Variance Decisions in Pueblo County

A variance is an authorized departure from the strict requirements of a zoning ordinance. Rather than changing the underlying zoning classification (which is what rezoning does), a variance allows a property owner to deviate from specific rules - like setback distances, building height limits, lot coverage ratios, or parking requirements - while keeping the same zoning designation. ZoneWire tracks variance activity across Pueblo County, CO public meetings.

ZoneWire monitors Pueblo County, CO planning and council meetings, transcribes them, and flags variance activity. As of the latest update we have analyzed 3 meetings and detected 4 variance mentions.

Tracking variance in Pueblo County surfaces zoning and development signals early, so developers, investors, and brokers can evaluate parcels and approvals before they reach the broader market.

Land use and development in unincorporated Pueblo County are governed by the Pueblo County Unified Development Code (UDC), which the Board of County Commissioners adopted on October 22, 2024. The UDC consolidated the County's previously separate zoning and subdivision regulations (Title 16 Subdivisions and Title 17 Land Use) into a single code covering zoning districts, permitted uses, development standards, and administrative procedures. The Department of Planning and Development administers and enforces the code.

The UDC organizes unincorporated land into several district families, including Agricultural districts (Large Agriculture A1, Medium Agriculture A2, and Small Agriculture A3), Residential districts (such as Rural Residential, Residential Agriculture, Suburban Residential, and Mixed Residential), plus business/commercial and industrial districts. The code also provides a Planned Unit Development (PUD) district as an alternative to conventional regulations, combining use, density, and site plan review into a single process. Pueblo County published a Zone District Conversion Chart showing how prior designations (for example, the former A-1 through A-4) map to the new UDC districts.

The Pueblo County Planning Commission reviews land use applications and makes recommendations. It meets regularly on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Commissioners' Chambers at the Pueblo County Courthouse, 215 W. 10th St., with special meetings held as needed and dates subject to change around holidays. The Board of County Commissioners holds a monthly Land Use public meeting and makes the final decisions on land use matters.

You can look up a parcel's zoning using the County's Interactive Map: locate your parcel, open the layers list, and turn on the Pueblo County Zoning layer, then match the color to the zoning legend. Zoning information is also available through the Property Information, Maps & Online Services resources and the Assessor's online property search. For help, contact the Department of Planning and Development at the Government Services Center, 201 W. 8th St., Suite 110, Pueblo, CO 81003, or call 719-583-6100.

Pueblo County's UDC establishes three agricultural zone districts based on scale: Large Agriculture (A1), Medium Agriculture (A2), and Small Agriculture (A3). These districts accommodate farming and ranching along with limited residential use; in the A1 and A2 districts, one accessory dwelling and one accessory farmstead dwelling may be permitted per lot. Specific dimensional standards and the full table of allowable uses for each district are set out in the adopted Unified Development Code.

Yes. ZoneWire Free sends New Meeting Alerts for Pueblo County at no cost, with the agenda for each meeting. ZoneWire Pro adds full transcripts, zoning and development analysis, and keyword alerts for $129 per market per month.