Achieving Compliance Together (ACT)

Program Introduction

Achieving Compliance Together (ACT) will provide outreach and education regarding Adams County Development Standards and Regulations to business owners to identified areas in unincorporated Adams County. Additionally, this initiative intends to create a collaborative relationship between business owners and Adams County through identifying potential violations, education, and working together to achieve voluntary compliance.

ACT began in 2024 with a pilot program within the Federal Corridor. The area designated for the ACT program in 2026 is the Washington Street Corridor.

Please navigate here to see the data overview of the ACT program.

Lisa Bowman
Code Compliance Officer
labowman@adamscountyco.gov
720.523.6816

Cornelia Warnke
Sr. Code Compliance Officer
cwarnke@adamscountyco.gov
720.523.6903

General
cswb@adamscountyco.gov
720.523.2792 #2

Frequently Asked Questions

Achieving Compliance Together (ACT) will provide outreach and education regarding Adams County Development Standards and Regulations to business owners in identified areas of unincorporated Adams County. Additionally, this initiative intends to create a collaborative relationship between business owners and Adams County through identifying potential violations, education, and working together to achieve voluntary compliance.

Community Safety and Well-Being will be working with several internal stakeholders including Public Works and Community and Economic Development Department.

The project was prompted by feedback from business owners during discussions about code amendments. They expressed a sense of exclusion from the process and a lack of awareness regarding compliance issues. This initiative serves a dual purpose: to inform and educate business owners on regulations and potential compliance gaps while contributing to the beautiﬁcation of Adams County. The Board of County Commissioners support this eﬀort to engage local businesses, fostering collaboration and enhancing the appeal of the strategic corridor.

The areas were identiﬁed based on the strategic analysis outlined in the Advancing Adams Comprehensive Plan 2022. The plan strategically identiﬁes and prioritizes speciﬁc corridors based on projected growth, the mix of commercial and industrial businesses, and the importance of enhancing these areas in alignment with Adams County’s overall planning eﬀorts.

Click here to view The Advancing Adams Comprehensive Plan 2022.

By fostering understanding of the development standards, addressing potential violations, and promoting voluntary compliance, ACT aims to create a proactive partnership to ensure businesses align with regulations.

Adams County is working collaboratively through the ACT initiative through proactive outreach, education on development standards and regulations, and establishing a partnership to address potential violations. The approach is consultative, encouraging businesses to actively engage, seek assistance, and voluntarily comply.

Businesses will be contacted by a Proactive Code Compliance Oﬃcer and may also be contacted by stormwater and/or environmental oﬃcers, economic development professionals, building inspectors, public health representatives, and other stakeholder groups depending on the speciﬁc needs. This collaborative eﬀort ensures a comprehensive approach to address various aspects of compliance and foster a positive working relationship.

The letter will advise you of the steps you need to take to bring the property into compliance. Please contact Lisa Bowman at 720-523-6816 or labowman@adamscountyco.gov with any questions or concerns about the items noted in the letter.

With a directive from the Board of County Commissioners, Code Compliance initiated the ACT program to encourage property owners to bring their properties into compliance with the Development Standards and Regulations in order to enhance the appeal of the corridor and, hopefully, encourage the pubic to frequent the businesses along this corridor. We want people driving by to stop at YOUR business instead of taking their business elsewhere.

The most common violations observed include outdoor storage and screening, adherence to allowed and/or permitted use, environmental and stormwater issues, factors contributing to commercial blight, signage requirements, vehicle storage concerns, building-related issues, and landscape requirements.

adamscounty.municipalcodeonline.com – Chapter 4
online.encodeplus.com/regs/adamscounty-co-cc/index.aspx – #3 Blight

We will work with businesses in the permitting process collaborating closely with our internal stakeholders including Public Works and Community and Economic Development. Feel free to reach out to 720.523.6800 or email CEDD-Plan@adamscountyco.gov (CEDEspanol@adamscountyco.gov), and our team will assist in addressing any speciﬁc concerns or questions.

If a business encounters challenges in achieving voluntary compliance within the designated timeframe, our priority is to provide comprehensive support and guidance through the ACT program. We are committed to assisting businesses throughout the process. However, if voluntary compliance is still not achieved, the business will transition into our code-compliance process. At that point, a violation may be issued, and the necessary steps will be taken to address and rectify that violation.

No one is trying to push any business out of the ACT corridor(s). Adams County’s goal is to revitalize the corridor(s) to benefit all of the businesses in the area.

For more information or additional questions, feel free to reach out to Adams County Neighborhood Services at 720.523.2792 #2.

Common Regulations

Chart listing common regulations.

Permits Land Use	Special/Temporary Uses, Conditional Uses, Variance.
Permits, Buildings	Remodels, Additions, Roofing, Electrical, Plumbing.
Blight	Environmental blight includes rubbish, junk, trash, garbage, and debris; tall, overgrown grass, weeds and brush (12inches); cast-off material such as scrap metal, plastic, wood, appliances, machinery, and auto parts stored outdoors.
Change-In-Use	A change in use of property occurs whenever the essential character or nature of the activity conducted on a lot changes.
Auto Dealerships and Service	All activities for automobile service must take place inside a building, not in the parking lot, street, or anywhere else on the property. All vehicles awaiting repair must be stored behind a solid fence or wall, not surrounding the building nor on the street.
Screen Fencing	Screen fencing is required for items, vehicles, etc., stored outside to shield those items from the Right-of-Way and from properties with lesser intensive uses.
Food Trucks	Operating a vending/food truck on a property requires a permit with the county.
Signage	Sign standards give property owners/tenants an opportunity for effective identification while limiting the number and area of all signs permitted.

Planning & Development

To apply for permits, please click here.

For information on permits, the permit-approval process, and/or allowed uses on a property, contact a Planner at cedd-plan@adamscountyco.gov or 720.523.6800. Please reference the ACT case number when speaking to a Planner (i.e., ACT2024-00001).

Si necesita ayuda en Español, visite nuestro nuevo correo electronico creado para ayudarle mejor: CEDEspanol@adamscountyco.gov.

Business Guidebook

Helpful Information