What can I do on an acreage property in El Paso County: horses, outbuildings, a guesthouse, or a pond?

It depends on three things: the parcel's zoning, its well permit, and any covenants or HOA rules. Zoning decides whether you can keep horses or other animals, build outbuildings, or add a guesthouse. The well permit decides how you can use the water, and many wells on lots smaller than 35 acres are permitted for use inside the home only, with no water for lawns, gardens, or livestock. Ponds have to comply with Colorado water law. It's worth checking all three before you buy, not after.

Start with three documents

Before you fall for a property's barn or pasture, gather:

1. The zoning for the parcel, from El Paso County Planning and Community Development (or the City of Colorado Springs, if the property is inside city limits).
2. The well permit, from the Colorado Division of Water Resources' online records.
3. The covenants or HOA rules, from the title commitment or the HOA.

Each can allow or limit what you're hoping to do, and the strictest one wins.

Horses and other animals

Zoning

In unincorporated El Paso County, rural residential zoning districts such as RR-5 generally allow horses and other livestock, subject to the county's standards. Smaller-lot and suburban zoning may not. Rules inside Colorado Springs city limits are different. Confirm the exact zoning for the parcel and what it allows, rather than relying on a listing description.

Water

This is the step most buyers miss. Under Colorado water law, most wells drilled since May 8, 1972, on parcels smaller than 35 acres are permitted for household use only: water can be used only inside the home, not for livestock, lawns, gardens, or any other outside use. Parcels of 35 acres or more can usually get a domestic and livestock well permit, which typically allows use in up to three homes, irrigation of up to one acre of lawn and garden, and water for domestic animals and livestock. Some subdivisions have their own water plans, and some older wells have different terms, so the only way to know is to read the permit for that well.

If the permit doesn't allow livestock watering, keeping horses may mean hauling water or finding another legal source. (See buying a home with a well or septic system in El Paso County.)

Covenants

Many rural subdivisions have covenants that limit the number or type of animals, fencing, or structures, even where zoning would allow more.

Barns, shops, and other outbuildings

Rural zoning commonly allows accessory buildings such as barns, shops, and garages, within setback and size limits. Building permits in El Paso County are handled by the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department. Before you buy, it's worth checking the permit history for any existing outbuildings, additions, or finished spaces; work done without permits can affect insurance, financing, and a future sale. If you plan to build, ask the building department what permits the structure will need.

A guesthouse

El Paso County's Land Development Code treats a guesthouse as an "accessory living quarters," with its own standards. For example, utilities generally have to be connected to the main house, and using a detached guesthouse for permanent occupancy requires special use approval. Colorado's 2024 accessory dwelling unit law changed what many cities must allow, and rules inside city limits can differ from the county's, so check the current code for the specific parcel.

Water and wastewater matter here too. A household-use-only well typically serves one home, and a septic system has to be sized for everyone it serves. Confirm both before planning a second living space.

A pond

Ponds that store water, whether they catch runoff or expose groundwater, have to comply with Colorado water law. The Colorado Division of Water Resources has been reviewing ponds in the Arkansas River basin, which includes most of El Paso County, that store water without a water right, and ponds without proper authorization may have to be drained or filled. Eastern parts of the county lie in designated groundwater basins, where the Colorado Ground Water Commission administers ponds. If a property already has a pond, ask the seller for any water right or permit; if you plan to build one, talk with the Division of Water Resources first.

Before you make an offer

• Zoning: confirm what the parcel's zoning allows for animals, outbuildings, and a second dwelling.
• Well permit: read the permit, not just the listing, for what the water can be used for.
• Covenants and HOA rules: read them for limits on animals, fencing, and structures. (See what to review before buying in an HOA.)
• Permit history: check existing structures against the building department's records.
• Ponds: ask for the water right or permit behind any pond.
• Costs: add up what the land will cost to maintain. (See what it costs each year to own a custom home or acreage.)

What could change the answer

• The parcel size and when it was created: 35 acres and the 1972 date drive most well permit outcomes.
• City or county: rules inside Colorado Springs city limits differ from unincorporated El Paso County.
• Covenants: private restrictions can be stricter than zoning.
• The subdivision's water plan: some subdivisions have water plans that change what wells can do.
• Code changes: zoning, accessory dwelling, and water rules continue to change.

When to talk with a professional

El Paso County Planning and Community Development can confirm zoning and what it allows. The Pikes Peak Regional Building Department can confirm permit history and requirements. The Colorado Division of Water Resources can explain a well permit or pond. For water rights questions or anything unclear in the covenants or title, talk with a real estate or water attorney.

Sources

• Colorado State University Extension, "Private Wells for Home Use" (Fact Sheet 6.700): https://www.extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/natres/06700.pdf
• Colorado Public Radio, interview with Colorado Division of Water Resources on household-use-only and domestic well permits (July 9, 2025): https://www.cpr.org/2025/07/09/southeastern-colorado-private-wells-aquifer-management/
• Colorado Division of Water Resources, Pond Management and Restoration Projects: https://dwr.colorado.gov/services/water-administration/pond-management-restoration-projects
• El Paso County Land Development Code, Chapter 5, Section 5.2.1, Accessory Living Quarters: https://library.municode.com/co/el_paso_county/codes/land_development_code?nodeId=CH5USDIST_5.2UECDEST
• Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Accessory Dwelling Units (HB24-1152): https://dlg.colorado.gov/accessory-dwelling-units
• Pikes Peak Regional Building Department: https://www.pprbd.org