City of Boulder Zoning Information

Zoning districts regulate land uses and development for each property in the City of Boulder. Zoning districts also designate residential, commercial, industrial, public and agricultural areas.

Zoning Code Modules

The city's zoning code is broken into three basic parts, or modules, that specify use, density and development requirements for each district. The combined elements of the three modules create a zoning district.

The three zoning code modules are:

  • Use - establishes the uses that are permitted, conditionally permitted and prohibited, as well as uses that may be permitted through a use review approval.
  • Form - specifies the physical parameters for development, such as setbacks, building coverage, height and special building design characteristics.
  • Intensity - establishes the density of development and identifies the:
    • minimum lot sizes,
    • minimum open space per dwelling unit,
    • number of dwelling units per acre,
    • minimum open space per lot or parcel, and
    • floor area ratios, when applicable.

In addition, planned developments (generally referred to as PUDs) are a planning tool utilized by the city since the 1960s to allow for flexibility in development and design. Submit an inquiry for assistance in determining if a parcel is located within a PUD zone.

Find a Property's Zoning Information

Find zoning by address

  • On the map below, click the magnifying glass icon and enter an address in the search box
  • Click on the property of interest to reveal the zoning district
  • You can also open the Zoning Districts map in a separate window

Locate on map

  • Use the map below to zoom in to the parcel of interest
  • Once you have located the property, click on the parcel to learn the Zoning District

Permitted land use

  • Once you have determined which zoning district your property is located in, you can visit the City of Boulder's Land Use Regulations for more information about restrictions that may impact your property.




Building Coverage Standards

Building coverage is the maximum horizontal area within the outer perimeter of the building walls, dividers, or columns at or above ground level, whichever is the greater area.

Building coverage standards apply to all principal and accessory residential buildings:

  • in RR-1, RR-2, RE and RL-1 zoning districts;
  • that are used as a detached single family land use in the RMX-1 zoning district; and
  • in the RL-2 zoning district that are on a lot 8,000 square feet or larger that are not located within a Planned Unit Development, Planned Residential Development, or Planned Development, unless identified in Appendix H of Ordinance No. 7684.

Building coverage does not include:

  • uncovered decks, stoops, patios, terraces, and stairways all less than 30 inches in height;
  • the outer four feet of completely open, uncovered, cantilevered balconies that have a minimum of eight feet of vertical clearance below;
  • up to 300 square feet of a single-family detached residence front porch that is adjacent to a street and up to 150 square feet of additional porch area not located in the front yard for single-family detached residence; and/or
  • one accessory building, no larger than 80 square feet and no more than 10 feet in height, associated with a single-family detached residence.

Purposes

The purposes of the City of Boulder's building coverage standards are to:

  • establish the maximum percentage of lot surface that may be covered by principal and accessory buildings to preserve open space on the lot;
  • preserve some views and visual access to the sky; and
  • enhance privacy for residences that are adjacent to new development.

Measure and Calculate Building Coverage

To determine the maximum amount of building coverage permitted on a property, you need to know the lot size and zoning district for your property. Select the "Map of Zoning Districts" link below.

LOT SIZE (IN SQUARE FEET)LESS THAN 5,0005,000 TO 10,00010,001 TO 22,500MORE THAN 22,500
RR-1, RR-2, RE, RL-1, RL-2 AND RMX-10.41(Lot Size x 0.2) + 1,050(Lot Size x 0.116) + 1,890Lot Size x 2.0

Accurate lot area, as determined by a surveyor, is recommended in all circumstances but may be required if the proposed development is within 20 percent of the maximum allowed building coverage.

Examples

  • 7,000-square-foot RL-1 lot - (7,000 X 0.2) + 1,050 = 2,450 square feet
  • 4,9000-square-foot RMX-1 lot - 4,900 X 0.41 = 2,009 square feet