Land Use and Planning

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Land Use and Planning

Next Planning Commission Meeting: August 25, 2026 at the Eckley Community Center.

“Land use” is the term used to describe the human use of land. It represents the economic and cultural activities (e.g., agricultural, residential, industrial, mining, and recreational uses) that are practiced at a given place.

E-Permits

Land Use Administrator: Jodi Brady
landuse@yumacountyco.gov

Administrative Office
Yuma County Land Use
310 Ash, Suite J
Wray, CO 80758
Monday – Friday 8:00 – 5:00

Office: 970-332-0930
Fax: 970-332-3411

Types of Permits and Applications

APPLY BEFORE YOU BUILD, MODIFY, or EXPAND on your LAND.

A land use permit is required for land use changes. (Section 2-101)

CLASSES OF LAND USE PERMITS (Section 2-103)

Activity Notice

  • Planning to build a single family residence
  • Put an addition on your home
  • Add a garage, storage or shop building
  • Add grain bins
  • Putting an antennae tower on the land or adding to an existing tower
  • Moving a mobile home on to your land. If mobile homes manufactured prior to 1976 are brought into Yuma County the owner must place in escrow with the County Treasurer $1,000 for possible removal costs if abandoned by the owner. Escrow shall be refunded if mobile home is moved from the county or properly disposed of.

Administrative Land Use Permits

  • Construction of a second or third dwelling unit on a single parcel of land
    thirty five (35) acres in size or larger
  • Lot line adjustments
  • Extension or Enlargement of a Non-Residential Structure
  • Lot Mergers
  • Correction of Plat

Minor Land Use Permits

  • Exempt Divisions of land into four parcels or less
  • Roads and Excavations
  • Cluster Subdivisions
  • Subdivision Plat Vacation
  • Subdivision Final Plat
  • Roadway Vacation

Wray in 1856

Major Land Use Permits
All Land Use Changes that are not listed under Administrative Land Use Permits or Minor Land Use Permits require a Major Land Use Permit.

Application for Exemption from the Definition of Subdivision

  • Thirty-five Acre. Under State Statute, the term “subdivision” and “subdivided land” shall not apply to any division of land which creates
    parcels of land each of which comprises thirty-five (35) or more acres of land and none of which is intended for multiple ownership
  • Other Statutory Exemptions. other divisions of interests in land to which the term “subdivision” and “subdivided land” do not apply
  • Exempt Divisions for Small Capacity Well Eligibility
  • Exempt Divisions to Create Four Lots
  • Exempt Divisions into Five to Twenty Lots.
  • No Determination of Water Availability

Request for an Exemption from Land Use Permit – Home Occupations

  • YC Land Use Code: Section 2-102
  • The conduct of a home occupation shall not require a Land Use Permit so long as the home occupation complies with the following minimum standards. Failure to conduct the home
    1. Such use is incidental and secondary to residential use of the principal dwelling or accessory structure or addition and does not change the residential character thereof.
    2. Such use will be conducted by the resident(s) of the principal dwelling and only within the principal dwelling or accessory structure or addition.
    3. Such use does not generate traffic that significantly affects the residential character of the area.
    4. Such use does not create excessive or offensive noise, vibration, smoke, dust, odors, heat, glare or light noticeable or extending beyond the property boundaries.
    5. Such use shall not infringe upon the right of neighboring residents to enjoy the peaceful occupancy of their homes.

Application Process (Article 4)

Applications vary according to the type of permit. See the Yuma County Land Use Code for the specific type of permit you need.

Pre-Application Meeting:
Any person contemplating a Land Use Change shall first schedule a pre-application meeting with the Land Use Administrator to discuss the proposed Land Use Change. Determination of the type of land use permit will be made. The application will be dated when determined complete and all time frames within this Code pertaining to review of the application shall be based on the completeness date.

Yuma County Land Use Fees
Fee Type Cost
Admin Fee (extra mailing, lawyer or consultant fees) Cost will be determined when incurred
Mailing Fee (Certified and Return Receipt Postage) subject to change with USPS pricing – Current Price per addressed envelope
Recording Fee – Permit recording with YC Clerk Cost will be determined when incurred

Activity Notice

Fee Type Cost
Residential (including AG Improvements) $100.00
Commercial $300.00
Administrative Land Use
Construction of 2nd or 3rd dwelling on 35 acres or smaller, lot line adjustment, floodplain permit.
 $150.00 + Mailing fee + Admin fee + Recording fee
Minor Land Use Permit
Application for Exemption from Subdivision, request for Exemption from Land Use permit – Home Occupations, Road Vacations
 $300.00 + Mailing fee + Admin fee + Recording fee
Major Land Use Permit
All other requests		 $500.00 + Mailing fee + Admin Fee + Recording fee
Industrial – Transmission Lines $100,000.00

Utility Wind Energy Facility

(Fee is assessed at Initial or Minimum, depending on which is greater)

Fee Type Cost
Initial Application Fee $5.00/Acre
Minimum Initial Fee $30,000.00
Permit Fee (due before construction commences) $10,000.00/MW

Utility Solar Energy System

(Fee is assessed at Initial or Minimum, depending on which is greater)

Fee Type Cost
Initial Application Fee $500.00/MW
Minimum Initial Fee $10,000.00
Permit Fee under 2 MW (due before construction commences) $1,000.00/MW
Permit Fee over 2 MW (due before construction commences) $10,000.00/MW

Battery Energy Storage System

(Fee is assessed at Initial or Minimum, depending on which is greater)

Fee Type Cost
Initial Application Fee $500.00/MW
Minimum Initial Fee $10,000.00
Permit Fee (due before construction commences) $5,000.00/MW

Review Process

The process varies according to the type of permit. See the Yuma County Land Use Code for your specific type of permit request.

  1. Evaluation of Application by Land Use Administrator
  2. Review by Referral Agencies: The Land Use Administrator may send copies of the application to any referral agencies and consultants deemed necessary by the County.
  3. Notification to adjacent property owners and mineral holders: The County shall notify property owners and mineral rights holders within five hundred (500) feet of the boundaries of the parcel where the development will occur by sending a written notice describing the proposed Land Use Change and setting forth the time, date and place of the Planning Commission meeting/hearing and the Commissioners hearing.
  4. Review and recommendation by Planning Commission: Some permit types require a hearing before the Planning Commission.
    The Planning Commission shall recommend to the Board of County Commissioners: approval, approval with conditions, or denial of the application for a Minor Land Use Permit, based on the applicable standards and criteria in Article 5, Standards and Criteria.
  5. Public hearing by Board of County Commissioners: The Board of County Commissioners shall hold a public hearing to consider the application for a Minor Land Use Permit and shall hear evidence regarding compliance with the standards and criteria before taking an action on the application.
    • Approval: The application for a Minor Land Use Permit may be approved if the application satisfies all of the relevant standards and criteria contained in Yuma County Land Use Code Article 5, Standards and Criteria.
    • Conditional Approval: The application for a Minor Land Use Permit may be approved with conditions, if conditions are necessary to ensure compliance with this Code.
    • Denial: The application shall be denied if the application does not satisfy all of the relevant standards and criteria contained in Yuma County Land Use Code Article 5, Standards and Criteria.

Permits

Please refer to the following permits:

Activity Notice Permit
Activity Notice Permit - Towers
Exemption from the Definition of Subdivision

Meetings

Yuma County Planning Commission meets once a month at the Eckley Community Center, 201 Catchpole Ave, Eckley, CO. This is a public meeting, that provides time for public comment. The Meeting starts at 7:00pm. and it occurs on the third Tuesday of the month. There are some deviations to that schedule some months because of conflicts.

Yuma County Planning Commission 2026 Meeting Schedule

Board of County commissioner’s meeting, that Land Use topics are part of, is generally the last working day of the month. Land Use topics are usually on the agenda at 1:00. The time may vary, so an agenda will be out a day before. There is time for public comment.

A time can be reserved for individuals to speak at the Commissioners meetings, to request scheduling on the agenda; interested citizens should contact the Commissioners administration prior to the scheduled meeting at 970-332-5796.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The State of Colorado requires all divisions of property containing less than 35 acres to go through a subdivision process. If a water well is on the property or you will be drilling a water well you need to have an “Exemption from the Definition of Subdivision.” This will be required by the State Water Engineer prior to you receiving a drilling permit from the State. (See Section 3-102 B1, page 9 and 10 of the Code)

Yes. An Activity Notice needs to be filled out for any building constructed, this includes but not limited to a home, garage, barn, equipment building, grain bins, and meteorological towers. Any physical structure that has a value assessed by the Yuma County Assessor or State Assessed requires an Activity Notice. We give this form to the Yuma County Assessor for the purpose of having the new development added to the tax rolls at the appropriate time. (See Section 2-102 A 1, Page 5 of the Code.)

Home occupations are allowed with no permitting process if they meet the minimum standards that apply to exempt home occupations. (See Home Occupations section 2-102 C, Page 5 of the Code.)

Yes, a Major Land Use Permit is required. Expansion of a concentrated animal feeding operation or livestock confinement facility that increases the capacity of the facility by more than 33% or 5,000 head, whichever is less, over the existing capacity as of July 1, 2003, shall require a Land Use Permit. (See Agricultural Structures and Activities Section 2-102 B, page 5 of the Code)

Unless otherwise exempt pursuant to Section 2-102 of this Code, any Land Use Change shall require a Land Use Permit. A Land Use Change is defined as any development, grading, construction, activity or operation that changes the basic character, configuration, or use of land or structures after the enactment of this Land Use Code. (See Land Use Permits Section 2-101 A, page 5 of the Code)

One month is the shortest amount of time it will take to process an application. Contact the Land Use Administrator for your specific request because the time depends of many factors, which is not limited to but includes the following:

  • Acceptance of the complete application.
  • The type of permit being requested.
  • Review of the application by the Land Use Administrator (30 days allowed.).
  • Review of the application by other agencies and municipalities. (30 days and can be extended.)
  • Required notification by letter to adjacent landowners and mineral interests.
  • When the application is received in relation to scheduled meetings by the Planning Commission and the Yuma County Commissioners. Hearing notices are published according to Land Use Code guidelines and vary according to the type of permit being requested.

New Addresses

Contact the County Assessor’s office at 970-332-5032 for help with new addresses. Measurements from the nearest west or south section line to the centerline of the access road will be required prior to issuing an address.

Additional Resources