Outdoor Recreational Equipment

What is outdoor recreational equipment?

Outdoor Recreational equipment includes structures such as swing sets, pools, hot tubs, playhouses, goals, nets, ramps, trampolines, and similar equipment or structures designed for private recreational uses.

  • Recreational equipment is permitted in addition to minor and major accessory structures on residential properties. 
  • These structures may be permanent or temporary.
  • Outdoor recreational equipment excludes at-grade playing courts, such as for basketball or racquet sports, which are permitted (refer to fencing standards in Code Section 26-603).

Pools and Hot Tubs

All in-ground pools, above-ground pools, and hot tubs must meet the accessory building setback requirements of the underlying zone district.

  •  If a pool is exempt from needing a building permit by Chapter 5 of the Code, the setbacks do not apply.
  • Depending on the size of the pool or hot tub, either the major or minor setback requirements may apply. Any pool or hot tub that exceeds the minor accessory structure size will automatically be considered a major accessory structure and will be subject to the coinciding setbacks.
  • The maximum allowed size of a pool or hot tub is limited by the overall lot coverage requirements for the underlying zone district.

Regulated outdoor recreation equipment and structures include those which are more than 120 square feet in size and are subject to the following standards:

  • The total floor area of recreational equipment or structures cannot exceed 400 square feet or the underlying lot coverage maximum, whichever is more restrictive.
  • The maximum height of outdoor recreational equipment and structures is 12 feet.
  • The minimum side and rear setbacks for outdoor recreational equipment and structures is 5 feet.
  • The minimum front setback for outdoor recreational equipment and structures is subject to the front setback for the underlying zone district.

Exempt Structures

  • Structures 120 square feet or less in size are exempt from zoning development standards.
  • Structures which are essentially temporary are exempt from zoning development standards.

How is permanence determined?

Permanence is determined at the sole discretion of the Community Development Director depending on size, portability, ability to deconstruct, and presence of connected utilities. 

Examples of temporary structures:

  • Portable playfield goals
  • Portable playsets
  • Portable playhouses
  • Portable playfield nets
  • Portable skate park equipment
  • Yard games
  • Bounce houses
  • Portable movie screens

 Examples of permanent structures:

  • Ground-mounted playsets
  • Tree houses
  • In-ground trampolines
  • Built-in skate park equipment

Resources and Questions

Setback and coverage requirements for underlying zoning may be found here: Find your zoning  On the right side, turn the zoning layer on and the council districts layer off by clicking the eye symbol.

Please contact the Community Development Department with any questions or to confirm whether and which standards may apply.

In person: City Hall, Community Development Department, 7500 W. 29th Avenue, Second Floor, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 

Phone: 303-235-2846

Email: zoning@ci.wheatridge.co.us