Denver Deck Site Plan for Permit: Setbacks, Stairs and Backyard Layout

A new deck can make your backyard more useful, but its location needs careful planning. The platform, stairs and landing must work with your existing house, property boundaries and outdoor access.

A Denver deck site plan brings these details together in one overhead drawing. It helps explain where the proposed work will go and how it fits within the property. Before finalizing your design, check the permit requirements and zoning rules that apply to your address.

Does a Deck Need a Permit in Denver?

Denver distinguishes between zoning permits and building permits. Its residential deck guidance states that uncovered decks more than 12 inches above ground require zoning approval, while those 30 inches or higher also require a building permit. Covered structures require both. Additional drainage or trade permits may apply. [1]

Important at exactly 12 inches: different sections of the city’s page describe this threshold differently. Confirm the requirement with Denver before treating a deck at that height as exempt. Historic properties also need separate consideration. [1]

When discussing your project with the city, describe whether the deck will be attached or detached, covered or uncovered, and how high it will sit above the surrounding ground. Include any proposed lighting, roof, hot tub or other added feature in that discussion.

Check the Property Before Choosing the Deck Location

Start by confirming that your property falls within the City and County of Denver. A Denver mailing address alone should not be your only jurisdiction check.

The city’s Development Services map, linked from its residential projects page, provides information about zoning, landmark status and floodplains. These details can affect how you prepare the application. [2]

Next, collect any existing survey, recorded plat, previous approved plans and easement documents. These records help establish the information used to draw your property. If a boundary is uncertain, resolve it before designing close to that line.

A fence can help you understand the yard, but it should not be treated as proof of the legal boundary. Learn more about the difference between a drawing and boundary verification in our guide to site plans versus surveys.

Denver Deck Setbacks: Use the Rules for Your Address

A setback is the required separation between a structure and a relevant lot line. Avoid using a single setback number for every Denver deck.

Denver provides zoning standards by neighborhood context and district. Some properties remain governed by Former Chapter 59 rather than the Denver Zoning Code. Identify the applicable regulations before selecting setback dimensions. [3]

Ask Denver to confirm:

• Which zoning district and building form apply.
• Which boundaries are classified as rear, side interior or side street.
• How the proposed deck and stairs are classified.
• Whether any setback encroachment provisions apply to the design.
• Whether coverage limits or overlays affect the project.

Then show both the required setback and the proposed distance on your drawing. For example, a dashed setback line and a separate dimension to the proposed deck make the relationship easier to understand.

Denver’s sample plans demonstrate this approach, but their example dimensions should not be copied as the requirements for another property. [4]

What Should a Denver Deck Site Plan Show?

Denver requests a scaled site plan with a north arrow, lot lines, adjoining streets and alleys, existing structures and driveways, the proposed structure and height, and separation dimensions. Sewer information is also requested when applicable to drainage review. [1]

Use the following practical checklist to organize the drawing:

Use distinct labels or line styles for existing, proposed and removed features. Keep dimensions readable rather than crowding every note into the deck outline.

Include the Stairs in Your Backyard Layout

Stairs can occupy more yard space than homeowners expect. A platform may fit comfortably behind the house while the stair run reaches a walkway, gate or tight boundary area.

Draw the entire stair arrangement before settling on the deck size. Show where the stairs begin, which way they descend and where the bottom landing meets the yard.

For example, stairs running directly toward the rear fence may restrict backyard circulation. Turning them parallel to the house could improve the layout, but the revised design still needs its own clearance and construction checks.

Also consider everyday use:

• Can people reach the garage and gates easily?
• Will the landing interfere with a basement window well?
• Is there room to move bins, garden tools and furniture?
• Can utilities and equipment remain accessible?

These are useful design questions to resolve before the site plan and construction drawings are finalized.

Show Deck Height and Ground Conditions Clearly

A top-down drawing explains location, but it does not fully explain height. On a sloping yard, the distance between the deck surface and the ground can vary.

Provide accurate height information and coordinate it with the elevation drawings. Avoid using one convenient measurement to describe the entire deck when the surrounding ground changes.

Denver’s sample drawing package illustrates the relationship between site plans, spot grades and elevations. Use it as a presentation reference rather than a substitute for measurements from your property. [4]

A Site Plan Does Not Replace Deck Construction Drawings

The site plan explains where the deck will go. Construction drawings explain how it will be built.

Denver’s uncovered-deck checklist also calls for structural information, including framing, footings, connections, decking, stairs, guards and handrails. [1]

Have the construction documents prepared for the applicable code and project conditions. Denver’s current building-code resources identify its 2025 code and adopted international codes, together with local amendments. [5]

A basic site plan does not replace a required survey, engineered design or complete permit drawing package.

Prepare Your Application in a Clear Sequence

1. Research the property. Confirm jurisdiction, zoning and site constraints.
2. Confirm the approval path. Discuss the deck’s height, coverage and features with Denver.
3. Finalize the layout. Coordinate the platform, stairs, landing and outdoor access.
4. Prepare consistent drawings. Use matching dimensions across the site plan and construction documents.
5. Review the package. Check the city’s current submission instructions before applying.

For help checking drawing clarity, read our guide to common site plan mistakes that delay permit approval.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the fence as the property line?

Do not assume that the fence follows the legal boundary. Use appropriate property records and obtain survey assistance when boundary verification is needed.

Should the stairs appear on the site plan?

Yes. Showing the stairs and landing makes the full proposed layout clear and helps identify conflicts that a platform-only drawing could miss.

Can I use the setbacks shown in an example plan?

Use example plans to understand presentation. Confirm the applicable setbacks for your own address and design before adding them to your drawing.

Will purchasing a site plan guarantee approval?

No. Approval depends on the proposed design, applicable regulations and complete submission. Confirm which additional documents your project requires.

Official Sources

1. 
   City and County of Denver: Residential Decks, Porches, Patios, Pergolas, and Carports
   
2. 
   City and County of Denver: Single-Family and Duplex Projects and Property Research
   
3. 
   City and County of Denver: Denver Zoning Code and Former Chapter 59
   
4. 
   City and County of Denver: Sample Site Plans and Elevations
   
5. 
   City and County of Denver: Building and Fire Codes, Policies and Guides