Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Permit in Fort Lupton, Colorado

Fort Lupton requires an accessory dwelling unit (adu) permit for: Listed explicitly as requiring a building permit on the Permit Information page; Processed under the general Single-Family/accessory-structure New Construction Requirements submittal set (plot plan, engineered foundation where applicable, energy code compliance); Pre-Application Meeting with Planning staff required before submitting an ADU building-permit application, unless waived by the Director (Municipal Code Sec. 16-4.03(2)a.1); One ADU permitted per lot, only when associated with either a proposed or existing detached house or duplex/multi-unit house (Sec. 16-4.03(2)a.2); ADU may be a detached accessory building, attached accessory building, or located within the principal building (attic, basement, garage, or rear apartment) (Sec. 16-4.03(2)a.3); a garage required to meet the principal dwelling's minimum parking cannot be converted into an ADU (Sec. 16-4.03(2)a.4); Size cap: for lots under 40,000 sq ft or between 40,000 sq ft and 5 acres, the ADU may not exceed 100% of the principal dwelling's livable square footage (minimum 750 sq ft allowance if the principal dwelling is under 750 sq ft); no size limit for lots 5 acres or larger (Sec. 16-4.03(2)a.5-7); Height capped at 35'; setbacks: front meets/exceeds the principal dwelling's Table 5-1 (or Table 6-1 for RO-zone ADUs) front minimum, side 5', side corner meets/exceeds Table 5-1/6-1 corner-side minimum, rear 5' (0' above an alley-loaded garage absent an easement conflict) (Sec. 16-4.03(2)b.1-2); Design compatibility: the ADU must visually match the principal dwelling in at least 3 of 6 ways (color palette, roof pitch, roof material, façade materials, height not exceeding principal dwelling, window dimensions/height) (Sec. 16-4.03(2)b.3); Access/addressing: minimum 3' delineated pedestrian connection from the ADU entrance to the public sidewalk/alley (or to the principal building's public access point if none exists); both units must have individual, visible, city-assigned addresses; no additional off-street parking is required (up to 2 on-street spots may be identified if not already required for the principal dwelling); no new access/curb-cut permit is issued for an ADU (Sec. 16-4.03(2)c.1-7); Zoning compliance (lot coverage, general district standards) otherwise governed by the Fort Lupton Municipal Code (Municode Chapter 16, Development Code), not a Building Division-specific ADU page. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Fort Lupton Planning & Building Department (Building Division) at 720-928-4003 before starting work.

In Fort Lupton, the published Building Permit Fee (general valuation-based schedule) is: $24.00 minimum, scaling per the valuation tiers in Resolution No. 2026R020. Additional published fees: Plan Review Fee — 65% of Building Permit Fee. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Fort Lupton's published plan-review target for an accessory dwelling unit (adu) permit is 7–10 business days.

You'll need: Residential Building Permit Application — ADU scope; Plot Plan / Site Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Fort Lupton requires 4 inspection(s) for an accessory dwelling unit (adu) permit, in order: Foundation, Framing, Rough Electrical / Plumbing / Mechanical, Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Fort Lupton Planning & Building Department (Building Division) (720-928-4003).

Apply through City of Fort Lupton Planning & Building Department (Building Division) at 1200 Dexter Street, Unit W13, Fort Lupton, CO 80621 (mailing: 130 S McKinley Ave, Fort Lupton, CO 80621). Phone: 720-928-4003, email: buildingdept@fortluptonco.gov. Office hours: Not published on the Building Department page as of this review. Key staff direct lines: Jonathan Gesick (Building Official, SAFEbuilt contract) 970-518-5269 jgesick@safebuilt.com; Jose Gonzalez (Building Official II, ProCode Inc. contract) 970-305-3161 jgonzalez@procodeinc.net (also reachable at coemail@safebuilt.com per the New Construction Requirements page); Shannon DeVries (Permit Technician I) 720-466-6104 buildingdept@fortluptonco.gov; Todd Hodges (Planning Director) 720-466-6106 thodges@fortluptonco.gov.. Official information: https://www.fortluptonco.gov/208/Building.

Fort Lupton, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — City of Fort Lupton, Current Adopted Codes & Additional Resources page, adopted by Ordinance No. 2026-1198 (approved by City Council January 20, 2026, effective after publication March 28, 2026), replacing the prior 2018 code cycle; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC); 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2024 International Fire Code (IFC); 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); 2024 International Property Maintenance Code; 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — state-mandated edition per Colorado statute, referenced on the same Current Adopted Codes page; Colorado Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code, 2023 Edition — adopted by reference in the same Ordinance No. 2026-1198 (per Resolution No. 2026R020 recitals), enacting new municipal code sections rather than amending the I-Codes directly; Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code, 2025 Edition — likewise adopted by reference in Ordinance No. 2026-1198, effective March 28, 2026; Note on prior-cycle residue: a ProCode Inc.-branded 'Residential Energy Compliance Certificate' template still in departmental circulation references the superseded '2012/2018 IECC (Res) as amended' baseline for duct-leakage (R403.3.3) and building-envelope (R402.1.2) testing language; the live Current Adopted Codes webpage and Resolution No. 2026R020 recitals (Ordinance 2026-1198, 2024 I-Codes) are treated as the current, governing adoption for this file since they are the actively maintained code-adoption authority, not a legacy form that has not yet been reprinted.. Local amendments apply — see the Fort Lupton overview page for the full list.

There is no distinct ADU permit application or fee line — ADUs are processed under the general residential building-permit submittal requirements. However, Fort Lupton DOES have a detailed, codified ADU-specific zoning standard (Municipal Code Sec. 16-4.03(2)), covering a required Pre-Application Meeting, a one-ADU-per-lot limit tied to a detached house or duplex/multi-unit house, size caps by lot size, a 35' height limit, setbacks, design-compatibility rules, and access/addressing requirements.