§7-6-23(b)

< Back to list of parking violations

Section No. 7-6-23(b): Parking in Front or Side Yard Prohibited

The City of Boulder prohibits parking in the required yard associated with residential property if that yard is adjacent to a street.  This generally means that vehicles cannot be parked in the front yard, or in the side yard if the property is on a corner. 

Section 9-7-1, B.R.C. 1981, provides more detail about required yard space. 

Similarly, the orange vehicle below is parked illegally in the front yard of the associated residence. 

This prohibition applies only to the required setback.  In most parts of Boulder, residences must be set back at least 25 feet from the sidewalk. Some residences are set back more than 25 feet from the sidewalk. When this is the case, it is legal for vehicles to park in the part of the front yard that is more than 25 feet from the sidewalk. There are no restrictions on vehicles parked more than 25 feet from the sidewalk. 

In the diagram below, the red convertible is parked legally because it is not parked within the 25 feet front yard setback Boulder law requires. 

Similarly, assuming the dotted red line in the following diagram is 25 feet from the sidewalk, the silver and gold vehicles are legally parked. 

There is no parking on the paved area in the photograph below (1135 11th St.) because it is in a part of the front yard that is less than 25 feet from the sidewalk.

The red car in the picture below is parked in violation of this section because it is in a front yard and is less than 25 feet from the sidewalk (1100 Pennsylvania St.).

If a side yard abuts a street then no vehicle may park in the side yard, regardless of the 25 foot setback or being past the front of the house.  The white car below is illegally parked because it is in a side yard (note the street running along the side of the house). 

(1) As an exception to this prohibition, two vehicles may be parked on a paved or improved driveway which serves as access to required off-street parking provided on the lot in accordance with section 9-9-6, "Parking Standards."  This applies to districts zoned RR-1, RR-2, RE, or RL-1. The next set of pictures provides examples of this exception.

(a) In the following illustration, the white and black vehicles are legally parked. They are on a paved/improved driveway. The driveway provides access to required off-street parking - the garage that is located just in front of the the silver and gold cars.

(b) In the next photograph, the green car is parked in a legal space because it is paved and it leads to legal parking that exists beyond the front of the building.  The red car is illegally parked, as previously explained. 

(c) This exception allows only two vehicles to park in the paved or improved portion of the driveway that is less than 25 feet from the sidewalk.  Two of the four vehicles pictured below would be ticketed for Parking in Yard. The red convertible is parked legally, as discussed above. 

(2) This subsection does not apply to recreational vehicles parked or stored in accordance with section 9-9-6(h), "Parking Standards."

Last Updated on Tuesday, 05 June 2012 08:46