Change of Use Permit (Change of Use Notification) in Salida, Colorado

Salida requires a change of use permit (change of use notification) for: Required before changing the use of, or uses within, a building, or establishing a new use, when NO construction and NO footprint change is involved; if the project involves construction or a footprint change, a Building Permit application must be filed instead, per the form's own instruction; Applicant indicates which municipality the property is located in (Salida, among others on the form) — each municipality has different requirements and independently signs off; Required application materials per the form: Warranty Deed; floor plan showing the existing use; floor plan showing the proposed use; site plan; Applicant must describe both the existing use and the proposed new use of the building in writing on the form; Applicant must indicate whether new signage is planned; if yes, the form states it is the applicant's own responsibility to obtain and comply with the municipality's sign requirements before installing a sign (see this file's sign-permit entry for Salida's own process); Digital signature required from both the applicant/agent and the property owner; Three separate agency sign-offs occur on the same form: (1) Chaffee County Building Department determines the new building classification and change-of-use status, assesses its $100.00 fee, and the Building Official signs off; (2) the Municipality (City of Salida) determines the zone district and conforming-use status and assesses its own fee before the Zoning Official signs off; (3) the Fire Department assesses its own fee and provides a fire-inspection sign-off; City of Salida's own 2026 Fees and Charges for Community Development Services schedule (effective 03/17/26) independently confirms a flat $100.00 'Change of Use' line item for the City-side review, separate from the County's $100.00 fee stated on the Notification form itself. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Two-agency split: City of Salida Community Development Department (zoning/fire/Land-Use-Code review and City permit fee, first step) + Chaffee County Building Safety Department (I-Code plan review, permit issuance, fees, and inspections, second step) at City of Salida: 719-539-4555 (fax 719-539-5271). Chaffee County Building Safety Department: 719-539-2124 (Option 1 for inspections, Option 2 for applications/fees); fax 719-530-9208 before starting work.

The Chaffee County Building Department charges a flat $100.00 fee, stated on the form itself. The City of Salida separately charges its own flat $100.00 fee per its 2026 Fees and Charges for Community Development Services schedule. The Fire Department's sign-off fee amount is not published on the form; confirm current pricing directly with Salida Fire Department (719-539-2212).

Salida does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Two-agency split: City of Salida Community Development Department (zoning/fire/Land-Use-Code review and City permit fee, first step) + Chaffee County Building Safety Department (I-Code plan review, permit issuance, fees, and inspections, second step) at City of Salida: 719-539-4555 (fax 719-539-5271). Chaffee County Building Safety Department: 719-539-2124 (Option 1 for inspections, Option 2 for applications/fees); fax 719-530-9208 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Change of Use Notification; Warranty Deed; Floor Plan(s) — Existing Use and Proposed Use; Site Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Salida requires 1 inspection(s) for a change of use permit (change of use notification), in order: Fire Inspection Sign-off. Schedule each through Two-agency split: City of Salida Community Development Department (zoning/fire/Land-Use-Code review and City permit fee, first step) + Chaffee County Building Safety Department (I-Code plan review, permit issuance, fees, and inspections, second step) (City of Salida: 719-539-4555 (fax 719-539-5271). Chaffee County Building Safety Department: 719-539-2124 (Option 1 for inspections, Option 2 for applications/fees); fax 719-530-9208).

Apply through Two-agency split: City of Salida Community Development Department (zoning/fire/Land-Use-Code review and City permit fee, first step) + Chaffee County Building Safety Department (I-Code plan review, permit issuance, fees, and inspections, second step) at City of Salida Community Development Department: The Touber Building, 448 E. First Street, Suite 112, Salida, CO 81201. Chaffee County Building Safety Department: 104 Crestone Ave., Room 125 (2nd Floor), Salida, CO 81201 (mailing: P.O. Box 699, Salida, CO 81201). Phone: City of Salida: 719-539-4555 (fax 719-539-5271). Chaffee County Building Safety Department: 719-539-2124 (Option 1 for inspections, Option 2 for applications/fees); fax 719-530-9208, email: City of Salida (zoning/land use/building permit inquiries): planning@cityofsalida.com; Commercial Permit Inquiries/Major Impact Review: kristen.hodges@cityofsalida.com. Chaffee County Building Safety Department: bdepartment@chaffeecounty.org (electronic plan submittals: eplans@chaffeecounty.org). Office hours: City of Salida Community Development: Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (per the City's own Contact Information block on the Building Permit Review page). Chaffee County Building Safety Department: operates on a 4-day work week (Monday-Thursday), inspections performed Monday-Thursday excluding federal holidays; inspection requests must arrive by 4:00 p.m. the business day before the desired inspection date (Friday afternoon requests roll to Tuesday).. Official information: https://www.cityofsalida.com/commdev/page/building-permit-review and https://www.chaffeecounty.org/departments/building_department/index.php.

Salida, Colorado has adopted: 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted by the City of Salida per the City's own Building Permit Review page: 'The City adopted the 2021 International Codes for Building, Residential, Existing Buildings, Plumbing, Mechanical, Energy Conservation, Fuel Gas and Property Maintenance with the 2021 IECC and the 2021 National Electric Code.' Chaffee County Building Safety Department's own Adopted Codes & Design Criteria page independently confirms the same 2021 I-Code suite (IBC, IRC, IFC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, IECC, IEBC) is the edition actually enforced county-wide, including for Salida.; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — same dual-source confirmation as above; 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — Chaffee County's Residential Building Application requires an IECC Compliance Path Certificate, Manual J/S/D submittal, and blower-door/duct/ventilation testing by a RESNET- or BPI-certified tester; 2021 International Property Maintenance Code — named on the City's own adopted-codes list; 2023 National Electrical Code (NFPA 70 / NEC) — City of Salida's own page states '2021 IECC and the 2021 National Electric Code,' but Chaffee County Building Safety Department's Adopted Codes & Design Criteria page (the agency that actually issues and enforces electrical permits) lists the 2023 NEC as currently adopted; this is a genuine, honestly-flagged discrepancy between the City's own page text and the County's live enforced edition — applicants should confirm the currently enforced NEC edition directly with Chaffee County Building Safety Department at time of submittal; 2017 ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities — Chaffee County Adopted Codes & Design Criteria page; Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (effective July 1, 2026) and 2021 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) — Chaffee County Adopted Codes & Design Criteria page; note several IWUIC-specific submittal requirements on the County's own Residential Building Application are explicitly scoped to 'Unincorporated Chaffee County Only,' meaning some (not all) IWUIC provisions may not directly apply within Salida city limits — confirm scope with the County Building Department for any given IWUIC provision; Colorado Model Electric Ready & Solar Ready Code — Chaffee County Adopted Codes & Design Criteria page; the County's Residential Building Application requires roof load design for future solar panels and a solar-ready zone/interconnection pathway on submitted plans; Salida Municipal Code Chapter 16, Land Use and Development — governs zoning compliance, setbacks, dimensional standards, landscaping, and parking; reviewed by the City of Salida Community Development Department as the mandatory first step before any County building-permit review begins. Local amendments apply — see the Salida overview page for the full list.

Yes. The Change of Use Notification (a Chaffee County form co-branded for Salida, Buena Vista, and Poncha Springs) is required whenever a use changes or a new use is established with no construction and no footprint change. It requires sign-off from the Chaffee County Building Department, the City of Salida (zoning), and the Fire Department.