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

At a glance

Building permit

Required; the Town of Severance Building Department issues it⁵⁶

Building code

2024 International Residential Code with Town amendments¹

Zoning

Yes, Town zoning districts under Land Use Code Article 3²⁷

Rural Residential lot size

1.25 acres minimum; 2.5 acres per dwelling gross density⁸

RV living

Only in a permitted RV park or campground; guests up to 7 days a year³

Septic

Weld County runs OWTS permits countywide; confirm sewer service with the Town⁴⁹

Wells

Permit required under Colorado DWR¹⁰

Who to call

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

Do you need a building permit in Severance, CO?

Yes. The Town of Severance requires building permits for work inside town limits under its own amended International Residential Code⁵. The Town adopted the 2024 edition of the code¹. Only small jobs are exempt: one-story detached sheds and playhouses up to 120 sq ft with a roof height up to 10 ft, fences not over 6 ft, and minor shingle repair⁵. Swimming pool barriers of any height are not exempt⁵.

Starting work before a permit can bring an investigation fee up to the permit fee⁵. Permits expire 180 days after the last inspection or any sign of inactivity⁶. We could not confirm whether the Town offers an owner-builder path for homeowners; ask the Building Department.

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

The Town of Severance Building Department handles building permit applications, plan review and contractor licenses, at 970-692-7315⁶. The Town now only accepts online applications for building permits and contractor registrations⁶. Inspections are handled by SAFEbuilt Colorado, not the Building Department counter⁶. The Town adds an insulation inspection to the standard residential inspections¹¹. Weld County's building division serves only unincorporated land, so it is the wrong counter for a lot inside Severance.

Does Severance have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size, setbacks and RVs?

Yes. Severance divides the town into zoning districts under Land Use Code Article 3². The Community Planning department oversees zoning, rezoning and conditional use permits⁷. We reviewed only the Rural Residential district; the full district list was not confirmed, so call Community Planning at 970-686-1218 for your parcel's district⁷.

In Rural Residential, the minimum lot size is 1.25 acres, with gross density capped at 2.5 acres per dwelling unit; clustered lots can be smaller when open space or farmland is preserved⁸. Setbacks outside building envelopes are 25 feet front, 7.5 feet side and 30 feet rear for a house, and 25 feet front, 5 feet side and 5 feet rear for an accessory building¹².

How do septic permits work in Severance?

We could not confirm who permits septic systems inside Severance town limits. Weld County Environmental Health Services administers septic permits, site evaluations and inspections for on-site systems under 2,000 gallons per day in Weld County⁴. Weld County's stated policy is to require public sewer where feasible and limit on-site systems to areas where sewer is not feasible⁹. Before you plan a septic system, ask the Town whether your lot has sewer service, then call Weld County Environmental Health Services at (970) 400-6415⁹. Colorado also requires a well permit for new or replacement wells¹⁰.

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

Severance allows living in an RV, bus, camper or trailer coach only within a permitted RV park or campground³. The one exception is housing guests on private residential property for no more than 7 days in a calendar year³. Camping on Town property needs written permission from the authorized Town officer¹³. Living in an RV on your own lot while you build is not allowed under these rules, unlike the rule for agricultural land in unincorporated Weld County¹⁴. Tiny-home rules inside Severance were not confirmed; ask Community Planning.

Building a home in Severance: the steps, in order

1. Call Community Planning at 970-686-1218 to confirm your parcel's zoning district, lot size and setbacks⁷.
2. Ask the Town whether the lot has sewer; if not, call Weld County Environmental Health Services about a septic permit⁹.
3. Check whether the lot touches a mapped flood hazard area, where the lowest floor must be elevated one foot above the base flood elevation and certified by a Colorado engineer, architect or surveyor¹⁵.
4. Apply online for the building permit, with construction documents in PDF and contractor details⁶.
5. Use a contractor who holds a Town contractor license⁶.
6. Book inspections through SAFEbuilt Colorado, including the Town's insulation inspection⁶¹¹.

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

Land outside Severance town limits falls under Weld County's rules instead; see the Weld County page. Septic permits and well permits are county and state matters even for town addresses⁴¹⁰. The numbers below are Weld County figures: farmland averages $3,798 per acre¹⁶, the effective property tax rate is 0.5%¹⁷, and the median property tax bill is $2,242 a year¹⁸. Annual precipitation is 14.4 inches¹⁹, so ask about water service before you buy.

Watch-outs

• Only the Rural Residential district's lot and setback standards were reviewed, so a parcel in another Severance district may have different numbers⁸.
• Starting work without a permit can bring an investigation fee of up to the permit fee⁵.
• Property in a mapped flood hazard area faces extra elevation and RV-stay limits; RVs there must be on site fewer than 180 consecutive days¹⁵.
• We could not confirm permit fees, septic rules inside town limits, tiny-home, accessory dwelling or owner-builder rules in Severance; call the Building Department at 970-692-7315⁶.

Sources

1. Severance Municipal Code Sec. 18-2-30 Residential Code amendments (Town of Severance), quoted and re-checked
2. Severance Municipal Code Sec. 16.3.105 Lot and building standards (Rural Residential) (Town of Severance), quoted and re-checked
3. Severance Municipal Code Sec. 8-2-50 Vehicles as a residence (Town of Severance), quoted and re-checked
4. Environmental Health Services, quoted and re-checked
5. Severance Municipal Code Sec. 18-2-30 Residential Code amendments (Town of Severance), quoted and re-checked
6. Town of Severance Building Department (townofseverance.org)
7. Town of Severance Community Planning (townofseverance.org)
8. Severance Municipal Code Sec. 16.3.105 Lot and building standards (Rural Residential) (Town of Severance), quoted and re-checked
9. Weld County Environmental Health Services (On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems / Septic) (weld.gov)
10. Well Permitting | Division of Water Resources, quoted and re-checked
11. Severance Municipal Code Sec. 18-2-30 Residential Code amendments (Town of Severance), quoted and re-checked
12. Severance Municipal Code Sec. 16.3.105 Lot and building standards (Rural Residential) (Town of Severance), quoted and re-checked
13. Severance Municipal Code Sec. 10-5-35 Unauthorized camping on public property (Town of Severance), quoted and re-checked
14. Current Planning – Weld County, quoted and re-checked
15. Severance Municipal Code Sec. 16.10.420 Specific standards (flood) (Town of Severance), quoted and re-checked
16. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data
17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
18. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
19. Annual precipitation: 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.