100 sq ft or less.
    “For all building permits required, a fee established by the Town shall be charged”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building permits inside Pierce town

    • Plans must be submitted and conform to zoning and building code; permits expire if work not begun within 180 days (Sec. 18-2-30).
    “such permit shall not be issued unless the plans of and for the proposed erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration or use fully conform to the zoning and building code regulations then in effect”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Pierce town
  • Certificate of occupancy — New dwellings inside Pierce town
  • Lot coverage — Residential districts inside Pierce town
  • Building height — R-1 and A districts inside Pierce town
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Pierce town
7 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain

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 Pierce publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Weld County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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