GILPIN COUNTY - On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, Gilpin County residents gathered for a community meeting with Building Code Official Kyle Parag to discuss updates to the building codes. Community Development Director Rob Gutierrez was also in attendance. 

The event was held in the commissioner's room of the Historic Courthouse in Central City.

Potential updates to Gilpin County Building Codes 

Parag and Gutierrez fielded open questions and discussions regarding building code, plan reviews, and inspections.

Parag said that the state classifies much of Gilpin County as wildland/urban interface corridors, which are, therefore, at high risk of wildland fire danger. 

When updated, new constructions will require a 30-foot clearance of trees, fireproof doors and windows, and sprinklers.

The building department has identified critical areas as anything more than one mile from Highway 119, the Peak to Peak Highway.

Parag referenced the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code, which can be found online at https://dfpc.colorado.gov/WRCB. The CWRC code is in its draft form and will be finalized in July.

The Building Department must update Gilpin’s code within 90 days of the State’s adoption of CWRC, which will happen July 1, 2025.

The final building code will be published in a couple of months and brought before the Board of County Commissioners for approval.

This community meeting aimed to gain some input from residents and answer questions.

One Central City homeowner asked where they would acquire water for sprinklers, since their well water is contaminated by minerals. Recently, the Central City KOA was prohibited from selling potable water, complicating the issue for residents who rely on it.   

Parag explained that cisterns would need to be filled to supply the sprinklers, indicating a one-time fee. Idaho Springs was mentioned as a water source.

A map on the CWRC website shows where the highest risks exist in the state. The County may adopt a version of the map with alterations suitable for Gilpin. 

Parag said they are still trying to find the best path forward. If residences are easily accessible in the high-risk zones, they may not be deemed “high risk.”

“Sprinklers buy time,” expressed Gutierrez, especially if fire trucks have trouble accessing an area. He continued, “The purpose of this is to mitigate risk.”

Impacts of recent changes in Colorado State Law regarding building codes

Most of the residential code changes affect townhouses and duplexes. Gilpin may adopt a radon appendix and a tiny home addendum allowing for ladders and lofts.

Residential building codes operate on three-year cycles, and Gilpin is currently operating on the 2018 code. Parag said there will only be subtle changes when the County adopts the 2024 code, which is much more attractive than the 2021 code. 

Parag said the County must comply with state policy for electric vehicle-ready requirements in new garages attached to main dwelling units. 

One resident asked if the new rules would apply to older, open building permits. Parag said open building permits are treated using the code employed at the time of approval.

Summary

“The State is pushing legislation on Gilpin to adopt the Wildland Code,” explained Parag. In an effort to streamline the process, the County will adopt the 2024 building code at the same time. Gilpin will comply with the final version of the CWRC code within 90 days of its adoption by the State, or by October 1, 2025.

To stay up-to-date on building code changes, visit https://gilpincounty.colorado.gov/departments-offices/community-development/building-division.