City codes relating to zoning and community maintenance are a means of ensuring that the community’s land uses are compatibly located and used for the health, safety and general welfare of the community. The city of Aurora is committed to providing safe and sanitary living conditions for all of its residents. It takes a cooperative effort of investors, owners, tenants and the city to achieve a successful property maintenance program.

View the latest Neighborhood Zoning Codes brochure in English/Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese (Mandarin), Amharic and Korean.

• The city's Zoning Navigator Tool simplifies the site selection process and shows where projects are permitted.

• The city of Aurora Municipal Codes are the laws (ordinances) that govern the city of Aurora, from neighborhood upkeep to animal licensing and business regulations. Ordinances are adopted by City Council.

• The Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) contains zoning and subdivision regulations.

Address on building/house

All buildings are required to have addresses visible from the street, and the numbers must be at least four inches high and in sharp contrast to the building.

Alleys

Occupants and/or owners are responsible for cleaning and maintaining the area from the rear property line to the center line of the alley (e.g., tree trimming, cutting weeds, disposing of trash).

Animals

Only customary household pets are allowed. View household animal restrictions. The occupants and/or owners are responsible for daily removal of all animal droppings from their property. Animal owners/custodians are responsible for immediately removing all excrement deposited by the animal upon any Public Property. The Animal Services Division (303.326.8288) may impound dogs found running at large.

Bushes, Plants, Trees and Special Hazards

Bushes over sidewalks must be cut back six inches from the sidewalk to clear the walkway. The maximum height of hedges in the front yard is 42 inches. (Exception- See Visibility Triangle). Plants that have thorns, spines, or prickles shall not be planted within 4 feet of the public sidewalk or maintained in the city right of way. The city right of way ranges from seven feet to 11 feet from the flow line (street gutter). The occupant and/or owner is responsible for cutting and removing all private tree branches lower than 8 feet over sidewalks and 13 feet six inches over street, alley or highway. The occupant and/or owner also is responsible for correcting or removing any unsafe trees. 

Erosion Control/ New Lawn Permits

Some landscape material must be installed and maintained to prevent erosion and conditions which may cause erosion. Aurora’s lawn ordinance requires purchasing and posting a lawn permit to install new lawns over 250 square feet. Water-wise landscaping is a great option for our climate because of its reduced watering needs and ability to tolerate periods of drought. Contact Lawn Permits (303.739.7195) for more information.

Exterior Maintenance

All structures and accessory structures must be maintained in good repair, weather-tight, and painted. All exterior portions of any structure, including exterior walls, windows, doors, molding, roofing, gutters, etc., must be maintained in good repair. Any paintable surface that has deteriorated more than 30 percent is a violation.

Fences

All fences, including pickets, rails, and posts, must be maintained in good structural condition. A fence permit is not required for new or replacement fences. However, installation of a new fence and/or replacement of an existing fence require owner/residents/tenants to adhere to the city's standards of construction, design and location & setback requirements. Before installing a fence, contact Colorado 811 or 1.800.922.1987 to locate buried utility services (cable, electrical, phone lines, gas lines, etc.) before digging.

Garage Sales

It is prohibited to place “Garage Sale” signs on light poles, stop signs, median strips, in parks, or in any state “right of way” (Havana Street, Parker Road, Colfax Avenue, Sixth Avenue). Up to four signs with addresses may be displayed to advertise a garage sale. Residents may only have four garage sales per calendar year per address for 72 consecutive hours. Items placed outside must be removed and stored in an enclosed structure by sunset each day.

Graffiti

Graffiti on private and public property can be reported to Access Aurora using the online report or by calling 303.739.7000. Graffiti should be removed as soon as possible. Graffiti removal on business and commercial property is the responsibility of the owner and/or occupant.

Graffiti Off Neighborhoods (GON)

Home Business

Only certain types of occupations are permitted in a residential area, and shall meet the following conditions:

• The residents of the dwelling unit shall be the only people engaged in the activity.

• The activity is carried on only in the principal building and is, therefore, incidental and secondary to the primary purpose served by the dwelling.

• Materials to be used in the activity shall be stored inside either the principal building or an accessory building.

• There shall be no external evidence, which in any way, shall advertise or evidence the performance of the activity.

• In no way shall the general public be invited or solicited upon the premises.

• Performance of any personal service shall be limited to one pupil, client or customer at any one time.

• In no way should the activity increase vehicular or pedestrian traffic.

• In no way shall the use jeopardize the health, safety or welfare of the occupants or of the surrounding neighborhood.

Be sure you check with Tax and Licensing and meet all the requirements as a home business.

Occupancy Standards

There must be a minimum of 150 square feet of floor space per occupant. Finished basements used for occupancy in a rental situation must have two means of egress, one being the entry door and the other a window with an openable area of 5.7 square feet and not higher than 44 inches from the sill height to the floor.

• Group/Sober Living Homes
  

• Addressing Occupancy Complaints in Residential Properties
  

• Residential Housing Requirements

Outdoor Storage

Outside storage is prohibited in Residential and Business districts, except for objects that are customarily placed outside and are commonly associated with the permitted use.

Parking Surfaces and Driveways

Only 40 percent of the front yard can be a parking or driveway surface. The parking or driveway surface in a rear yard cannot exceed 750 square feet or 25 percent of the backyard, whichever is less. Parking of any type of vehicles, boats, trailers and campers on landscape and/or lawn portion of the yard is prohibited. Any new parking area must be surfaced with asphalt, concrete, brick or stone pavers. All surfaces shall be maintained free of vegetation, weeds, dirt, trash and debris.

Grandfathered rock parking surfaces must have a 4-inch border and 1.5-inch rock and be maintained to a depth of not less than 3.5 inches. Failure to maintain requires compliance with new standards.

Political Signs

Also known as Temporary Signs for Non-Commercial Event (such as an election or community affair).

Free-standing political signs must be solidly supported in the ground, in good repair, and firmly attached to mounting devices. Political signs cannot be attached to any traffic control device, directional or regulatory sign, or placed in the public right of way. Public right of way includes all street medians, visibility triangles (equilateral triangle areas at intersections extending approximately 30 feet from corner), and highway/street shoulders. Generally, right of way along highways and streets extends towards the property approximately 10 feet from the curb, flow line, or gutter.

Political signs cannot be erected on any public property, such as parks, public buildings, bike paths and public signs.

Signs cannot be larger than six square feet per side and no more than four feet from the ground.

Signs must be removed seven days following the date of the election.

Political signs do not require a permit, but this exemption does not relieve the owner (candidate) of the responsibility for the erection, maintenance and compliance with the provisions of the code or ordinances pertaining to signs.

To place a political sign on a vacant property requires the permission of the property owner before posting. To obtain owner information of a vacant property, the following information is provided:

• For properties in Arapahoe County, call 303.636.1371

• For properties in Adams County, call 303.659.2120

Political signs in violation of any portion of the City Code may be confiscated without notice by city staff according to the provisions of Aurora City Code Section 146-1609.

Snow Shoveling

As a resident or property owner, it is your responsibility to keep city sidewalks adjacent to your property free and clear of snow and ice. This includes sidewalks that may be behind or outside the rear and side fences and adjacent to any street. Snow and ice must be removed within 24 hours after a snowfall ends, and 48 hours after a snow emergency is declared by the city.

To ensure pedestrian safety, code enforcement officers respond to citizen complaints concerning lack of snow and ice removal from sidewalks. An Administrative Fee ($25 for single-family and $50 for all others) will be imposed after 24 hours and again after 48 hours, if the snow is not removed. The city’s contractor will then be requested to remove the snow and/or ice, and the property owner or financial institution will be billed for all costs incurred.

City of Aurora's Snow Plan for Streets

Need help shoveling your snow? Snow Busters is a volunteer program operated by the city of Aurora that assists Aurora’s elderly and people with disabilities with snow shoveling. If you’d like to help a neighbor in need as a Snow Buster, get started now.

Trash & Debris

Dumping trash and debris on private or public property is prohibited. Items may not be stored outdoors (litter, trash, furniture, mattresses, appliances, wrecked or inoperative vehicles, car parts, salvage, etc.)

Many items can be recycled, either by contracting for recycling through your curbside garbage collection service or by taking advantage of single-stream recycling at the DADS facility. The city also offers recycling events for electronics, mattresses and more throughout the year.

It's also not permitted to throw or sweep into any street, sidewalk, gutter, sewer, intake, alley, vacant lot, or other property any hay, straw, shavings, excelsior, paper, sod, lawn clippings, leaves, weeds, ashes, glass, bottles, nails, tacks, wires, cans, rocks, or rubbish, refuse, or litter of any kind or nature. Such materials must instead be picked up by owners, occupants, or lessees and put into household or commercial solid waste containers. Visit this link to find out more about organics and yard waste.

Trash Removal and Containers

The occupant and/or owner of any property is responsible for removing trash weekly or more often if necessary. Trash must be in an approved, secure trash container. All trash containers shall be kept behind the front line of the principal building and within 12 inches of the principal building. If trash containers are screened, the screening shall be placed behind the front line of the principal building. Trash containers may not be placed in the front yard or alley prior to 5 p.m. on the day before trash pickup, and must be removed within 12 hours after pickup. Read the complete code about accumulation and storage. Private companies provide trash removal services at your home. See a list of companies licensed with the city of Aurora.

Vehicles

Any vehicle, including trailers, recreational vehicles, boats, etc., that is apparently inoperable, partially or totally dismantled, or is wrecked or damaged to the extent that it would be unlawful to operate on public streets may not be stored outside on any public or private property. Motor vehicles must be currently registered and display a valid license plate.

It is unlawful to conduct major auto repair outside on private property or on public streets.

Vehicles Parked on Street

Any camper, trailer, boat or inoperative or abandoned auto parked on a public street is prohibited and should be reported to 303.739.7000.

Visibility Triangles

To ensure pedestrian and vehicular safety, no plants, fences, trees and/or other objects over 26 inches high may be maintained in the visibility triangle. The visibility triangle is measured from intersecting lines 30 feet each way along flow-line (street gutter).

Weeds and Grasses

The occupant and/or owner of any property is responsible for cutting and removing all weeds over eight inches in height on any developed property and 12 inches in height on any undeveloped property. Weeds outside rear and side yard fences to curb and from center line of the alley to rear yard must also be cut and removed.

Wood Burning

Wood burning is prohibited on high-pollution days unless an exemption has been granted. For information on high-pollution days, call 303.758.4848. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Air Pollution Control Division coordinates the Winter High Pollution Advisory Program. Winter Season air pollution forecasts are issued daily at 4 p.m. from Nov. 1 to March 31. Forecasts will include information about Action Days and subsequent burning restrictions when conditions warrant.