⛰️ Buying land in Custer County, Colorado

1. Zoning and minimum lot size

1. County zoning has been in place since April 6, 1971. The current Zoning Resolution is dated Dec 8, 2025.
2. Zones and minimum lot areas: Zone I Grape Creek 80 acres, Zone II Sangre de Cristo 35 acres, Zone III Wet Mountain/Hardscrabble 10 acres, Zone IV Foothills 5 acres. Zone IV is the main residential area where most subdivisions are. Zone III includes heavy timber and steep terrain.
3. Uses by right: farming, ranching, one single-family home and accessory buildings (up to 10% of the land). Most other uses need a Special Use Permit.
4. Lots smaller than the zone minimum that were created before zoning (1971) can be built on if other rules are met. You need a plat or deed dated before zoning to prove it.
5. Setbacks: lots 3 acres or more need 50 ft from property lines and road easements (60 ft from the edge of the driven road where no easement is recorded). Lots from 1/2 acre to 3 acres need 25 ft. Lots 1/2 acre or less need 10 ft.
6. Maximum building height is 30 ft.
7. No building code applies in the unincorporated county. A zoning permit is needed for any structure over 100 sq ft. Before a permit closes you must show rough-in and final electrical and plumbing inspections.
8. A zoning permit is good for 2 years to dried-in and 3 years to finish. A 2% county use tax on building materials is collected at the building or septic permit.
9. 2026 fees: dwelling $0.75 per sq ft if permitted before you build ($2.25 per sq ft after the fact), address $25, setback or multi-dwelling variance $400, Special Use Permit $525, short-term rental permit $525.
10. Factory-built homes must be built after 1977 and need a Road and Bridge permit to move in.
11. The county says its P&Z documents are under review. Some, like the 2011 Subdivision Regulations, are marked missing on the county site, so Sierra could not check them.

Sources: Zoning Resolution, Dec 8, 2025 (PDF), 2026 fee list (PDF), Zoning Regulations page, Zoning map.

2. Water rights and wells

1. Wells are permitted by the state Division of Water Resources (DWR), not the county. Look up any existing well permit with DWR Well Permit search.
2. State law exempts small wells (up to 15 gallons per minute) for household use in up to 3 homes, livestock and up to 1 acre of lawn and garden. A well that is the only well on 35 acres or more is presumed to qualify for that permit.
3. On smaller lots, a well may be limited to in-house use or need an augmentation plan. DWR warns that in most of Colorado you may not get a well permit for lawn, garden or livestock without one.
4. The Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District offers a "curtailable" augmentation plan for an area in Fremont and Custer counties (Case 18CW3076). It is not available for in-house household use and can be shut off when streams are low. Sierra could not confirm whether a given Custer parcel can get standard augmentation. Call the District with the legal description.
5. The county needs proof of a legally adequate, physically available water source before it issues a home permit.
6. Round Mountain Water and Sanitation District serves some lots near Westcliffe. Ask the district if a lot is inside its area.

Sources: DWR Well Permitting, C.R.S. 37-92-602, DWR Augmentation Plans, UAWCD Augmentation Services, UAWCD curtailable application (PDF), Round Mountain Water and Sanitation.

3. Septic (OWTS)

1. Septic permits are issued by county Planning and Zoning, the same office as zoning permits.
2. A home permit needs an approved septic permit first.
3. 2026 septic fees: new standard, vault or engineered system $350, modification $200, repair $120. Inspections are included, and a repeat trip is $75.
4. A soil evaluation is part of the process. The county posts a soil evaluators list and links the state OWTS regulations.
5. Vault systems need a Board of Health variance. Dumping black or gray water on the ground or into creeks is not allowed.
6. The county's own 2016 OWTS regulations are marked missing on its site, so Sierra could not confirm local rules like minimum lot size for septic.

Sources: Building Permits and Applications, 2026 fee list (PDF), Zoning Resolution (PDF).

4. Camping and RVs

1. Recreational stays in an RV, tent, teepee or yurt are limited to 90 days in a 12-month period starting Jan 1, unless the lot has an approved septic system.
2. You must show proof you dump at an approved site.
3. The county has a Tiny House / RV permit. Ask Planning and Zoning what it needs for your lot.

Sources: Zoning Resolution (PDF), Building Permits and Applications.

5. Power and off-grid

1. Sangre de Cristo Electric Association (SDCEA) serves the Westcliffe area and keeps a crew and staking engineer in Westcliffe. Sierra did not find an official map for every part of the county, so confirm the provider for your parcel.
2. For a new service or line extension, SDCEA charges a non-refundable Engineering Design Fee and the cost to build the line (Policy C-7). Current amounts are in its fee schedule (C-99), which Sierra did not confirm.
3. Off-grid homes are not banned in the Zoning Resolution. Solar and other electrical work still needs state electrical inspection proof before the county permit closes.

Sources: SDCEA About, SDCEA service FAQ, SDCEA Policy C-7 (PDF), Zoning Resolution (PDF).

6. Roads, access and winter snow

1. A new driveway onto a county road needs a Road and Bridge driveway access permit. The owner pays, and culverts must be at least 15 inches.
2. Access onto a state highway needs a CDOT permit.
3. County road standard: 60 ft right-of-way, 24 ft road surface, max grade 8% (10% for short stretches up to 200 yards).
4. Plow order: main roads and school bus routes first, then collectors, then local roads, then cul-de-sacs. Big storms and budget can delay plowing, and there is no bare pavement policy.
5. The county will not plow driveways or private roads, even the part inside the county right-of-way. Plan for your own snow removal.
6. Check state highway conditions on COtrip.

Sources: Road and Bridge, Snow Removal Policy (PDF), Road Specifications (PDF), Driveway access permit.

7. Flood and wildfire

1. Check flood zones on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Sierra did not find a county floodplain permit page, so ask Planning and Zoning.
2. Check wildfire risk on the Colorado Forest Atlas. Zone III has heavy timber and steep terrain.
3. Fire restrictions: none in effect as of Nov 1, 2026. Check the county's burn ban chart before any fire.
4. Open burning (slash or agricultural burns) needs a county open burn permit under Ordinance 20-01 and the Open Burn Plan.
5. Sign up for county emergency alerts on the Fire Information page.
6. Sierra did not confirm whether Custer County has adopted the state Wildfire Resiliency Code.

Sources: Fire Information, Open Burn Permit, Ordinance 20-01, CWPP Appendix C.

8. Livestock

1. Farming and ranching are uses by right in every zone.
2. The county has a Right to Ranch policy (Resolution 98-14, citing C.R.S. 35-3.5-101). Expect ranch smells, noise and livestock on roads.
3. Landowners have duties for fences, ditches and weeds. The county points to Colorado Parks and Wildlife fence guidance (top wire 40 inches or lower).
4. Sierra found no per-acre limit on personal livestock in the Zoning Resolution. Confirm with Planning and Zoning.

Sources: Zoning Resolution (PDF).

9. Property tax basics

1. Look up a parcel's value and owner in the Assessor's qPublic property search.
2. Real property value notices go out May 1. Objections run May 1 to June 8.
3. Taxes: pay half by the last day of February and half by June 15, or the full amount by the last day of April. Late balances get 1% interest per month.
4. View tax statements on the Treasurer's portal. The 2026 tax lien sale is Nov 18, 2026.
5. Recording a deed costs $43 per document, plus a state documentary fee of $0.10 per $1,000.
6. Sierra did not confirm current assessment rates or mill levies. Ask the Assessor for the tax on a specific parcel.

Sources: Assessor, Treasurer, Recording Services.

10. Who to call

1. Planning and Zoning (zoning and septic permits): PO Box 150, Westcliffe, 719-783-2669, pz@custercounty-co.gov, Mon to Thu 8 to 5. Website.
2. Road and Bridge (roads, plowing, driveway permits): 213 N 4th St, Westcliffe, 719-783-2281. Website.
3. Assessor: 719-783-2218. Website.
4. Treasurer: 719-783-2341. Website.
5. Clerk and Recorder (deeds): 205 S 6th St, Westcliffe, 719-783-2441. Records from 1981 on can be searched free on site. Website.
6. Emergency Management (fire and alerts): 719-467-0531. Website.
7. County main office: 719-783-4207. Department directory.
8. Wells: Colorado DWR. Website.
9. Augmentation: Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District, PO Box 1090, Salida, 719-539-5425. Website.
10. Power: SDCEA, 719-395-2412. Website.