Durango City Council approved building and property code amendments last week that will result in an estimated 20% cost increase for new building projects and additions in select areas of the city such as Three Springs subdivision.
Councilor Dave Woodruff was flabbergasted at the projected cost increase to new building projects.
“We’re talking about phase 2 of ‘flipping’ Three Springs, which is 1,100 more units of housing. It’s going to be 20% more expensive?” he said. “I am beyond right now. I am just beyond.”
But councilors’ hands were tied. Community Development Director Jayme Lopko said the new requirements are state mandated and were decided by the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code Board.
The board adopted its new codes and standards in July, although municipalities are not required to enforce them until July 1, 2026, Lopko said. The city will begin enforcing the new standards April 1.
The state code consists of five chapters that address wildfire hazard areas classified into low, medium and high risk; exterior design and construction requirements such as materials; and requirements for defensible space surrounding structures.
Lopko said chapter 4, which is most relevant to Durango Community Development, relates to materials such as structure hardening for walls, doors, roofs, gutters, decking and ventilation openings.
Chapter 5 addresses defensible space requirements and organizes defensible space into the three zones, she said:
- Zone 1, which refers to the area zero to 5 feet from a structure and requires the use of noncombustible materials.
- Zone 2, which covers 5 to 30 feet from a structure and requires the removal of dead or hazardous vegetation and other fire fuels in addition to the pruning of trees.
- Zone 3, which refers to 30 to 100 feet from a structure and requires tree crowns – the outer radius of a trees’ canopy – to be spaced a minimum distance of 6 to 10 feet apart.
Different standards apply to low-, medium- and high-risk areas. Zone 1 or low-risk areas typically fall into “class 1,” while zone 2 or medium- and high-risk areas fall into “class 2.”
Much of downtown Durango will be spared from the new standards, Lopko said.
Impacted areas in the city include Three Springs; north of 32nd Street; County Road 251 and north Florida Road; Goeglein Gulch and Jenkins Ranch roads; and west of the U.S. Highways 160 west and 550 intersection.
La Plata County officials expressed concern in the spring over the amount of time jurisdictions had to adjust to the changes. The state later passed a bill allowing jurisdictions more time to adopt and enforce the mandate.
La Plata County spokeswoman Megan Graham said the county is still working on updates to its code, coordinating with fire districts to ensure consistency as they are being drafted.
Councilor Kip Koso asked if insurance rates would buffer the extra building cost or if rates could be impacted by increased wildfire resiliency.
“Not to my knowledge,” Lopko said.
Hunter Mantell-Hecathorn of Mantell-Hecathorn Builders, which has the bulk of its business in the county, said the new wildfire resiliency codes and standards are certainly a shake-up.
The biggest hurdle to his clients, he said, will be getting over architectural aesthetic changes.
“Nothing quite looks like wood,” he said, adding many people likely aren’t aware of the upcoming mandated changes.
He said the impact of material costs will boil down to what products builders are using. Wood products, for example, can be among the most expensive products. But he isn’t sure those costs will have the biggest impact on builders.
He described wildland-urban interface as “building in the middle of the forest,” and it makes sense to build with more fireproof material.
“I don’t think it is a bad thing. It just definitely takes some adjustment on all of our parts to still achieve an attractive house that’s not (an) exorbitant cost to build,” he said.
That said, he wishes there had been more communication about the upcoming changes.
Lopko said the city coordinated training with the county on the wildfire code for municipal employees, contractors, architects and suppliers on Sept. 3. Another training was scheduled for Thursday.
cburney@durangoherald.com
