Jefferson County’s draft Unified Land Use Code would rewrite the zoning and development rules for unincorporated Applewood, including where duplexes, triplexes and ADUs are allowed and how subdivisions are approved. Comments are due Oct. 18, 2026, through the county’s online form.
Most of Applewood is not part of any city. Large parts of the area people call Applewood sit in unincorporated Jefferson County, so the county, not a city council, writes the zoning rules that decide what can be built on a lot, how close to the property line, and what it takes to split a parcel or add a unit.
Those rules are being rewritten. In September 2026 the county released a draft of its Unified Land Use Code, or ULUC, along with a proposed zoning map. It is the last phase of the county’s Together Jeffco project, which started with about three years of community input on the comprehensive plan and housing strategy. The public comment window closes on Oct. 18.
Jason Sirois, a Denver Realtor with FORM at Compass and an Applewood resident, walks through what the draft covers, what it would change for residential lots, where it does not apply, and how to comment.
What is the Unified Land Use Code?
Today, development in unincorporated Jefferson County is governed by four separate documents: the Zoning Resolution, the Land Development Regulation, the Transportation Design and Construction Manual, and the Storm Drainage and Technical Design Criteria. The ULUC combines them into one code. The county’s stated goal is to make the rules clearer and the review process more efficient for staff, residents and applicants.
According to the county, the code covers:
- Zoning: allowed uses, minimum lot sizes and building setbacks for each zone district
- Development standards: parking, landscaping, fencing, architecture, water supply, stormwater drainage and grading
- Procedures: rezonings, site development plans and subdivision plats
- Specific uses: accessory dwelling units, short-term rentals, home occupations, signs, solar and wind, and special events
The draft also follows recommendations from the county’s Comprehensive Plan and its 15-Year Housing Strategic Plan, which is where most of the housing changes below come from.
What would change for residential lots?
The housing changes are the part most Applewood owners will notice. Based on the county’s ULUC page, its one-page summary and the Sept. 30 presentation slides, the draft proposes:
| Topic | What the draft proposes |
|---|---|
| Duplexes | Allowed in R-1, R-1A, R-1B and R-1C, zones that today allow single-family homes |
| Triplexes | Allowed in R-2 (on lots of at least 12,500 sq ft, per the county’s ULUC page), and still allowed in R-3 |
| New R-1D zone | Single-family detached lots as small as 1,200 sq ft |
| ADUs | Continue to be allowed with a single-family home in all residential and agricultural zones; one per property; owner lives in the main house or the ADU |
| Detached ADU size, lots under 12,500 sq ft | The lesser of 600 sq ft or 40% of the main house |
| Vehicle and bike parking | Vehicle minimums reduced, bicycle minimums increased for new development |
| Small subdivisions | Plats of 12 lots or fewer approved administratively, without a public hearing |
Sources: Jefferson County ULUC page, ULUC at a Glance one-sheet (Oct. 1, 2026) and Sept. 30, 2026 virtual presentation slides. Draft provisions can change before adoption.
Two points are easy to miss. A new R-1D zone does not rezone anyone’s lot to R-1D; it creates an option. And allowing duplexes in a zone does not override private covenants, where a subdivision has them. Covenants are a separate question from county zoning.
Is my Applewood property’s zoning changing?
For most single-family lots, the zone name is likely to stay the same, but that does not mean nothing changes. The county’s summary says some zone names stay put while their allowed uses and setbacks are modified, and that zoning may change outright if a property is currently zoned Commercial, Industrial, Mixed Use, Corridor, Restricted Residential, Suburban Residential Five, or Foothills Green Planned Development.
The draft also consolidates zones. Commercial zones would become Commercial-Convenience, Commercial-Neighborhood and Commercial-Regional, industrial zones would become Light, Medium and Heavy, and the Corridor and Restricted Residential zones would be removed. That matters to Applewood owners next to commercial or mixed-use parcels, since the rules for a neighboring parcel shape what can be built next door.
The simplest way to check is the county’s proposed zoning map, linked from the ULUC page, which shows a parcel’s current and proposed zone side by side. According to the county’s slides, existing planned developments stay as they are under the draft, except Foothills Green.
Which parts of Applewood does the code not cover?
The ULUC applies only to unincorporated Jefferson County. “Applewood” is a name, not a city, and some neighborhoods that carry it are inside city limits. Applewood Villages and Paramount Heights, for example, are in the City of Wheat Ridge, so Wheat Ridge’s zoning code applies there instead. A Golden or Lakewood mailing address does not settle the question either, since many unincorporated Applewood homes use one.
If you are not sure, the county’s zoning map shows jurisdiction for each parcel, and a property’s tax bill lists the taxing authorities. If a city is on it, that city’s code is the one to read. For background on how the area is organized, see our posts on Applewood West school assignments and the Applewood community page.
What does this mean for owners and buyers?
For most owners, the draft does not require anything. Existing homes and uses are not forced to change. What changes is what is allowed the next time someone builds, adds on, splits a lot or applies for a permit.
- If you plan to add an ADU, read the draft ADU section closely. Size limits by lot size, the owner-occupancy requirement and the extra parking space all shape what fits on a typical Applewood lot.
- If you own near a commercial or mixed-use parcel, look up that parcel on the proposed map as well as your own.
- If you are buying, a home’s zoning and its likely zoning after adoption are both worth checking during due diligence, especially if you are paying for lot size or future expansion.
- If you are selling, rules that allow a duplex or ADU on a lot can matter to how a lot is marketed, but nothing is final until the county adopts the code.
How do I comment before Oct. 18, and what happens next?
The county asks for comments by Oct. 18, 2026, so they can be considered in draft revisions. The in-person meetings ran from Sept. 30 to Oct. 13, including an Oct. 7 session at the county building at 100 Jefferson County Parkway in Golden. After those, the main route is the online comment form linked from the county’s Oct. 1 announcement. You can also reach the project team at 303-271-6511 or subscribe to “Planning & Zoning Regulation Updates” on the county’s NotifyMe page.
A useful comment names your parcel or street, the specific section you are reacting to, and what you would change. After Oct. 18, the county’s slides show a Planning Commission hearing anticipated in November and a Board of County Commissioners hearing anticipated in December 2026, with no specific dates published yet. Both hearings take public testimony.
If you are weighing a sale, a purchase or an ADU in Applewood and want to talk through how the draft could apply to a specific lot, Jason Sirois and the FORM Team at Compass Denver are glad to help. You can also browse our tips on updates that add value to an Applewood home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Jefferson County’s new land use code apply to all of Applewood?
No. It applies to unincorporated Jefferson County. Applewood neighborhoods inside a city, such as Applewood Villages and Paramount Heights in Wheat Ridge, follow that city’s zoning code instead.
When is the deadline to comment on the Jeffco Unified Land Use Code?
The county asks for comments by Oct. 18, 2026. The online comment form is linked from the county’s ULUC page and its Oct. 1 news release.
Will the new Jeffco code allow duplexes in Applewood?
The draft would allow duplexes in the R-1, R-1A, R-1B and R-1C zones, which currently allow single-family homes. Private covenants, where a subdivision has them, may still restrict them, and the draft can change before adoption.
Can I build an ADU in unincorporated Applewood under the draft?
ADUs would remain allowed with a single-family home in all residential and agricultural zones, one per property, with the owner living on site. On lots under 12,500 square feet, a detached ADU would be limited to the lesser of 600 square feet or 40% of the main house.
How do I find out if my zoning is changing?
Use the county’s proposed zoning map, linked from jeffco.us/uluc. It shows a parcel’s current and proposed zone. The county says commercial, industrial, mixed-use, corridor and some other zones are most likely to change.
When will the new Jeffco land use code take effect?
No adoption date is set. The county anticipates a Planning Commission hearing in November and a commissioners’ hearing in December 2026. The code takes effect only if the Board of County Commissioners adopts it.
This post is general information based on Jefferson County materials available as of October 12, 2026. The Unified Land Use Code is a draft and may change before adoption. It is not legal advice. Check the county’s ULUC page or talk with county planning staff about a specific property.
