⛰️ Buying land in Park County, Colorado

1. Zoning and minimum lot size

1. Every parcel in unincorporated Park County is in a zone district. Look it up on the county Interactive Parcel/Zoning Map. The Assessor's "account type" is not the zone district.
2. Zone districts in Article V of the Land Use Regulations: A, A-35, CR, R, MR, R-20, R-35, MU, C, I, M, RVC, MHP and PUD. Only one principal building is allowed per lot.
3. R (Residential) zone, Table 5-304a: the minimum lot is 5 acres if more than half the lot has a slope of 20% or less, 6 acres if more than half is 20% to 30%, and 8 acres if more than half is over 30%. Height limit 35 ft. Setbacks: 30 ft front (50 ft on a state or federal highway), 30 ft side, 20 ft rear, and 50 ft from watercourses and wetlands.
4. In the R zone you can build a single family home or a duplex, not both. Accessory buildings are not allowed on lots under 35 acres until there is a home.
5. A (Agricultural) zone: lots under 35 acres created before June 1, 1972 are legal nonconforming. Lots created on or after that date that are under 35 acres cannot be rezoned to A. Height limit 50 ft.
6. Sierra could not confirm the current minimum lot sizes for the MR, R-20, R-35 and A-35 zones in Article V. Ask Planning and Zoning before you buy.
7. A lot under 35 acres that is not in a subdivision generally needs a deed with a metes and bounds description recorded before Aug 8, 1967 to be buildable, per the county Development Guide. Ask Planning to confirm your lot.
8. An ADU is allowed on lots of 2 acres or more. Storage containers need a permit and cannot be stacked.
9. Property taxes must be paid up before the county approves any Article V permit.

Sources: Land Use Regulations Article V (Zoning), Land Use Regulations, Park County Development Guide, GIS Mapping.

2. Water rights and wells

1. Well permits come from the Colorado Division of Water Resources (DWR), not the county. Private wells serve most homes in Park County.
2. Under C.R.S. 37-92-602, an exempt household well can pump up to 15 gallons per minute and serve up to three single family homes, livestock and up to one acre of garden and lawn.
3. The same law gives a lighter review to a well that is the only well on a tract of 35 acres or more. On a smaller residential lot, the well may be limited to household use inside one home with no outdoor watering. Check the actual permit.
4. Before you buy, look up the well permit with the DWR Well Permit Search. The permit file shows what the well is allowed to be used for.
5. DWR says review of a new well permit application can take up to 49 days. A Change of Owner form updates the contact on the permit after closing.
6. Bailey area PFAS: in Dec 2022 a private well tested high, and 8 of 14 wells the state then tested in Burland Ranchettes were above EPA's proposed limit. See CDPHE PFAS testing.
7. If you plan livestock, check with DWR that the well permit allows livestock watering.
8. Sierra did not find a Park County page on special groundwater basins or augmentation for single lots. Ask DWR about the exact parcel.

Sources: DWR Well Permitting, C.R.S. 37-92-602, Park County Well and Drinking Water Safety, Article V Sec. 5-701.

3. Septic (OWTS) and perc tests

1. Park County's septic rules (OWTS Regulations) were adopted June 9, 2026 and took effect July 24, 2026. Permits go through the county's CloudPermit portal.
2. A site needs a soil investigation with 2 or more soil profile test pits. Perc tests are optional. If both are done, the more restrictive result is used.
3. Table 7-1 setbacks include: soil treatment area 200 ft from a well (can be cut to no less than 100 ft in some cases), septic tank 50 ft from a well, both 50 ft from streams and wetlands, and 10 ft from property lines. Read the table for your site.
4. The septic permit checklist asks for plans stamped by a Colorado licensed engineer and a plot plan showing the tank, field and well.
5. Selling a home with septic? The county requires a Transfer of Title permit and a report from a NAWT certified inspector, unless the system was installed or repaired within the last 12 months.
6. Thinking about a vacant lot? Environmental Health offers a Site Evaluation after a survey and wetland delineation. It does not place the house or septic for you.
7. Septic and driveway permits are usually issued 7 to 10 days after the first inspection, and can take longer May to September.

Sources: Park County OWTS Regulations (2026), Septic permit checklist, Transfer of Title, Environmental Health FAQ.

4. Camping and RVs on your land

1. On vacant R, MR, R-20, R-35 and M lots you can camp 14 days per calendar year in total without a permit.
2. A free Temporary Use (camping) permit allows up to 30 days in a row, plus one 30 day renewal a year. One more renewal is possible if you use a permitted septic tank and field. Apply at least 14 days ahead. The county does not take camping applications until April 1.
3. No more than 2 camping units. Units must be licensed, roadworthy and removed when no permit is active. Sewage must go to a permitted site or system.
4. You need legal access, a posted address, a driveway permit number, a waste plan, a plot plan and a recorded warranty deed.
5. While building a permanent home with a valid permit, you can live in a registered RV or camper on site. Mobile homes cannot be used for this.

Sources: Camping Permit, Camping permit checklist, Article V Secs. 5-706 and 5-712.

5. Power and off-grid options

1. Two utilities serve Park County. CORE Electric Cooperative (formerly IREA) has a district office in Pine Junction and lines in north Park County and Indian Mountain. Xcel Energy serves the Highway 9 area between Fairplay and Alma.
2. Sierra could not find an official map that splits the county by address. Use the CORE service area map, and call Xcel for addresses near Fairplay, Alma, Hartsel or Guffey.
3. CORE says a new line extension averages 4 to 6 months from request to install. Its online estimator gives a rough cost.
4. Solar, small hydro and geothermal are allowed in all zones and do not count toward accessory building limits. Wind turbines up to 10 kW and 50 ft tall are allowed in all zones, set back 1.1 times their height or 100 ft, whichever is more.
5. Off-grid systems do not need to notify a utility. Grid tied (net metered) systems do.

Sources: CORE contact and offices, CORE north Park County line, CORE 2023 report, CORE new construction, Town of Fairplay newsletter (Xcel), Park County Xcel meeting notice, Article V Sec. 5-711.

6. Road access and winter snow

1. A new driveway onto a county or private road needs a Driveway Cut Permit from Environmental Health. The info sheet (revised Feb 2022) lists a $150 fee and a 1 year permit. Post your address first.
2. Driveways can serve up to 4 homes. A shared driveway needs a recorded easement or similar document. Driveways over 200 ft must have an all weather surface, and the max grade after the first 50 ft is 12%.
3. Owners maintain and plow their own driveways. Snow from your property cannot be pushed onto a county road.
4. The county plows county roads in order: main roads, then collectors, then local roads, with cul-de-sacs and dead ends last, after the storm. The snow policy PDF is marked under construction.
5. Sierra could not find a list of which roads the county maintains. Check the Interactive Road Classified Map and ask Public Works about a private or subdivision road.
6. Emergency plowing goes through 911 and only after the emergency is verified.

Sources: Driveway Cut Permit info, Article VII Secs. 7-204 to 7-206, Public Works Snow Removal Policy, Emergency Plowing Guidelines, Public Works FAQ.

7. Flood and wildfire risk

1. Check the flood zone on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Building in a mapped flood area needs a county Floodplain Development Permit.
2. In a flood area, a new home's lowest floor and equipment must be at least 1 ft above the base flood elevation, certified by an engineer, architect or surveyor.
3. Wildfire: the county shows current fire restrictions and fire district boundaries on its Fire and Ambulance Districts Map. You can also check the Colorado Forest Atlas.
4. Some fire districts add their own building steps, such as a mitigation permit in Platte Canyon or a mitigation survey fee in Jefferson-Como. Call the district for your lot.
5. Sierra did not find a countywide wildfire building code for existing lots. The county encourages owners to ask their fire district for advice.

Sources: Article VII Divisions 6 and 10, Fire Restrictions and Burn Ban Info, Development Guide.

8. Livestock and animals

1. A (Agricultural) zone: no limit on animal numbers. Large feedlots need a conditional use permit. Bison are allowed only in the A zone on 160 acres or more.
2. R-20, R-35 and A-35 use a unit system. For example, a 10 to 20 acre R-20 lot can have 2 cow units, and a 35 to 70 acre R-35 or A-35 lot can have 4. One unit is 1 cow, 4 horses, 3 llamas or alpacas, 4 sheep, 5 goats or 2 pigs.
3. R zone: horses, llamas, alpacas, goats and sheep on lots over 1 acre, 1 per 20,000 sq ft of open space, max 4. Also 10 small livestock per acre of open space.
4. Barns, corrals and stalls must be 50 ft from any home and 100 ft from any well or stream.
5. Bee hives: 2 per acre in R and MR zones (max 5), 2 per acre in A with no max.

Sources: Article V Sec. 5-701 (Animals).

9. Property tax basics

1. Tax is the assessed value times the tax rate (mill levy). Each tax district sets its own mill levy.
2. Look up a parcel's value and levy in the Assessor property search, then use the county's 2026 Property Tax Calculator.
3. Tax notices are mailed by the end of January. The county's online pay portal was disabled when we checked on Nov 2, 2026, so see the Park County Treasurer's page for current payment options, or call the Treasurer at 719-836-4334.
4. Sierra did not confirm the 2026 assessment rates or due dates. Ask the Treasurer.
5. Ask the Treasurer whether any back taxes or tax liens are on the parcel before you buy.

Sources: Park County Assessor, Treasurer and Public Trustee, Tax Liens.

10. Who to call

1. Park County offices: 856 Castello Ave, Fairplay, 719-836-2771. Development Services.
2. Planning and Zoning: 719-836-4292. Website.
3. Environmental Health (septic, driveways, camping): 719-836-4267. Inspectors take questions Mon to Thu 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at 719-836-4252 or 719-836-4262. Website.
4. Building: 719-836-4255. Website.
5. GIS (addresses, maps): 719-836-4294. Website.
6. Public Works (county roads, plowing): 1246 CR 16, Fairplay, 719-836-4277. Website.
7. Assessor: 719-836-4331. Website.
8. Treasurer and Public Trustee: 719-836-4334. Website.
9. Clerk and Recorder (deeds): 719-836-4333. Website.
10. Wells: Colorado DWR, 303-866-3581. Website.
11. Power: CORE Electric Cooperative, 800-332-9540. Website. Xcel Energy: Website.