Neighborhood Inspections

To protect the safety, prosperity, health and welfare of all city residents, the City and County of Denver requires properties to be safe and well-maintained. Each property owner is responsible for the care and maintenance of their property and the buildings on that property. Go to the CPD Neglected and Derelict Properties webpage to learn more.

Keeping yards, alleys and your tree lawn clear of overgrown vegetation isn't just about curb appeal, it's the law in the City and County of Denver.

What am I responsible for?

As a property owner, you're required to maintain:

• Your private property, including lawns, gardens and landscaping
• The public right-of-way next to your property, including the "tree lawn" (the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street) and any alley bordering your property, out to the center line.

This applies whether you own the property, manage it or rent it out. Owners, agents and lessees all share this responsibility.

What counts as a violation?

Overgrown or unattended vegetation is a problem when it:

• Poses a fire hazard
• Attracts pests (rodents, insects and other unwanted wildlife)
• Blocks sightlines for drivers or pedestrians on streets and alleys
• Includes noxious weeds. Noxious weeds are aggressive, non-native plants that pose a serious threat to Colorado's natural landscapes and agricultural areas. These types of plants are specifically regulated under Colorado State law (common examples in Denver include thistle, bindweed, dandelion, tansy and purple loosestrife).

Generally, vegetation taller than 6 inches is considered overgrown, unless it's intentionally planted, well-maintained and not causing a safety or access problem.

You're also required to:

• Treat plants showing signs of pests or disease
• Remove or replace dead plants
• Keep sidewalks and alleys clear and passable

What if my landscaping is intentional?

Native gardens, wildflower plantings and other intentional landscaping are allowed and are required to be maintained. To avoid a violation, make sure your plantings:

• Are clearly cared for (not left to grow wild and unmanaged)
• Don't block sidewalks, alleys or sightlines
• Don't create a safety hazard

What happens if a violation is found?

1. Notice of violation —City staff will notify you by mail, in person or by posting a notice on your property. You're considered notified 5 days after mailing or posting, or immediately if delivered in person.
2. 10-days to fix it — The notice will explain what needs to be corrected and the deadline. This notice stays valid for a full year, so repeat violations during that time won't require a new notice.
3. If it's not fixed —City inspectors may enter the property to clear the vegetation and bill the owner for the cost, including removal, hauling and disposal. Unpaid bills can result in a lien on the property.

Can the city enter my property?

• If the overgrown vegetation is visible from the street, sidewalk or a neighboring property, the city generally does not need a warrant to address it.
• If your property is fully enclosed by a locked or solid fence, or if you specifically ask inspectors to leave, a warrant is required.
• City staff is only authorized to remove vegetation debris and related pests, not to enter any occupied building.

Your right to appeal

You can appeal:

• A Notice of Violation — within 10 days of being notified
• A bill for abatement costs — within 30 days of receiving the bill

Appeals must include a filing fee to cover administrative costs. Additional details and instructions on how to file an appeal and be found on the CPD webpage.

Frequently asked questions

• This is my property, why can't I do what I want with it?

  The City and County of Denver has authority over the maintenance of private property within city limits, including areas next to your property like the tree lawn and abutting alleys.

• Doesn't the city maintain that area?

  The city does maintain some areas, but property owners are still responsible for maintaining the space directly next to their property.

• What about pollinator gardens or bees?

  The code doesn't address bees or pollinators specifically — the standard is about maintenance and safety, not plant type.

• I don't think I have noxious weeds — how do I know?

Check the Noxious Weed Species in Colorado list or use a plant identification tool. If you've received a notice citing a specific noxious weed, it will identify which one and where it was found.

Trash complaints: improper accumulation and storage

Piles of trash on a property aren't just unpleasant to look at, they can attract rats, vermin, flies, and other pests. They can also create health and safety hazards for the whole neighborhood. Denver's municipal code addresses this directly under Denver Revised Municipal Code (DRMC) Sec. 48-43.

Examples of trash include discarded food, plastic bags, cardboard boxes and similar waste left to accumulate on a property.

What counts as a violation?

A property may be in violation if trash has accumulated or is being stored in a way that is:

• Offensive to sight — visible piles of garbage, debris or waste
• A breeding ground for pests — conditions that attract rats, vermin, flies or other insects
• Unsanitary or hazardous — anything otherwise prejudicial or dangerous to public health
• Disposed of illegally — trash dumped or discarded in violation of city ordinance or regulation

Who enforces this?

The following city officials, or their authorized representatives, can investigate complaints and issue orders to clean up a property: Manager of Public Health and Environment, Manager of Transportation and Infrastructure, Manager of Community Planning and Development, Manager of Aviation and Director of Development Services.

These officials have the right to enter a property at a reasonable time to inspect or investigate when there's reasonable cause (for example, in response to a complaint).

How the process works

1. Inspection. A city official investigates the complaint and determines whether a violation exists.
2. Written order. If a violation is found, the property owner, occupant or agent receives a written order to remove the trash. Whenever possible, it's delivered in person and if not, it's posted at the property.
3. Compliance deadline. The order specifies a reasonable amount of time to clean up the property.
4. Non-compliance. If the deadline passes without action, the city may remove the trash itself. The costs are then billed to the property owner.
5. Unpaid costs. If those costs go unpaid for 30 days after billing, the city may place a lien on the property to recover the expenses, plus interest and administrative costs.

It is unlawful to:

• Ignore or refuse to comply with a valid cleanup order
• Refuse to allow lawful city inspection

Report a violation

If you see a property with an unlawful accumulation of trash, you can report it to the City by:

• Dialing 3-1-1 (or use 720-913-1311 outside of Denver)
• Texting "hello" to 439311 (HEY311)
• Visiting  311 City Services to report issues digitally.

Frequently asked questions

Is it trash?

Using the definition in the DRMC, trash includes items like discarded food, plastic bags, cardboard boxes and similar waste that has accumulated on a property.

Where should I put my trash if I can't leave it behind my fence?

Trash should be placed in water-tight bags and disposed of in a container designated for trash collection. Trash should never be left loose or piled on the property.

As a homeowner, Denver's zoning code has rules about how and what can be stored outside. Outdoor storage is one of the most common property maintenance concerns. This page explains what's allowed outside, what isn't, and what to do if you've received a notice.

What can be stored outside

Only a few types of items may be kept outdoors:

• Toys
• Outdoor sporting equipment
• Furniture designed for outdoor use
• Outdoor grills

What must be stored inside

Everything else needs to be kept inside a fully enclosed structure, such as your house, garage, or shed or removed from the property. If you're storing items in your yard, the following items are prohibited:

• Junk, waste, salvage or items meant for indoor use, such as old couches or refrigerators.
• Auto repair supplies: Car parts tools, and equipment used for vehicle repair aren't allowed to be stored outdoors.
•  
  • Construction-grade equipment: Heavy machinery like backhoes and excavators, or stockpiles of brick, gravel, or lumber, aren't permitted outdoors unless you're actively using them for construction happening on your own property and only while work is underway.
  • Furniture designed for indoor use
  • Cardboard boxes
  • Vehicle parts
  • Tools
  • Clothes and other household goods

   

  What if I have a construction or landscaping project under way?

  Materials actively being used in a project, such as lumber, pavers or landscaping stone, are generally not considered outdoor storage. Once the project is finished, however, leftover materials become outdoor storage. Property owners are responsible for removing or properly storing them in a timely manner.

More detailed requirements apply to businesses storing materials or products outside, as these areas are more visible and can affect neighboring properties.

Getting approved

Businesses may store materials outdoors only if the use is permitted in their zone district and they have an approved site development plan showing where the storage will be and how it meets code. The code recognizes two types.

General outdoor storage

For larger or heavier outdoor storage operations. The area must:

• Be shown on a reviewed site development plan.
• Sit at least 15 feet from the public right-of-way and from any abutting residential zone district.
• Stay out of the primary and side street setbacks and never be forward of the front (primary street-facing) façade of the main building. It may be located in a side interior or rear setback.
• Be enclosed by a 100 percent opaque fence or wall tall enough to completely hide the stored materials from adjacent streets, residential zone districts, and mixed-use commercial zone districts.
• Have a screening fence or wall between 7 and 10 feet tall if it is within 200 feet of a residential or mixed-use commercial zone district.
• Keep materials from being stacked higher than the fence or wall if the area is within 100 feet of a residential or mixed-use commercial zone district.

Limited outdoor storage

For smaller-scale storage that supports a primary business. The area must:

• Be approved through a site development plan.
• Take up no more than 10% of the gross floor area of the main building.
• Keep stored materials no higher than 12 feet (this limit does not apply in the CMP-NWC zone districts).
• Be fully screened by a 100 percent opaque barrier from public rights-of-way, public parking areas, and adjacent residential zone districts. Chain-link fencing with slats may be acceptable, except where the property abuts or is across the street from a residential zone district.
• Sit at least 15 feet from the public right-of-way and any abutting residential zone district and behind the front façade of the main building.
• Be located to the side of a building only if it is outside the required side interior and side street setbacks.
• Allow vehicles awaiting repairs to be stored in the screened area for up to 14 days.

Shopping cart storage areas in surface parking lots are exempt from the size, screening, and location standards above.

Questions?

If you're not sure whether something counts as outdoor storage or whether your business needs a site development plan, contact Building.InspectionService@denvergov.org or call 720-865-2505 (Inspectors are available by phone from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m.) before storing materials outside.

Proper vehicle parking protects property values, maintains neighborhood aesthetics and ensures proper neighborhood drainage. Vehicles must be parked on a compliant, all-weather surface at all times. Parking on grass, dirt or unapproved surfaces is a violation of city code.

Off-Street Parking Areas

• Zoning permit required: In most cases, you need a zoning permit before establishing a new off-street parking area or expanding an existing one. This includes installing an all-weather surface, adding drive aisles, or expanding a driveway, so be sure to obtain a zoning permit before starting any of this work.
• When a permit isn’t required: You don’t need a zoning permit to establish or modify (including expand) an off-street parking area if all of the following are true:

• The parking area is on a zone lot with a single-unit dwelling or a two-unit dwelling as the primary use.
• The work is not located within a required primary street setback.
• The work does not alter an existing curb cut on a public street.

If any one of these doesn’t apply, a permit is required.

Approved Parking Surfaces

All off-street parking areas, including individual parking spaces, drive aisles, and access routes, must be graded for proper drainage and surfaced with an approved material.

• Standard approved materials: Asphalt, asphaltic concrete or concrete.
• Single-unit dwellings: Residential properties may use approved equivalent all-weather materials. This includes 3/4-inch recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) or 3/4-inch crushed aggregate driveway gravel laid to a minimum thickness of 4 inches. Pervious surface materials must not exceed a 15% pervious rating.
• Maintenance: Approved surfaces must be kept in decent repair. Dirt surfaces with sparse gravel mixed in do not qualify as compliant parking areas.

Code Enforcement and Violations

If a vehicle is found parked on a non-compliant surface (such as a lawn or dirt path), code enforcement staff will issue an official notice.

• Compliance requirements: The vehicle must be immediately moved to a fully compliant, surfaced area or removed from the property entirely.
• Inoperable vehicles: If a vehicle cannot run or belongs to someone else, the property owner or resident is responsible for having it towed to a legal location.

Notices and Citations

When a parking violation is identified, enforcement officers will attempt to contact the tenant or owner directly to explain the issue. If contact cannot be made, the following delivery protocol will be used:

1. Physical posting: A copy of the Notice of Violation and Order to Cease Desist (for tenants) or the owner's copy of the citation will be posted directly on the front door.
2. Photo documentation: The officer will take a digital photograph of the posted document on the door for official records.
3. Mailed notice: An official copy of the notice or citation will also be sent to the property owner via mail.

Zoning code limits the number of vehicles parked or stored on private property in single-unit, two-unit, row house and manufactured home community zones. Property owners may keep one vehicle per licensed driver residing in the dwelling, plus one additional vehicle, up to a maximum of six vehicles per dwelling unit on private property. Exceptions may apply if specifically permitted elsewhere in the code.

Plant growth may not extend onto adjacent sidewalks, streets or alleys, or block visibility at street corners.

Fences must be maintained, built to proper height (generally 4 ft in the front and 6 ft in the sides and back of residential lots) and constructed with approved materials (no barbed wire, corrugated metal or salvage materials). Check to see whether your fence requires a permit.

Denver requires property owners to keep sidewalks clear at all times, including when it snows. Once snow stops falling, inspectors begin enforcement: business areas are checked the same day and residential areas are checked the following day. Learn about Denver's sidewalk snow/ice removal requirements and inspections. 

Parking or storing inoperable motor vehicles in any residential district is restricted to one vehicle stored inside an enclosed garage. A non-operable vehicle cannot be stored on the street or in a driveway of a home.

Residents may have one yard sale every six months in Denver under the following conditions:

• The sale lasts for less than 72 hours.

• Items offered for sale were not bought for resale or received on consignment for the purpose of resale.

• All external evidence of the sale is removed immediately afterward.

Businesses operating out of a home are allowed in Denver. The business must be operated by the resident in a completely enclosed structure, the primary dwelling unit or a detached accessory structure as allowed by the zoning code. The home occupation shall not display or create outside the building any external evidence of its operation. A sign of up to 100 square inches in size is allowed. See the Project Guide for Home Businesses for information.

The Denver Zoning Code regulates how many household pets can be part of a home residence. Violations occur when the number of household pets exceeds two rabbits, 25 pigeons, two domestic honeybee hives or more than five dogs and cats combined (you cannot have more than three dogs as part of the combined total).

Most construction projects require a zoning permit and may also require a building permit. For example, construction of fences, sheds and gazebos all require zoning permits and, depending on their design, may also require a building permit. Check the requirements for your project under Single-Family and Duplex Projects.

Political and other non-commercial signs may be displayed on private property in accordance with the following zoning regulations. These signs do not need a zoning permit.

• Signs must be located on private property.
• No signs may be placed in the public right-of-way. This includes tree lawns, median strips, highway entrance and exit ramps, traffic signs and posts, and utility poles.

On residential property:
Political and noncommercial signs are limited to the following types:

• Wall signs
• Window signs
• Ground signs not more than 6 feet above grade, unless mounted to a single pole no taller than 25 feet
• Signs shall be maintained in a clean, orderly, and sightly condition
• Signs shall not be animated, and shall not flash, blink, or fluctuate
• Signs shall not be illuminated
• No sign may be larger than 15 square feet in size

On commercial property:

• Signs shall be placed in/on ground level windows/walls only (except for banners, inflatables, balloons or streamers)
• Signs shall be maintained in a clean, orderly, and sightly condition
• Signs shall not be animated, and shall not flash, blink, or fluctuate
• Signs may be illuminated only from a concealed light source
• Shall be placed only on the business structure (except for banners, inflatables, balloons or streamers)
• For specifics about permitted sizes, please see the zoning code, section 10.10.3

Source: Denver Zoning Code, Section 10.10.3

A zoning permit is not required for real estate signs. However, the display of real estate signs on your property must follow the zoning regulations. See Article 10 of the Denver Zoning Code.

Real estate signs must be placed on private property. 

No signs may be placed in the public right-of-way. This includes tree lawns, median strips, highway entrance and exit ramps, traffic signs and posts, and utility poles. 

• Must be at least 3 feet back from the sidewalk
• Are limited to one per street frontage
• On an interior lot, only one sign is allowed. On a corner lot, one sign facing each street is allowed.
• Cannot be illuminated or animated
• Are limited to wall, window, or ground signs
• Can be no larger than 5 square feet, and may be located no more than 6 feet above ground