What is a “Tiny Home?”

There is no legal definition of a “tiny home”. The term can refer to anything from a 100 sq. ft. miniature house on wheels to a house smaller than about 800 sq. ft. 

Clear Creek County considers a Tiny Home to fall in one of the following two categories: 

1. Mobile Tiny Home

Mobile Tiny Homes Most mobile tiny homes that are on wheels cannot meet our building code for a single family dwelling, however instead may meet the safety standards for recreational vehicles. Meaning, they may be safe to pull down the road, and to occupy, but were not designed to be lived in permanently (primarily because of their semi-self-contained water and sanitation systems). Therefore, as a policy we define a Mobile Tiny Home as a Recreational Vehicle. These types of Tiny Homes are generally not allowed in residentially zoned districts, however are allowed in our Recreational Vehicle Park (RVP) zoning district. Unfortunately there is not a lot of RVP zoned property in Clear Creek County. Therefore, it is usually challenging to find a property that will allow you to site a Mobile Tiny Home in unincorporated Clear Creek County. 

2. A small dwelling unit that meets County code and regulations for a Single Family Dwelling 

A small dwelling unit that meets County code and regulations for a Single Family Dwelling Clear Creek County has no minimum square footage requirements for single family dwellings. However, there are code requirements that obligate certain rooms to be of a certain size and height for safety reasons. However, you can build quite a small home in Clear Creek County if that is your preference. Small dwelling units that can meet all state and local department codes and regulations for a single family dwelling are allowed in any residentially zoned district in the County. However, please be aware that there is more to building a home then just the structure itself; among other things, a driveway, a water supply, and a septic system that meets County standards are part of this requirement. These infrastructure components will usually cost a bit more than they would in an urban environment. 

Can I use a Tiny Home Temporarily?

Mobile Tiny Homes and/or RV’s are allowed in a limited fashion in residential zoning districts as a temporary use: 

1. You may camp in a Mobile Tiny Home under the County Camping Regulations for up to 2 weeks in a 1 year period on vacant land without a permit, and up to 1 month in a 1 year period with a permit. 

2. Mobile Tiny Homes are allowed as a permitted use for ‘temporary living quarters’ or ‘construction trailers’ if you have an issued building permit for a single family dwelling on the same property. The Tiny Home needs to be directly related to the facilitation and construction of a single family dwelling on the subject property. Once the single family dwelling is completed the Mobile Tiny Home can only be stored on the property and not occupied.

Can I Convert My Mobile Tiny Home Into a Small Dwelling Unit?

Yes, this is possible; however this will require you to meet all local permitting codes. This includes, but not limited to, removing the wheels and setting the tiny home on a permanent foundation and installing a well and septic system or connecting to centralized water and sanitation. Additionally, these types of Tiny Homes are usually not constructed to meet the higher wind and snow load requirements that are necessary in this County. You may need to consult with the Tiny Home manufacturer to find out if your Tiny Home is constructed or able to be constructed to meet our building code requirements for a single family dwelling.