Frequently Asked Questions

Alamosa County is zoned and requires building permits. Please be aware Alamosa is a rural community and life in the country is different from life in the city.

County governments are not able to provide the same level of service as municipal governments. Mail service, cellular/internet service, school buses, trash service, and even emergency services may be limited, slow, or not available at all in certain parts of the county. Connecting to the electrical grid can be very expensive and service is not available in all parts of the county. Road maintenance is not guaranteed and if the roads near your property are not maintained, they never will be.

• You and your neighbors are responsible for road maintenance of private roads including grading and snow removal.

Only properties in the City of Alamosa or East Alamosa have central water and sewer.

• All rural, residential properties require an onsite wastewater treatment system (septic).
  • At this time, we do not allow composting toilets or gray water systems.
• All rural, residential properties require a permanent, legal water source.
  • In almost all cases, you must have a well.

Generally, a parcel is buildable if it is at least 1 acre which is the minimum size required for an onsite wastewater treatment system by the Colorado Division of Public Health and Environment. Most parcels in Alamosa County are eligible to apply for a well permit with the Colorado Division of Water Resources. The only parcels in Alamosa County that are ineligible for wells are located in Deer Valley Meadows Unit III.

Alternative building methods i.e... earthships, straw bale, shipping containers, or rammed earth, are allowed but the plans must be stamped by a licensed, Colorado Architect or Engineer.

Colorado is a "Buyer Beware" state and access is not guaranteed. There can be problems with the legal aspects of access, especially if you gain access across property belonging to others. It is wise to obtain legal advice and understand the easements that may be necessary to access a piece of property.

Generally, if you own 35 acres or more you are allowed a domestic well which gives you the ability to irrigate up to an acre. Anything smaller than 35 acres allows you an in-house use only well which does not permit you to have any outside irrigation, not even patio plants.

If you have an in-house only use well, you can sometimes buy augmentation water from the San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District for an annual fee. All water questions and verification of water rights should be directed to the Colorado Division of Water Resources. They are a state agency which operates a local office in Alamosa.

• Please contact them at 719-589-6683.

Most of the county is zoned Rural (RU), a district set aside for agricultural and residential purposes. Water can be a limiting factor on both agriculture and livestock, so please verify use with the Division of Water Resources. The keeping of animals as a residential accessory use is as follows:

• Horses, mules, donkeys, cattle, rabbits, goats, sheep and poultry or other fowl are allowed on all parcels one acre or larger but they are not allowed to create a health hazard or nuisance to surrounding properties.
• Parcels less than two acres cannot have more than a total of two of the following per acre: horses, mules, donkeys, cows, goats or sheep with the exception of young animals of less than six months of age provided they are the offspring of mature animals on the property.
• Up to ten chickens are allowed in every district of Alamosa County and more are allowed in Rural (RU) zoned districts. The following requirements apply:
  • Chickens must be provided with a covered, properly ventilated and predator-resistant chicken coop.
  • Chicken coops and outdoor enclosures shall be regularly cleaned to control dust, odor and waste and must not constitute a nuisance, safety hazard, or health problem to surrounding properties.

We require a minimum of 500 square feet for residential purposes.

Some areas of the county do not have transmission lines and installation of new lines is the property owner's responsibility.

Installation can be very expensive and it is always best to verify utilities before purchasing rural property.

• Alamosa County does not verify electrical service but you can contact either Xcel Energy or the SLV Rural Electric Cooperative (SLVREC) for more information.
• See SLVREC's service territory map.

All homes other than single or double-wide manufactured homes must be site built. Pre-fab or kit homes are only allowed if they are assembled on site and the building inspector can perform all the necessary inspections required of a site built home or if they are inspected by a qualified third-party inspector.

The State of Colorado's Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Regulation 43 allows composting toilets in addition to the installation of a septic system.

• Per state regulation, you cannot use a composting toilet instead of a septic system.
• Per state regulation, using composting toilets does not allow you to reduce the size or treatment capacity of your septic system.
• As of May 23, 2018, Incinerating, Composting and Chemical Toilets are prohibited in Alamosa County.