Larimer County’s amended building codes to begin Sunday
FORT COLLINS — Larimer County’s newly amended building codes will go into effect Sunday, the county has announced.
The 2015 International Residential, Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Energy Conservation and Existing Building Codes, as amended by the county, will apply to all permits initiated on or after Sunday. Permits already issued or initiated through Saturday will stay under their current code requirements.
The residential and nonresidential code amendments can be viewed online by going to http://larimer.org/building/ and choosing the first item under “Hot Topics” at the top of the page. Copies also are available at the Larimer County Building Department offices in Fort Collins and Estes Park.
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Some of the most important changes pertain to load designs for snow and wind, noncombustible landscaping and siding, and utility structures.
After reviewing data including a 2015 statewide study by the Structural Engineers Association of Colorado, Larimer County designated 35 pounds per square foot as the minimum snow-load design for buildings located at ground elevations up to 5,000 feet, 45 psf for elevations 5,001 to 6,000 feet, 50 psf from 6,001 to 6,500 feet, 60 psf from 6,501 to 7,000 feet and 70 psf from 7,001 to 8,000 feet. Engineering design will be required for buildings located at elevations above 8,000 feet. Roof load reductions still are allowed in line with standard engineering practice, but the minimum design roof load will be 30 psf.
Terminology used to designate wind loads and the method of calculating them have changed over the last few code cycles, causing some confusion — but wind-load design standards have not increased. County maps, tables and certifications designate “ultimate wind loads” wherever possible. As part of the amendments, the county’s prescriptive High Wind Design table (“Building Geometry Limitations”) has been deleted, although the Wood Frame Construction Manual, including its prescriptive design limitations, from where the table was derived, remains an accepted method for high-wind design.
In general, where ultimate wind speeds exceed 140 miles per hour, the county will require engineered design. Pole barns and loafing sheds still can be built within the county’s prescriptive design limitations.
Noncombustible siding and landscaping will be required three feet up and three feet out from structures in designated wildfire hazard areas to reduce the chance of wildfires spreading from burning embers settling on grass or shrubs next to combustible siding.
Garages, shops, barns and similar utility structures must either be separated by six feet from a dwelling at their closest point, or have standard fire-resistance requirements. If those structures exceed 5,000 square feet in floor area and are within the 6-foot minimum fire separation, they will need a minimum one-hour rated Fire Containment Assembly to protect the dwelling.
Under the amendments, building permits won’t be required for replacing nonstructural siding, shade cloth and poly-roofed private greenhouses, bridges and culverts being constructed under other county engineering permits. They also won’t be required for solar systems installed on structures that themselves would not need a permit, such as sheds with less than 120 square feet of floor space.
Prescriptive insulation requirements remain at 2009 levels, and a Res-Check submittal showing compliance with the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code will be deemed sufficient to meet code. Air leakage tests still are required for new residences.
Sprinklers still aren’t required for new residences, nor is gypsum protection for the underside of I-joists if not required by other code sections.
