By Kate Kellogg – Telluride Watch

RIDGWAY – Builders, designers and architects working in Ridgway may soon be subject to a newer set of building codes than those used in the rest of Ouray County.

If the Ridgway Town Council votes to adopt the 2006 International Building Code, the town will join Montrose and Gunnison (both cities and counties), San Miguel County, Mountain Village, and Grand Junction as well as the state of Colorado in doing so. Ridgway, Ouray County and Telluride are among the jurisdictions that still require builders to follow the 1997 Uniform Building Code in residential and commercial construction.

Council expects to review and possibly act on the proposed ordinance to amend the municipal building code at their regular Aug. 13 meeting. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the ordinance, which has been under discussion since May.

“We may just keep the issue open or even reject the code change if much negative reaction ensues,” said Mayor Pat Willits. “But so far, we haven’t had that kind of input from the building community.”

Since the International Building Code evolved from various codes (including the Uniform Building Code) used across the country, the new model code amounts to refinements and improvements, rather than radical changes, said Ridgway Building Inspector Bill Behan.

“We would not be throwing away the town’s municipal building code,” Behan said. “The change should be so seamless that most homeowners looking to make an improvement wouldn’t even notice. And most builders already exceed the IBC’s minimum requirements.”

The International Building Code is the product of the International Code Council, formed in 1994 to develop building codes without regional limitations. Covering everything from sprinkler systems to balcony railings, the code aims to provide uniform standards and regulations, while accounting for differences in climate zones. If the ordinance is approved, Ridgway would adopt a number of stand-alone codes including building, residential, fire, energy, mechanical, and fuel gas codes.

“Overall, these codes reduce costs for builders and result in safer, more economical and energy efficient buildings,” Behan said. “They are user-friendly codes and most builders and design professionals prefer them.”

Throughout Ridgway’s recent history, council has periodically revisited building regulations and adopted the latest set of codes governed by model code organizations. “It’s something we pay attention to,” said Willits. At the same time, council is philosophically opposed to subjecting builders and homeowners to needless and costly regulations, he said. As for the new codes under consideration, Willits said he would be surprised if they added much cost, particularly to residential housing.

This time the decision to adopt updates is slightly more difficult because Ouray County has not yet made the same changes, he added. “In the past, we’ve found comfort in taking the same steps as Ouray County.”

Councilmember John Clark agreed that, in an ideal world, neighboring municipalities adopt such changes concurrently. In fact, most other nearby communities use the International Building Code, he noted. Although the Uniform Codes have served the town well since the 1970s, he said, “We need to be realistic and take a global approach to building regulations. The larger building inspector community now recognizes the IBC.”

Ouray County reviewed the 2003 and 2006 International Codes and decided to wait until 2009 to adopt some parts of them, according to Doug Canright, county land use planner. “We wanted to give builders and contractors time to gear up for the new codes and receive training,” he said. Asked if the transition would involve a learning curve, Canright said he believes it would for most people.

However, Behan’s experience with builders and designers, at least those seeking permits in Ridgway, indicates most already are up to speed on the International Building Code. “They’ve been asking me when the town will change over.”

Roger Schaefer, owner and developer of the mixed-use Silver San Juan Building, said the town’s current building codes are out of date and pose some construction hurdles. As his own general contractor, Schaefer employs both local and non-local builders, engineers and architects. Their work would have been more easily coordinated if all were using the International Building Code, he said. “The state’s electrical, plumbing and other codes are all IBC. People tend to raise their eyebrows when they find the town is still using the UBC.”

He acknowledged that some of the safety regulations of the International Building Code, such as doors with higher fire ratings and emergency exit design, add more costs to commercial projects. “Buildings are like any other product,” he said. “As time goes on, incidents happen and you learn more about what safety features you need.”

Doug Macfarlane, a Ridgway-based architect, agreed that adopting the code would be a good move for the building professions. “It levels the playing field so we’ll be up there with Montrose and San Miguel counties,” he said. While the energy code and green building programs may add some up-front residential building costs, “there are hard savings to be had with better efficiencies in heating devices, windows and insulation,” he said.

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