Correction: Only the CWRC was adopted with Resolution 2026-27. No amendments for snow load requirements for manufactured structures were adopted. The SUN regrets the error.
Original: During its regular meeting on March 17, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) unanimously voted to table its decision on adopting eight new building-related codes.
Those are the 2024 editions of international codes, including the residential code, building code, energy and conservation code, mechanical code, fuel and gas code, existing building code, property maintenance code, and the swimming pool and spa code.
During the meeting, the BoCC also considered, and unanimously approved, Resolution 2026-27, adopting the 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (CWRC), along with amendments to snow load requirements for manufactured structures.
Earlier that day during the BoCC’s work session, the commissioners offered comments on the matters while also raising questions about what building codes are being required by the state, timelines and how the codes will affect construction within the county.
When reviewing the BoCC’s meeting agenda, Commissioner Veronica Medina brought up questions about the swimming pool and spa code, as well as questions in regard to the roof snow load amendments.
Medina explained that when the codes were originally presented to the BoCC during its work session on March 10, “for me, personally, I didn’t know that we were also going to be talking about, or potentially adopting the international swimming pool and spa code.”
Medina also questioned what the snow load amendments include.
“Those items were not discussed with us previously,” Medina added.
For more information on the March 10 BoCC work session discussion, see the article titled “Commissioners to consider new building code on March 17,” in the March 12 issue of The SUN or at www.PagosaSUN.com.
During the March 17 work session, Commissioner John Ranson explained that he reached out to Mesa County in regard to the new building codes and the CWRC the state is pushing counties to adopt.
Ranson described them as an “unfunded mandate,” adding, “there’s no two-ways about it.”
He mentioned that in conversations with local builders, many are preparing for these codes to make construction costs go up.
Ranson also mentioned that some advice he got from the community was to “just say no” to adopting these new codes.
However, Ranson mentioned the county is not in a position to say no, “because the next step is they’re gonna tell us that we gotta go all electric.”
He added, “And I’m just fed up with Denver.”
Ranson commented that it seems like the BoCC is having the same conversation over and over again.
“We really don’t have a local decision anymore,” Ranson said. “I’m so irritated.”
Medina also explained that she recently attended a Club 20 meeting in Grand Junction where county representatives also discussed the impacts of adopting, or not adopting, these codes.
“Most are where we are,” she said, explaining that most counties around the state are “fed up” with unfunded mandates.
Medina also mentioned that one county has indicated it will adopt the CWRC but not enforce it.
“That doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do,” she said, explaining that particular county does not have a building code or building department staff.
She noted that another county is trying to delay adopting the CWRC by doing “groundtruthing” in order to evaluate their risk area.
Medina mentioned that a handful of other counties have said “hell no” to adopting the CWRC.
“It is very frustrating for so many counties,” she said.
Building Official Randy Betts responded to questions from the BoCC indicating that the county has until April 1 to adopt the CWRC and until July 1 to start enforcing it.
He noted that “we do have until July” to adopt the other international building codes.
Betts also noted that the BoCC could table adopting the other international building codes for now, but that new round of codes will likely be published in July and if the county does not adopt the codes before a new round is released, then it will be pushed to adopt the newest series of codes, which includes a carbon-neutral mandate — meaning new construction would have to be built with all electric appliances.
Ranson asked what the penalties are if the county chooses not to adopt the CWRC, with Betts indicating the county might get a “slap on the wrist” from the state.
County Attorney Cathleen Giovannini added that her understanding is that if the county does not adopt the codes then “it would take away a lot of grant opportunities.”
“Unlike some counties, we really need to do something this year,” she added.
Betts reiterated that the county has more time before it needs to adopt the international building codes and that he was suggesting the county adopt the state’s wildfire resiliency code because the state code gives jurisdictions the ability to tailor it specifically for their community.
Ranson also asked about the risk of having to go to an all-electric code, with Betts explaining that would not happen as long as the county adopts the international building codes by July 1, before the new round of codes comes out.
Commissioner Warren Brown commented that the county can take some more time before adopting the international codes, but that the CWRC is being “force-fed,” whether the county likes it or not.
Ranson then asked if the county could adopt the CWRC and not enforce it.
Betts responded by stating that enforcement of the CWRC would not happen until July 1.
Giovannini commented that “the problem with that is the state may have lots of penalties associated with that,” and that it also puts the county in a liability situation.
Betts commented that if the county would like to be able to keep using gas appliances, “then I would suggest the code prior to that.”
During the BoCC’s regular meeting on March 17, the commissioners offered more comments on the matter.
Ranson stated, “This is a lot of stuff coming out of Denver,” and that unfunded mandates like this are “gonna make building a lot more expensive.”
Brown agreed that the county may be “best served” by waiting to adopt the international codes until July to continue getting updates on the matter.
He noted that the CWRC and the snow load amendments seem to be a “different issue.”
Betts clarified that the county currently has snow load requirements and nothing is changing with the requirements for manufactured homes.
He explained that the state is using a new tool to determine snow load requirements and that, depending on the location of a property and the exposure it receives, the snow load requirement may vary, other than the 40-pound-per-square-foot requirement in the Arboles area.
Betts also commented on the idea of adopting and not enforcing codes, explaining that would potentially “blacklist” the county from other funding opportunities, causing a substantial long-term impact.
He also commented that if the county stays proactive in adopting the CWRC, “we have the ability to make it fit our jurisdiction.”
Medina then motioned to adopt the 2025 CWRC and snow load amendments, with the motion being unanimously approved by the BoCC.
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