Home Additions in Cherry Hills Village, CO

Home additions in Cherry Hills Village move through a more structured process than almost any other project type the City reviews, because the City’s estate-scale lots come with their own zoning tables for setbacks, height, bulk plane, and floor area ratio. Every residential lot in Cherry Hills Village is zoned single-family, and an addition that expands a house’s footprint or square footage always needs its own permit, separate from any interior or exterior remodel happening at the same time. Our crew starts every addition by confirming the property’s zone district and running the numbers before drawings go far.

Large Lots, Large Setbacks

Cherry Hills Village’s residential zone districts run from R-1 down to R-5, and the setback and lot-size standards scale with them. In the R-1 district, the minimum lot area is 2½ acres, and the City’s own Principal Structure Setback table sets a front setback of 75 feet, a rear setback of 50 feet, and side setbacks of 50 feet, with a maximum height of 35 feet and a floor area ratio cap of 23%. R-2 lots run a minimum of 1¼ acres, with the same 75-foot front setback, 40-foot rear and side setbacks, 35-foot height, and 23% FAR.

Smaller districts ease those numbers somewhat. R-3 lots (1 acre minimum) carry a 50-foot front setback, 25-foot rear and side setbacks, 35-foot height, and 25% FAR. R-4 lots (½ acre minimum) drop to a 25-foot front and rear setback, side setbacks described as 30 feet total with a 10-foot individual minimum, a 30-foot height limit, and a 30% FAR. R-5 lots (16,000 square feet minimum) carry the same 25-foot front and rear setback, a 7.5-foot side setback, 30-foot height, and 30% FAR. An R-3A district exists as well, with setbacks and lot coverage that step down as lot size decreases within that overlay.

We confirm the exact zone district for a property against the City’s zoning map before quoting an addition, since a setback difference of even a few feet on a multi-acre lot can move a proposed addition significantly.

Bulk Plane: Height Isn’t Just a Flat Number

Beyond the flat height maximum, Cherry Hills Village applies a bulk plane standard that controls how much of a second story can rise near the setback lines. For R-1 through R-4, the City’s bulk plane begins at a starting height of 21 feet in the front area and 12 feet 6 inches in the rear area, then rises at a 40-degree angle toward the center of the lot; R-5 uses a 12’6″ starting height in both the front and rear areas at the same 40-degree angle. In practice, this means a second-story addition can be limited well before it reaches the district’s flat height cap, depending on how close it sits to a setback line.

We model the bulk plane against the proposed massing early in design, because it is one of the more common reasons an addition concept has to be revised before it can be submitted.

Major Additions Require a Neighborhood Meeting First

Cherry Hills Village defines a Major Addition as an expansion of a structure by 50% or more of its existing square footage, and that threshold triggers its own permit category alongside new single-family homes. Before a Major Addition or new home permit can even be submitted, the City requires a Preapplication Neighborhood Input Meeting. That meeting is a scheduling item that has to be built into the project timeline from day one, not something to add later if the design runs into a snag.

A smaller addition that stays under the 50% threshold is still a separate permit from any remodel work happening at the same time, but it does not carry the neighborhood meeting requirement.

What a Major Addition Submittal Requires

Once the neighborhood meeting is complete, the City’s submittal list for a Major Addition or new home is extensive: stamped structural plans, a scaled survey site plan with setbacks measured to any portion of the structure including eaves and overhangs, elevations demonstrating bulk plane and height compliance, a completed Floor Area Ratio worksheet, a soils investigation report where referenced, an exterior lighting plan showing compliance with the City’s lighting code section, energy calculations and a Manual J for conditioned space, a construction staging plan with right-of-way photos, civil construction plans, and proof of a sewer permit or release form.

If the addition removes established trees within the setback area as part of a 50%-or-greater square footage increase, a tree survey and tree protection plan covering location, diameter, and protection measures for those trees is also required. And if the existing home has a fire sprinkler system, a South Metro Fire Rescue Authority submittal receipt is required before the City will issue the permit.

Drainage, Stormwater, and Floodplain Considerations

Additions that add more than 2,500 square feet of impervious surface area trigger a Phase III Drainage Report, and any project disturbing one acre or more of land, or located adjacent to a waterway or watercourse, needs a Stormwater Management Plan or Grading, Erosion, and Sediment Control Plan along with a Stormwater Construction Permit. Separately, any development within the City’s mapped floodplain requires either a floodplain development permit for limited work like bank stabilization, or a floodplain variance for other construction, plus an Elevation Certificate for new or substantially improved construction. Cherry Hills Village’s waterways include the Little Dry Creek corridor and the High Line Canal, both of which run through parts of the City; we check the floodplain map for the specific parcel rather than assuming proximity alone determines the requirement.

Review Timeline and Fees

New Home and Major Addition permits carry a 10 business day review cycle, and the City requires Planning Division approval before Building or Civil Engineering review begins. The review fee for a New Home or Major Addition (more than 50% of existing square footage) is $1,360 for eight hours, with additional plan review billed at $170 per hour, plus separate review fees for any Stormwater Management Plan, Phase III Drainage Report, or additional civil engineering review. The building permit fee itself is 1% of valuation above $2,000, with service expansion fees of $0.90 per square foot for the building and Arapahoe County use tax of one-eighth of one percent of valuation on top.

How We Sequence a Cherry Hills Village Addition

We start by confirming the zone district, running the setback, height, bulk plane, and FAR numbers against the proposed design, and scheduling the neighborhood input meeting if the addition meets the Major Addition threshold. From there, we assemble the survey, structural, lighting, tree protection, and drainage documentation the City’s submittal list calls for before filing.

After the permit is issued, our crew sequences foundation and structural work, then framing, rough systems, insulation, and exterior finishes, coordinating civil and drainage inspections alongside the standard building inspections. In Cherry Hills Village, an addition moves most predictably when the zoning math, neighborhood meeting, and full submittal package are settled before construction starts.

Common Questions

Does every home addition in Cherry Hills Village need a Preapplication Neighborhood Input Meeting?
Only Major Additions, defined as expanding a structure by 50% or more of its existing square footage, and new single-family homes trigger that requirement. A smaller addition still needs its own permit but not the neighborhood meeting.

How much can I build given my lot’s zone district?
It depends on the district. R-1 and R-2 cap floor area ratio at 23%, R-3 at 25%, and R-4 and R-5 at 30%, each with its own setback and height table. Confirm your property’s zone district against the City’s zoning map before sizing an addition.

What is the bulk plane and why does it matter for a second story?
It is a sloped height limit that starts well below the district’s flat height cap near the setback lines and rises at a 40-degree angle toward the center of the lot. It can restrict a second-story addition even when the design is under the district’s maximum height.

Does an addition near Little Dry Creek or the High Line Canal need a separate permit?
If the property is within the City’s mapped floodplain, development needs either a floodplain development permit or a floodplain variance, plus an Elevation Certificate for new or substantially improved construction. Check the floodplain map for the specific parcel.

Talk to Us About Your Project

Tell us about your lot’s zone district and what you’re planning to add. We run the setback, height, bulk plane, and FAR numbers, schedule the neighborhood meeting when required, and coordinate the full permit package with the Cherry Hills Village Building Division.