Land Use

Effective July 1, 2023 Conejos County has adopted the 2018 Editions of the IRC for Residential Construction, IBC for Commercial Construction, and the IECC Energy code for both residential and commercial construction. To view/read the codes online click each of the following:

2018 IRC FOR RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION	2018 IBC FOR COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION	2018 IECC ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE

The ICC has made the model codes available online HERE

How to apply for a building permit

APPLICATION GUIDE CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE

PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE IF YOU WOULD LIKE A PAPER APPLICATION.

When you submit your completed application, the Building Division staff will give you an approximate date when you can expect to hear from the County. The actual time it takes to receive approval is determined by the clarity and completeness of your application materials, as well as the number of other applications awaiting review. If your submitted documents are complete, accurate and meet all the code requirements, the possibility of your application requiring resubmittal or correction is reduced. 
 

Building Permit Submittals 
o    Proof of Legal Water 
o    Proof of Legal Sanitation 
o    County Driveway Permit or CDOT Access Permit for road and driveway may be required.
o    HOA approval must be provided if there is an active HOA.
o    Complete set of construction drawings

TO APPLY ONLINE CLICK HERE

Building Plan Requirements

Building plans are the most critical part in the building process. Code issues can be spotted early preventing many costly mistakes later. 

The Building Plan Requirements can be downloaded HERE.

Construction Design Standards

The Conejos County adopted IRC Table 301.2(1) Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria and can be downloaded HERE

Design Standard 2018:

• Design Standard: 2018
  • IBC – International Building Code
  • IRC - International Residential Code
  • IMC - International Mechanical Code
  • IFC - International Fire Code
  • IECC - International Energy Conservation Code
• Roof Snow Load:
  • 40 PSF
  • 50 PSF – Platoro
  • 64 PSF – La Manga
  • 78 PSF - Cumbres
• Wind Velocity
  • IBC – 115 MPH (with 3 second gust wind speed in mile per hour)
• Seismic Zone: 1
• Elevation: 7904 ft. - Conejos
• Elevation: 9876 ft. - Platoro
• Elevation: 10,230 ft. - La Manga
• Elevation: 10,022 ft. - Cumbers
• Frost Depth: 36” (water lines at a minimum of 5’ or 60”)
• Insulation:
  • Foundation: R-10 to 4 feet depth, AND R-5 required under heated slab
  • Basement Wall R-15/19
  • Floor Insulation sufficient to fill the framing cavity, R-19 minimum
  • Frame Walls R-20 (cavity) + R-5 (continuous) or R-13 (cavity) + R-10 (continuous)
  • Ceiling R-49
• Climate Zone: 6B

Building Inspections

It is up to the permit holder to notify the Building Inspector of any inspections. The Building inspector must be given no less than 24hrs notice of inspection. Each inspection will be done in order as received.

Types of Inspections (R109 of 2018 IRC):

Foundation Inspection. Holes for piers or poles must be checked before fill. All other foundations need to be inspected before pour.

Plumbing & Electrical inspections are done through the state.

Framing/Masonry Inspection. Inspection of framing and masonry construction shall be made after the roof, masonry, framing, firestopping, draftstopping and bracing are in place and after the plumbing and electrical rough inspections have been approved.

Insulation Inspection. Inspection of insulation is made after framing inspection and before final cover-up is done.

Midroof Inspection. Inspection of the layers of roof and underlayment. Must contain all edging, flashing, underlayment and a small percentage of the final layer.

Final Inspection. Final inspection shall be made after the permitted work is complete and prior to occupancy.

Work shall not be done beyond the point indicated in each successive inspection without first obtaining the approval of the Building Inspector.

It is up to the permit holder to provide access (for example: a ladder) and means for inspection of such work.

Permit applications are processed in the order they are received.

Your property must be Classified as Agriculture per the Conejos County Assessor verification to apply for this permit. If it’s not agriculture classified, you must submit a Building Permit Application.

New regulations for OWTS (septic systems) were adopted statewide and by Conejos County through Regulation 43

CLICK HERE FOR INFO FROM THE STATE

Property Owners:

All OWTS must be designed by a competent technician and installed by a licensed installer.

Request a list of licensed installers by emailing promero@co.conejos.co.us

Installers:

All systems contractors must become licensed as a competent technician as defined by Regulation 43 and pass a test to install in Conejos County.

More information about becoming a competent technician is available through Colorado Professionals in Wastewater CPOW.

The Colorado Professionals on On-Site Wastewater (CPOW) is an organization established to assist Installers. CDPHE, and Local Regulators/Conejos County with resources and training on OWTS. Please see their website at www.cpow.net for a list of training/sessions, locations, and contact information for training dates.

REMINDERS

1. You must have a septic permit issued by the Land Use Office prior to installing a septic system. A double fee will be charged for beginning work before getting the permit.
2. You must give the Land Use Office a minimum of 24-hour notice for an inspection.
3. The system must be complete and functional (i.e., alarms and pumps wired & operable) before inspection. We will charge a second inspection fee of $50 if the inspector must make more than one visit to the site.
4. There will be no inspections from December 23rd through January 3rd. During the Christmas and New Year Holiday. In addition, no inspections will be done if it is snowing, or the ground is frozen. Installations should only be completed in emergency situations.
5. The CCLU Code requires that any parcel of land that is less than one acre requires an engineered septic system. Engineered systems must have a letter from the engineer certifying construction of the system as designed. (Reg. 43 – Page 17).
6. The state of Colorado CDPHE is planning some changes to Regulation 43. Installers, please pay notice for changes, CCLU encourages installers to visit CDPHE site periodically.
7. Conejos County does not conduct the required Soil Evaluations. You must use a Certified Soil Evaluator.