This page contains information regarding zoning regulations, building permits and construction requirements.

Like all Towns, Castle Valley has a basic Zoning Ordinance plus other ordinances to control land uses in the Valley. The current General Plan describes our Land Use Goal as follows: To remain a peaceful, quiet rural residential/agricultural community characterized by a sense of open space and the ability to enjoy landscape and sky.

The Town does not have and does not intend to have Commercial or Industrial zoning.

Building Permits

Building Permits are required for construction of any dwelling and for any accessory building, with the exception of farm buildings without electricity or water. Building Permits must be approved and signed by:

• Castle Valley Building Permits Agent (Fay Roth - Phone: (435) 259-9828 or 259-4743)
• Grand County Building Inspector (Phone: (435) 259-1343)  Click here for Grand County's Web page.
• Legal Property Owner and, if relevant, Building Contractor

Click here for the Building Permit Form.

Before designing your building and drawing up plans click here for full information about Building Permits.

Click here for Building Permit Fees.

In addition, the Septic System must be approved by the Grand County Sanitarian (Phone: (435) 250-5602). Click here for important information about installing septic systems and the process for septic system approvals.

A FEW KEY ZONING RULES TO REMEMBER:

• Only one single family dwelling is allowed per lot. As part of the Building Permit Process, applicants must sign an Acknowledgment of this requirement.
  
• Guest Houses, apartments, duplexes, or other construction creating more than one dwelling per platted lot are not permitted, and temporary second dwellings are closely restricted (see below for information on Temporary Dwellings).
• Camping on a lot requires a sanitary sewage and wastewater disposal system.  See section 4.6 of our Watershed Protection Ordinance and information on Temporary Dwellings below.
  
• A dwelling is any building or portion of a building that is used for human habitation or that includes one kitchen and one or more full bathroom(s) as defined in our Zoning Ordinance.
  
• An accessory building may contain one full bathroom or one kitchen as defined in our Zoning Ordinance, but not both.
  
• Only one kitchen is allowed per building per platted lot.
  
• Short-term rentals for a period of less than twenty-five (25) days are prohibited.
  
• Bed & Breakfasts are prohibited.
• The Town has Ordinances regarding outdoor lighting and fencing.
• Certain home or premises occupations (home based businesses) may be allowed with the approval of a conditional use permit according to sections 4.7 & 4.8 of our Zoning Ordinance. See also Approval Process and Frequently Asked Questions and the Conditional Uses Page under the Administration Tab regarding the various types of Conditional Use Permits. 
• One stand is allowed for the display and sale of agricultural products raised on the premises.  If customers are coming on to the premises for any other reason, then a Conditional Use Permit is required. 
• Livestock feedlots, fur farms, animal hospitals, kennels, and animal byproducts rendering plants are prohibited.      
• There is a limit on the number of livestock allowed per platted lot.  Please see section 4.9 of our Zoning Ordinance and the Livestock Limit Information Sheet.    
• Buildings used for agricultural purposes must obtain a Certificate of Land Use Compliance from the Town of Castle Valley Building Permit Agent before they can be constructed or moved into the Town. 
• The plat of the Castle Valley River Ranchos Subdivision was approved by Grand County before the Town of Castle Valley was incorporated. During the platting process, there was no geologic evaluation of hazards associated with rock falls, flooding, soil problems, suitability, subsidence or similar geologic hazards. Building permit applicants are strongly advised to independently evaluate geologic hazards on the individual lot on which they propose to build. See Geologic Hazard Maps for initial guidance. The Building Permit process requires the signing of a Release Form that disclaims any Town liability for geologic hazards on any lot.
• No changes shall be made to any wash, drainage or waterway that affects the exit point of surface water from your property; nor shall the concentration of discharge at that point be changed. A Drainage Review by the Road Supervisor is required as part of the Building Permit.
• Driveway culverts must be sized and approved by the Roads Department Manager (or in the case of Castle Valley Drive, referred to the County Roads Department).  Please read our Driveway Culvert Ordinance.

The Zoning Ordinance specifies the following:

Setbacks: 

• For all buildings, water wells and septic systems, fifty (50) feet from the platted public road easement lines.
• For all buildings, thirty (30) feet from the property lines between contiguous lots. For water wells and septic systems, fifty (50) feet from the property lines between contiguous lots.
• Barns, corrals, pens, coops, and sheds for the keeping of livestock shall be located at least 70 feet from property lines between contiguous lots and at least 100 feet from any existing dwelling on a neighboring lot or parcel.

Building area and height limits (see building square footage and height calculation worksheet and examples) 

• The combined square footage of all buildings located on a lot shall not exceed 7,000 square feet.
  
• No building or addition to an existing building shall exceed twenty-five (25) feet in building height.
  
• No more than 5,000 square feet of combined square footage on a lot shall exceed building height of nineteen (19) feet tall.  
  
• Except for new additions to existing buildings, the highest point of the structure determines building height for all of the combined square footage of that building. 
  
• The highest point of a new addition to an existing building determines the building height for all of the combined square footage of that addition.
  
• Up to two accessory buildings on a lot may be excluded from the calculation of the total combined square footage on a lot if the excluded building or buildings are each no more than 120 square feet in area and no more than twelve (12) feet in building height, when measured from finished grade.
  
• Applicants who wish to build an addition to a non-complying building that was constructed or received final approval for construction prior to May 13, 2008 and is taller than 25 feet, may make one addition to that building at or below the building's existing maximum height, not to exceed a height of thirty (30) feet.  Such an addition shall not exceed 500 square feet.  No such addition however, shall be allowed which would increase the combined square footage of the building affected by the addition to more than 5000 square feet. 
  
• "Combined square footage" for each building is determined by adding together the floor area of each story of the building plus the area which is directly below exterior roofs as measured from the exterior wall of a building to the roof's edge (see Illustration B). The floor area of each story of a building is measured from exterior wall to exterior wall and includes all spaces within that area such as, but not limited to, unfinished spaces, stairwells, closets, and other non-habitable space that have a ceiling height of five (5) feet or more. A basement's floor area should also be added when determining the combined square footage of any building if the ceiling area of 50% or more of the entire basement is three feet or more above finished grade (see Illustrations A1 and A2).  Also, a basement's square footage may only be excluded from the combined square footage calculations if it is partially or completely below Finished Grade (as described above), provided that Finished Grade is no more than three (3) feet above Existing Grade.
  
• Building height is measured as the vertical distance between a horizontal line extending from the highest point of any roof, wall, or parapet (not including chimneys or vents) and the lower of either 1) the lowest point where the vertical face around the perimeter of the building intersects the Existing Grade or 2) the lowest point where the vertical face around the perimeter of the building intersects the Finished Grade.  Building Height does not include chimneys or vents (see Illustrations C1 and C2).
  
• For sites which have never been disturbed, existing grade is the same as the natural grade which is the elevation of the surface of the ground that existed before any earth was moved.  For sites that have existing structures or older disturbances to the land, existing grade is the ground level established when the existing structure or disturbance was created.  Recent earthwork will not necessarily qualify as existing grade and will require a determination from the Building Permit Agent.  
  
• The vertical face of the structure includes, but is not limited to walls, foundations, footings, piers, or columns that support a wall.  Piers, columns or posts that support a part of the structure that is not enclosed, such as decks or porches, shall not be considered part of the vertical face of the structure when determining height.  Please be aware that enclosing an open area at a later date may change the height measurement for that structure and may not be allowed if it brings the structure out of compliance with height and square footage limits.
  
• For structures for which no part is enclosed, such as carports, height shall be measured from the highest point of the structure to the lowest point in the Finished Grade directly below the structure.
  
• A window well that is entirely within five feet of an exterior wall of the structure or the stair to a basement that is entirely within eight feet of an exterior wall of the structure shall not be considered in determining the finished grade (see Illustration D and E).
  
• Up to two accessory buildings on a lot may be excluded from the calculation of the total combined square footage on a lot if the excluded building or buildings are each no more than 120 square feet in area and no more than twelve (12) feet in building height, when measured from finished grade.
• Applicants who wish to build an addition to a non-complying building that was constructed or received final approval for construction prior to May 13, 2008, and is taller than 25 feet may make one addition to that building at a height that is more than 25 feet tall but not more than 30 feet tall. Such an addition shall not exceed 500 square feet. No such addition, however, shall be allowed which would increase the combined square footage of the building affected by the addition to more than 4000 square feet.

3) Temporary Access Dwellings for Medical Purposes (TAD): Property owners may seek a permit for a temporary dwelling for family members who have been certified as incapable of caring for them selves.  Such a dwelling can also be used for caregivers of such family members. TAD permits are valid for two (2) years and must be renewed on a bi-annual basis. Please read section 4.11 of the Zoning Ordinance and click here for TAD Permit Application.