COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL

OCCUPANCY/RESIDENCY STANDARDS

january 2002

 

County	City In County	Restrictions
ADAMS COUNTY   (Unincorporated)		An individual or 2 or more persons related by marriage or legal adoption, living together in a dwelling unit; (or fewer persons not related by blood, marriage, or legal adoption, living together in a dwelling unit.  (This does not apply to Students in college or universities, persons under 18 with adult supervision, persons 65 years or older, or persons excluded by statute or law.)  A dwelling unit is defined as one or more rooms used by one family for sleeping purposes which contains a kitchen and bathroom facility.   Adams County uses the 1997 Uniform Building Code with respect to planning and zoning which requires 300 square feet per occupant.
	Aurora	Has just passed “Space and Occupancy Standards” which requires at least 150 square feet of floor space for each occupant.  The floor space is calculated on the basis of total enclosed space within a dwelling.
	Brighton	An individual or 2 or more persons related by blood, marriage, or legal adoption, or a group of not more than 4 persons who are not related by blood, marriage or legal adoption living together in a dwelling unit.
	Commerce City	An individual or 2 or more persons related by blood or marriage, or a group of not to exceed 3 persons (excluding servants) living together as a single nonprofit housekeeping unit in a dwelling unit.  Family members include those defined by the Internal Revenue Code as dependents of the occupants; provided, however, that a family not include more than one registered sex offender, except if the members of the family are related by blood or marriage.
	Northglenn	An individual of 2 or more related by blood or marriage or a group of not more than 5 people, excluding servants, who need not be related by blood or marriage living together in a dwelling unit.
	Thornton	Individuals living together as s single housekeeping unit in which not more than 4 individuals are unrelated to the head of the household by blood, marriage or adoption.  This shall not include more than one individual who is required to register as a sex offender.
	Westminster	Any number of individuals who are related by blood, marriage, legal adoption or unrelated individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit and doing their cooking on the premises.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY   (Unincorporated)		An individual or 2 or more persons related by blood, marriage or adoption residing under one head of the household, or a group of not more than five (5) persons, who need not be related, living as a single housekeeping unit.
	Cherry Hills Village	One or more persons occupying a single dwelling unit as a single housekeeping unit, related by blood, marriage or adoption; or not more than 3 unrelated persons living together as a single housekeeping unit; and, further provided that domestic servants employed on the premises may be housed on the premises without being counted as a family.
	Englewood	Has established “Minimum Space Requirements”.  This states that the maximum number of occupants in dwelling units is limited to the number determined on the basis of the floor areas of habitable rooms.  Every dwelling unit must have at least 150 square feet of floor space for the first occupant and at least 100 additional square feet of floor space for every additional occupant.
	Greenwood Village	A collective body of persons, including parents, children and servants, who live in one dwelling under one head.  This does not include paying guests nor boarding houses.  This does not include more than one individual, (or 2 or more individuals related by blood, marriage or adoption) required to register as a sex offender.
	Littleton	Any number of persons related by blood, marriage or adoption maintaining a common household as a single dwelling unit, or not more than 3 persons not related by blood, marriage or adoption, living together as a single housekeeping unit in a single dwelling.
	Aurora	Has just passed “Space and Occupancy Standards” which requires at least 150 square feet of floor space for each occupant.  The floor space is calculated on the basis of total enclosed space within a dwelling.
BOULDER COUNTY   (Unincorporated)		No persons except the following persons shall occupy a dwelling unit:   (1)     members of a family related to the head of the household by marriage, adoption or blood, up to the second degree of consanguinity, plus one or two roomers, but only if the quarters that the roomers use do not exceed one-third of the total floor area of the dwelling unit and do not occupy a separate dwelling unit, (2)     up to 3 persons in P-E, AE, RR, RR1, ER and LR zones., (3)     up to 4 persons in MU, MR, MXR, HR, RMS, HZ, TB, CB, BMS, RB, RBI, RB2, RB3, IG, IM, IS and IMS zones, or   Two persons and any of their children by blood, marriage or adoption.
	Boulder	An individual, or 2 or more individuals related by blood, marriage, or adoption, and not more than 2 roomers or boarders; or 2 adults and any of their lineal descendants; or a group of not more than 3 unrelated individuals; and who are living together as a single housekeeping unit.  NOTE: Landlords are jointly and severally responsible for the over occupancy activities of tenants.  This liability extends to landlords even if the landlords have no knowledge of such activities and even if the landlords actively discourage such activities within lease prohibitions.
	Lafayette	One or more persons living together on the premises of a dwelling unit; but does not include a group of 4 or more persons unrelated by blood, marriage or adoption.  A dwelling unit is a structure designed for occupancy as a residence by a single family.
	Longmont	Allows any number of persons living and cooking together on a premises as a single housekeeping unit, but shall not include a group of more than 3 individuals not related by blood, marriage, adoption or pursuant to legal guardianship; however, the primary cooking may be provided at a collective facility on the premises for the convenience of the permanent residents of separate units.  Persons 65 years or older are exempt from the restriction on unrelated individuals.
	Louisville	A single individual doing his or her own cooking and living upon the premises as a separate, independent, housekeeping unit; or a collective body of persons doing their own cooking and living together upon the premises as a separate housekeeping unit in a domestic relationship based upon birth or marriage; or a group of not more than 2 unrelated persons doing their own cooking and living together upon the premises as a single housekeeping unit, except that no more than one of such persons may be an individual who has been adjudged by a court of law as a sex offender and who is required to register as such within the community of his residence.  Single persons 18 years or older not living with parents or legal guardian are considered to be unrelated to each other.
BROOMFIELD COUNTY	Broomfield	Restrictions are designed by square footage.  “Family” is defined as one person living alone, or 2 or more persons all of whom are related by blood, marriage, legal adoption, together with up to 4 children who may not be related to any or all of the other residents but who are under the care and supervision of the adult family head; or a group, including not more than 2 adults, together with any number of children related by blood or legal adoption to at least one of the adults.   A household group requires at least 400 square feet of finished interior space for each resident.
DENVER COUNTY	Denver	Denver Housing Code Sec. 27-22 which is entitled “Minimum Space, Use and Location Requirements”.  This section requires at least 150 square feet of floor space for the first occupant and at least 100 additional square feet of floor space for every additional occupant thereof.  The floor space is calculated on the basis of total habitable room area and the ceiling height must be at least 5 feet.  This floor space does not include basement or cellar spaces.
DOUGLAS COUNTY	Franktown, Highlands Ranch, Jackson, Larkspur, Sedalia, Castle Rock, Parker	An individual or 2 or more persons related by blood, marriage, or legal adoption; or a maximum of 5 persons (excluding servants) living together as a nonprofit, unlicensed, single housekeeping unit, maintaining a common household.   A family shall not include more than 1 registered sex offender, unless related by blood, marriage or legal adoption.   A family may include those persons defined by the Internal Revenue Code as dependents of the occupants of the subject premises.
	Castle Rock	An individual or 2 or more persons related by blood or marriage, or a group of not to exceed 5 unrelated persons (excluding servants) living together as a single housekeeping unit in a dwelling unit.
	Parker	Two or more persons related by blood or marriage, or a group not exceeding 5 persons (excluding servants) living together as a single housekeeping unit.
JEFERSON COUNTY   (Unincorporated)		One or more persons related by blood, marriage or adoption, living and cooking together as a single housekeeping unit, exclusive of household servants.  A number of persons, but not exceeding 6, living and cooking together as a single housekeeping unit, though not related by blood, marriage or adoption shall be deemed to constitute a family.  Family shall not include more than one registered sex offender, unless related by blood, marriage or adoption.
	Arvada	One or more persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption, living together as a single household unit or a group of not more than 5 persons not related by blood, marriage or adoption, living together as a single household unit.
	Golden	A household or family is defined as:   (1)   any number of persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption, plus (a) domestic servants employed for service on the premises (b) up to 4 children under the age of 18 who may not be related to any or all of the other residents, but who are under the care and supervision of the adult family head, (c) any combination of (a) or (b) not to exceed 4 individuals.   (2)  a group including not more than 2 adults together with any number of children, related by blood or legal adoption to at least one of the adults; or   (3)  a group of not more than 4 unrelated or related and unrelated persons living together as a single housekeeping unit.
	Lakewood	Any number of individuals, who are related by blood, marriage, legal adoption, or unrelated individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit and doing their cooking on the premises, as distinguished from a group occupying a boarding or rooming house or hotel.   There is a maximum of one person per “habitable room used for living purposes”.  “Habitable room used for living purposes” is a space for living, sleeping, eating or cooking only.
	Morrison	A single individual doing his own cooking and living upon the premises, or a collective body of persons doing their own cooking and living together upon the premises as a separate housekeeping unit in a domestic relationship based upon birth or marriage, or a group of not more than 3 unrelated persons doing their own cooking and living together upon the premises as a single housekeeping unit.
	Sheridan	An individual or 2 or more persons related by blood or marriage or a group of not more than 5 persons (excluding servants) who need not be related by blood or marriage living together in a dwelling unit.
	Westminster	Any number of individuals who are related by blood, marriage, legal adoption or unrelated individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit and doing their cooking on the premises.
	Wheat Ridge	One or more persons related by blood, marriage, adoption, or legal custody plus domestic servants employed for service on the premises, or a group of not more than 3 persons who need not be so related living together as a single housekeeping unit.  Five people over the age of 60 years sharing one housekeeping unit shall also be deemed to be a family.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, a family shall be deemed to include 4 or more persons that are not related by blood, marriage, adoption or legal custody occupying a residential dwelling unit and living as a single housekeeping unit if the occupants are handicapped or disabled as defined by law.
LARIMER COUNTY   (Unincorporated)		An individual or group of people living together who are related by blood, marriage or adoption.
	Fort Collins	An individual living alone, or either of the following groups living together as a single housekeeping unit and sharing common living, sleeping, cooking and eating facilities:   (1)  any number of persons related by blood, marriage, adoption, guardianship, or other duly authorized custodial relationship unless such number is otherwise specifically limited in the Land Use Code; or   (2)  any related group of persons consisting of:      a.    not more than 3 persons; or    b.    not more than 2 unrelated adults and their related children, if any.
	Loveland	An individual, or either of the following groups living together as a single housekeeping unit and sharing common living, sleeping, cooking and eating facilities:   (1)  any number of persons related by blood, marriage, adoption, guardianship or other duly authorized custodial relationship, unless such number is otherwise specifically limited in this Title; or   (2)  Any unrelated group of persons consisting of:   a.       not more than 3 persons; or b.      not more than 2 unrelated adults and their related children, if any.
WELD COUNTY   (Unincorporated)		An individual, or a group of 2 or more individuals related by blood, marriage or adoption, living together.