Tougher Fire Codes Eyed for Colo. Area Damaged by Wildfire

Nov. 21--The Black Forest fire was declared totally contained on June 20, but concerns surrounding the rebuilding process have burned deeply ever since for those who lost homes and property.

Several people who lost property during the fire that burned more than 14,000 acres and destroyed almost 500 homes confronted the El Paso County Board of Commissioners on Thursday at a work session regarding potential fire code changes.

The county fire standards are based on the 2003 International Fire Code. The proposal in question would adopt the more modern guidelines of the 2009 IFC.

The concerns that echoed through Centennial Hall in downtown Colorado Springs Thursday indicated that proposed changes to the code would mean added costs for those rebuilding or planning to do so.

Mark Bussone of the Housing & Building Association of Colorado Springs said early in the meeting that code changes would add from $7,000 to $22,000 to the price of a one-story house and about $8,000 to $30,000 for a two-story home.

Bussone said each property owner has a different situation and "blanket requirements are excessive and unreasonable."

The three biggest concerns centered around the use of hardened exterior building materials such as stucco siding and metal roofs, access drives for fire personnel and equipment, and water flow rates for different size homes and commercial buildings.

P.J. Langmaid spoke emotionally about his experience trying to make sure his home would be built up to the latest fire codes. He told the commissioners he planned to build a larger home than he had before the fire in order to recoup some of the property value that was lost.

Langmaid said he presented plans to officials at the Falcon Fire Protection District and was told the bigger home would require larger fire flow water systems, which would cost substantially more money.

The rebuilding process "came to a grinding halt," Langmaid said before insisting to the commissioners that there are "too many unanswered questions for the individual homeowner" if the fire code is changed now.

Tiffany Overholser said she, too, had to rebuild after the Black Forest fire. Overholser said she was also helping others in the same predicament and noted that the codes have made rebuilding too expensive.

"They are not going to be able to afford it," Overholser said.

Nate Downden his stucco-sided home was destroyed, although his wooden shed was untouched. He is well into the rebuilding process with a foundation in place for his new home. Downden presented plans to the commission showing a rerouted and extended driveway designed to make accessibility easier for responders.

"That change is going to cost me $8,000," Downden said.

Former Colorado Springs City Council President Scott Hente also spoke at the meeting. Hente's home in western Colorado Springs was damaged during the Waldo Canyon fire in June 2012. That blaze destroyed 347 homes when it raged down the mountain on June 26, 2012.

Hente said fire codes were changed for his home in the Mountain Shadows subdivision and said he has neighbors who still find the new measures "unreasonable."

"Don't exacerbate the problem," Hente said. "Do not impose overly restrictive codes to those who have already experienced devastating loss. Get folks back into their houses."

Commissioner Sallie Clark echoed Hente while mulling over the arguments about the proposed changes.

"I would like to see more consistency countywide, but I don't want to create barriers," she said.

The BOCC is expected to decide on the proposed changes at a Dec. 10 hearing.