Site intelligence · Reviewed August 2026

Cherry Hills Village Pool, Pavilion & Outdoor Kitchen Permits

Plan a Cherry Hills Village pool, pavilion, or outdoor kitchen: permit categories, cumulative drainage requirements, and records to prepare for City review.

8 min readPublished by Colorado Outdoor Estates RegistryContractor-informed guidanceSources checked August 11, 2026Research methodology

Direct answer

Do not assume one permit covers the whole outdoor project. Cherry Hills Village lists different paths for exterior remodeling, accessory structures, electrical work, and walls. Before fixing the layout, ask the City to classify each proposed feature and check earlier impervious-surface additions: the drainage calculation is cumulative, not limited to this year's patio or pool project.

Check the official City of Cherry Hills Village guidance (opens in a new tab)

Owner briefing

Before you contact the review team

Bring one marked-up survey showing every proposed feature; ask the City which permit packages and professional documents apply.
Retrieve prior permits and surface-area calculations before assuming a small new patio has a small drainage-review impact.
Agree who will provide drainage closeout records before construction, not when you are trying to close the permit.

Scope-to-approval matrix

Which Cherry Hills Village outdoor improvements need separate attention?

Owner planning summary of City guidance, not a parcel determination. Confirm the current review path with Community Development.

Proposed work	Published review signal	Prepare early
Covered porch or patio	Exterior-remodel or addition classification depends on enclosure; the older handout overlaps at exactly two sides, so confirm classification with the City	Accurate survey, scaled site plan, stamped structural plans, elevations, height and bulk-plane information where applicable
Detached outdoor kitchen, grill, fireplace, or fire pit	Listed by the City as exterior-remodel work; gas lines are also listed	Location, setbacks, structural details, fuel route, clearances, utilities, and any separate trade permits
Pavilion, pool house, or other accessory/recreational structure	Separate permit and plans are required	Structure classification, footprint, eaves, setbacks, height, use, utilities, architecture, and professional documents
Fence, wall, retaining wall, or earthen berm	Separate permit and plans are required	Wall type and height, structural design where applicable, grade relationship, drainage, easements, and current wall requirements
Patio, driveway, roofs, or other impervious area	Any addition or removal requires a permit. The City says more than 2,500 square feet for Phase III, but its example totals exactly 2,500; confirm the boundary	Existing permit history, cumulative impervious-area calculation, contours, drainage concept, and closeout documents

Original source review: August 11, 2026. Permit portal and exterior-remodel guidance rechecked September 4, 2026. The City portal announces 2024 I-Codes adopted in 2026; older handouts are not a substitute for current code confirmation.

Do Cherry Hills Village pools, pavilions, and outdoor kitchens use one permit?

No. The City’s guidance separates exterior-remodel work from accessory or recreational structures, additions, electrical work, and fences or walls. A coordinated estate concept may therefore produce several permit packages and trade permits.

When is a covered patio treated as an addition?

Ask the City to classify the proposed enclosure. The June 2024 handout overlaps at exactly two enclosed sides in its exterior-remodel and addition descriptions. Do not use that ambiguous boundary to choose a permit or specify sliding glass without confirmation.

What about detached kitchens and fire features?

Detached outdoor barbecue kitchens or grills, detached fireplaces or fire pits, and associated gas lines are specifically listed among exterior-remodel examples. The complete design may still involve structural, gas, electrical, and other reviews.

What drawings does Cherry Hills Village ask for?

The City’s exterior-remodel handout calls for complete construction plans including stamped structural plans and a scaled site plan based on an accurate survey. The site plan must show proposed and existing construction, overhangs, setbacks, street and finished grades, and one-foot contours in the specified datum.

Current survey, title and easement information, record plans, and utility information
Scaled existing/proposed site plan with structures, overhangs, setbacks, grades, and contours
Structural plans and building elevations, including height and bulk-plane information where applicable
Soils information when referenced by the structural design
Tree survey and protection information when the published thresholds or setback conditions apply
Construction staging plan and right-of-way photos where required

When does Cherry Hills Village require a drainage plan?

The City says more than 2,500 square feet of cumulative added impervious surface requires a Phase III Drainage Plan, but its example totals exactly 2,500. Prior additions count. At or near the boundary, confirm the calculation with the City rather than assuming exemption.

Why does cumulative impervious area matter?

Owners should reconcile earlier additions, drives, patios, and roofs before design. The City page says more than 2,500 square feet but also gives an example totaling exactly 2,500. At or near that boundary, ask the City to confirm the calculation rather than assuming exemption.

What is required at drainage closeout?

For an approved Phase III Drainage Report, the City lists an as-built survey, an engineer’s stamped compliance letter based on that survey, and a recorded Drainage Facility Maintenance Agreement before permit closure.

How long can Cherry Hills Village plan review take?

The City’s June 2024 exterior-remodel handout says projects requiring Planning, Building, and/or Civil Engineering review may take 10 business days for each review cycle. Planning approval occurs before Building or Civil review, so sequential reviews and resubmittals belong in the schedule.

Which current fees are visible before application?

The City’s fee page, effective December 10, 2025, lists a $0.40-per-square-foot service expansion fee for a swimming pool, a $300 stormwater construction-permit administration fee, a $390 minimum stormwater plan-review fee, additional review at $195 per hour beyond two hours, and a stormwater performance bond of at least $1,000 or the actual BMP construction cost, whichever is greater.

What should the owner carry in the schedule?

Carry concept classification, survey and consultant production, City intake, sequential reviews, comment response, association review where applicable, trade permits, procurement release, inspections, drainage closeout, and final documentation—not only the first review cycle.

What should be resolved before choosing the builder?

The owner should have a parcel-specific approval map, coordinated site concept, civil and structural risk list, access and staging plan, preliminary utilities strategy, responsibility matrix, and a budget that distinguishes visible scope from required delivery work.

Identify who leads City coordination and who consolidates all permit comments
Confirm whether the pool, pavilion, kitchen, walls, drainage, landscape, and utilities share one design team
Test equipment access, spoil handling, temporary protection, neighbor interface, and mature-tree protection
Separate permit assumptions, professional services, allowances, exclusions, owner purchases, and contingency
Do not release long-lead construction until the approval path and critical dimensions are stable

Direct owner answers

Frequently asked questions.

Does a detached outdoor kitchen need a permit in Cherry Hills Village?

The City lists detached outdoor barbecue kitchens and grills as examples of work requiring an exterior-remodel permit. Structural, gas, electrical, and other separate approvals may also apply to the actual design.

Does a pavilion need a separate permit in Cherry Hills Village?

A pavilion or pool house may be classified as an accessory or recreational structure, for which the City’s handout says separate permits and plans are required. Confirm the structure’s exact classification with the City.

What triggers a Phase III Drainage Plan in Cherry Hills Village?

The City says more than 2,500 square feet of cumulative added impervious surface requires a Phase III Drainage Plan, but its example totals exactly 2,500. Confirm the boundary with the City; prior additions count toward the calculation.

How long is Cherry Hills Village exterior-remodel review?

The published handout says each required Planning, Building, and/or Civil Engineering review cycle may take 10 business days, with Planning approval preceding Building or Civil review. Resubmittals add cycles.

Sources and benchmarks

What each source actually supports.

These references support specific regulations, hazards, planning principles, or clearly labeled published market benchmarks—not feasibility or a fixed price for one property. Open the current source and verify its date, inclusions, parcel, scope, and authority before relying on a planning assumption.

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