Cripple Creek building permits

Requirements

• Plans reviewed under the 2018 IBC/IRC as locally adopted and amended by Cripple Creek Municipal Code Ch. 18
• Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission required before/alongside permit approval for any project within a designated Historic District (most of central Cripple Creek, including the Bennett Avenue Historic District, given the City's National Historic Landmark/District status)
• Improvement Location Certificate (ILC) and Setback & Elevation Certificate by a licensed Colorado surveyor required for all new foundations, submitted before a rough framing inspection can be requested; an Improvement Survey Plat (ISP) additionally required if a variance permits construction within setbacks or the foundation sits within 5 feet of the property line
• Soil classification by a Colorado-licensed engineer required at each building site (except accessory structures of 750 sq ft or less at a one/two-family dwelling); all foundations designed for soil adequacy by a Colorado-licensed architect or engineer
• Design snow load minimum 40 lbs/sq ft live load (site-specific case study required in map-designated 'CS' areas), or per the Colorado Design Snow Loads Report and Map if designed by a licensed Colorado design professional; minimum design wind speed 115 mph, Exposure C
• Contractor must hold a current City of Cripple Creek contractor's license (except state-licensed electrical contractors performing electrical work) in addition to any required Colorado state trade license
• Homeowners may self-build a maximum of one principal residence within a 24-month period without a contractor's license, assuming full code-compliance liability

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSubmitted to the Building Department; City notes it is currently implementing new permitting software — call (719) 689-3588 ext. 1 to confirm current submission process
• OptionalCertificate of Appropriateness (if within a Historic District)Issued by the Historic Preservation Commission after review against the City's design Guidelines; expires 12 months after issuance unless a building permit is issued, then runs concurrently with it
• RequiredImprovement Location Certificate (ILC) and Setback & Elevation CertificateCompleted by a licensed Colorado surveyor; required for all new foundations, submitted prior to requesting a rough framing inspection
• RequiredSoils ReportBy a Colorado-licensed engineer, for all building sites except accessory structures of 750 sq ft or less at a one/two-family dwelling
• RequiredAsbestos assessment materialsPer the City's published Asbestos Renovation and Demolition Requirements document

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Plans reviewed under the 2018 IRC/IBC as locally adopted and amended
• Per the Historic Preservation Ordinance, an addition of 10% or more exterior surface (in any cumulative time period) to an existing structure within a designated Historic District is itself classified as 'New Construction' and requires a Certificate of Appropriateness
• Repair and maintenance work that does not change the design, material, or outer appearance of a structure ('Ordinary Maintenance,' e.g. repainting within the approved palette, landscaping) does not require a Certificate of Appropriateness
• Contractor must hold a City of Cripple Creek contractor's license plus any required Colorado state trade license

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSubmitted to the Building Department
• OptionalCertificate of Appropriateness, Certificate of Nonapplicability, or Certificate of Economic Hardship (if within a Historic District)Required if the scope constitutes 'New Construction' (10%+ exterior surface change) or any material alteration within a designated Historic District; a Certificate of Nonapplicability may instead be issued by the Commission if the work is determined not to require full review

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Governed by the most current NEC edition as adopted by the State of Colorado (Cripple Creek Municipal Code Ch. 18, Art. 11 floats to the state-adopted edition rather than fixing a local NEC year)
• Electricians must hold a current Colorado State electrician license or be a registered apprentice per CRS 12-23-101 definitions; City Building Inspectors are authorized and required by state law to perform random reviews of these licenses on job sites
• No more than 3 apprentices per licensed Journeyman or Master electrician permitted on a job site; non-compliant workers or workers unable to produce their license cards must leave the site, and the company is reported to DORA
• Electrical contractors are exempt from the City's general contractor-licensing requirement while engaged in electrical work (Ch. 18-1-20(b)), since they are separately licensed by the State
• Electrical permit fees are set 'in an amount as adopted by resolution' per the local NEC amendment

Required documents

• RequiredElectrical Permit ApplicationSubmitted to the Building Department

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Governed by the most current NEC edition as adopted by the State of Colorado (Cripple Creek Municipal Code Ch. 18, Art. 11 floats to the state-adopted edition), including NEC Article 625 (Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System)
• Electricians must hold a current Colorado State electrician license or be a registered apprentice per CRS 12-23-101 definitions; City Building Inspectors are authorized and required by state law to perform random reviews of these licenses on job sites
• No City of Cripple Creek EV-charger-specific permit application exists; use the standard Electrical Permit Application
• If the property is within the Bennett Avenue Historic District, a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission may be required before permit issuance if the charger installation is visible from a public right-of-way or affects the exterior of a historic structure
• Electrical permit fees are set 'in an amount as adopted by resolution,' the same mechanism documented in this file's electrical-permit entry -- no distinct EV-specific fee line was found

Required documents

• RequiredElectrical Permit ApplicationSame form used for any electrical work, including an EV charger circuit; submitted to the Building Department

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Governed by the most current IPC edition as adopted by the State of Colorado (Cripple Creek Municipal Code Ch. 18, Art. 5 floats to the state-adopted edition), with a local amendment to Section 305.4 (Freezing): exterior water supply piping must be installed not less than 24 inches below the frost line and not less than 36 inches below grade
• Plumbers must hold a current Colorado State plumber license or be a registered apprentice per CRS 12-58-102 definitions; City Building Inspectors are authorized and required by state law to perform random reviews of these licenses on job sites, enforcing the same 3-apprentice-per-licensed-worker ratio as electrical
• All contractors performing plumbing work (other than state-licensed electrical contractors, which is a separate trade) must hold a City of Cripple Creek contractor's license

Required documents

• RequiredPlumbing Permit ApplicationSubmitted to the Building Department

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Governed by the 2018 IMC and 2015 IFGC as adopted by Cripple Creek Municipal Code Ch. 18, Art. 6 and Art. 7
• Contractor must hold a current City of Cripple Creek contractor's license plus any required Colorado state trade licensure

Required documents

• RequiredMechanical Permit ApplicationSubmitted to the Building Department

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Roof evaluation from a licensed Colorado engineer required whenever roofing materials or coverings are changed to something other than like materials (IBC Sec. 1608.1, local amendment)
• Within a designated Historic District, roofing color must be muted (grey, dark brown, dark green, or dark red per the Development Code's historic design guidelines); variegated/multi-tone shingle colors common in some asphalt shingles are considered inappropriate and may be denied a Certificate of Appropriateness
• Minimum design roof snow load is 40 lbs/sq ft live load, with site-specific case studies required in map-designated 'CS' (case study) areas

Required documents

• RequiredRoofing Permit ApplicationSubmitted to the Building Department
• OptionalRoof Evaluation ReportBy a licensed Colorado engineer, required for any change of roofing material/covering other than like-for-like replacement
• OptionalCertificate of Appropriateness (if within a Historic District)Required for roofing material/color changes visible on a structure within a designated Historic District

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Within the B and BB Zone Districts, solar device placement must follow a preference order: (1) integrated photovoltaic device, (2) detached in a side or rear yard away from the right-of-way, (3) on non-historic structures/additions, (4) on an accessory structure, (5) on the primary structure but not highly visible from a public right-of-way
• Integrated devices and accessory equipment must match the color of the mounting surface; non-integrated roof-mounted devices on the primary structure must be parallel to the roofline and flush against the roof surface
• Devices placed on the primary structure may not alter defining historic character features
• Electrical work governed by the most current NEC edition as adopted by the State of Colorado
• Electrical contractor must hold current Colorado State Electrical Board (DORA) licensure, verified by the City per its standard random job-site review policy

Required documents

• RequiredElectrical / Building Permit Application — Solar scopeSubmitted to the Building Department
• OptionalCertificate of Appropriateness (if within the B or BB Historic zone districts)Required given the Development Code's explicit solar-device placement rules for these historic business districts

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Maximum of one ADU per primary structure
• ADU square footage capped at 750 sq ft or 50% of the primary structure's square footage, whichever is larger
• Front and side setbacks must match the primary structure; rear setback is 5 feet (with or without a rear lane per the Development Code table)
• Detached ADU requires a minimum of 1 story above a basement story; maximum height may not exceed the primary structure's height (measured from finished grade to the highest roof point)
• An off-street parking space is generally required per ADU, subject to exceptions tied to on-street parking availability and pre-January-1-2024 zoning district requirements per Development Code Table 1.7(3)(f)
• Standard building/electrical/plumbing/mechanical permit review applies per the applicable adopted codes (2018 IRC/IBC etc.)
• Certificate of Appropriateness required if the ADU is located within a designated Historic District

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application — ADU scopeSubmitted to the Building Department
• RequiredSite PlanShowing ADU placement, setbacks, and parking per Development Code Section 1.5.12

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission required before demolition of any structure, site, or object within a designated Historic District — no demolition may occur until the Commission has provided its recommendation and a valid Certificate of Appropriateness has been issued
• Demolition without a Certificate of Appropriateness within a Historic District, where required, is a penalized violation: the Council will not issue any business and/or gaming license, nor grant any zoning variance or approve any building plans, in response to a willful violation or gross negligence under the Historic Preservation Ordinance
• Asbestos assessment required per the City's published Asbestos Renovation and Demolition Requirements document prior to demolition

Required documents

• RequiredDemolition Permit ApplicationSubmitted to the Building Department
• OptionalCertificate of Appropriateness (if within a Historic District)Mandatory before any demolition within a designated Historic District
• RequiredAsbestos Renovation and Demolition AssessmentPer the City's published Asbestos Renovation and Demolition Requirements document

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Plans reviewed under the 2018 IBC as locally adopted and amended by Cripple Creek Municipal Code Ch. 18
• Certificate of Appropriateness required for any exterior-visible alteration to a commercial structure within a designated Historic District (interior-only tenant improvements with no exterior change generally fall outside Historic Preservation Commission review, per the Ordinance's 'Ordinary Maintenance'/interior-scope distinctions)
• Contractor must hold a current City of Cripple Creek contractor's license plus any required Colorado state trade license
• For tenant improvements inside a licensed gaming/casino establishment specifically: separate from the City building permit, the operator must maintain a Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) Certificate of Compliance for Limited Gaming, which requires an application 'signed by the local fire and building authorities having jurisdiction asserting that the facility is in compliance' (8 CCR 1507-57, Article 10) -- i.e. Cripple Creek's own Building/Fire sign-off feeds into this state certificate, but the certificate itself is a distinct state gaming-licensure requirement, not a substitute for the City building permit

Required documents

• RequiredCommercial Building Permit Application — Tenant Improvement scopeSubmitted to the Building Department
• OptionalCertificate of Appropriateness (if exterior changes within a Historic District)Required for exterior-visible alterations to commercial structures within a designated Historic District

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Plans reviewed under the 2018 IRC/IBC as locally adopted and amended
• Improvement Location Certificate (ILC)/Setback & Elevation Certificate required if the deck/patio involves a new foundation footing subject to the local survey-requirements amendment
• Minimum design roof snow load of 40 lbs/sq ft applies to covered patios/structures with a roof
• Certificate of Appropriateness required if the structure is within a designated Historic District and visible from a public right-of-way

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application — Deck/Patio scopeSubmitted to the Building Department
• RequiredSite PlanShowing setbacks and structure placement

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Unless exempted under Development Code Sec. 2.5.1, all signs require a City-issued Sign Permit before being displayed, constructed, erected, relocated, or altered (Sec. 4.4); changing, modifying, or altering a sign from its permitted terms after issuance is also unlawful without a new/amended permit
• Exempt from a permit (Sec. 2.5.1): residence/address signs up to 4 sq ft; incidental directional/parking signs on private property up to 1.5 sq ft; official court/agency notices; historic plaques placed by the City; traffic/directional/warning/emergency/informational signs and special-event signs approved under the City's special event permit; U.S./military/Colorado flags 5'x8' or smaller (max 30 ft pole, 3 per lot); non-profit museum/City-facility identification signs approved by the Code Administrator; interior signs set back 5+ feet from an exterior window (visible portion capped at 18 sq ft); Trailblazer (wayfinding) signs at Planning Commission discretion; signs on regularly-operated business vehicles; Landmark Signs; and all PR-Zone-District signs (approved administratively by the Code Administrator instead of under the standard allowance tables). Political signs are separately exempt from a permit under the Code's definitions section (max 2'x3' per property, plus an additional election-season sign 6 weeks before to 5 days after an election)
• Sign type/size/height allowances are set per zoning district by Table 4-2 (commercial B/BB/C-1/C-2) and a parallel residential-district table (R-1/R-2/R-3/4): e.g. Projecting signs are allowed a minimum 7 ft clearance above a public way, max 48 inches from the building, 1 per 25 linear ft of business frontage, 12 sq ft max per face in commercial districts; Freestanding signs require a minimum 15 ft building setback, max 8 ft height, and are not allowed at all in the B district; Wall signs are capped at 12 sq ft per 25 ft of frontage (150 sq ft max) and must be flush-mounted
• Internal illumination is allowed only per-district and per-sign-type as specified in Table 4-2 -- e.g. NOT allowed anywhere in the B district or for any Gaming Use (regardless of district), while BB/C-1/C-2 districts allow limited internal illumination on Projecting, Wall, and Window signs at stated size caps
• Electronic (digital LED/plasma/LCD) signs are allowed only in the C-1 and C-2 zone districts (Sec. 2.6.1); minimum 5-second message hold time, dissolve/fade transitions only (1 second max duration), mandatory auto-dimmers, brightness capped at 0.3 foot-candles over ambient at 30 ft (or 15 ft for displays under 8 sq ft), no flashing/animation/video, 100 sq ft maximum size, and may not cover windows or doorways except for electronic window signs
• Off-premises signs are prohibited citywide except Shadow Box signs (permitted only in the B/BB/C-1/C-2 districts, associated with an occupied business, with owner permission)
• Billboards, flashing/animated-light signs, signs projecting above a roof peak/awning/canopy top, signs causing direct glare or emitting sound/odor/visible matter, signs obstructing a required exit, and signs within the street right-of-way (except Projecting signs or Temporary-sign approvals) are prohibited in all districts (Sec. 2.5.2)
• Application (Sec. 4.4) must include a graphic of the sign showing size, lettering type, colors, and symbols, plus a photo/drawing showing its relationship to the building, attachment design, and illumination method; the Code Administrator determines case-by-case (primarily by sign weight) whether structural engineering drawings are also required
• The Code Administrator must review a submitted application for completeness and notify the applicant of any deficiencies within ten (10) days of submission (Sec. 4.3, the Article 4 procedure governing Development Plan/Sign/Conditional Use submittals generally); complete applications are then either approved by the Code Administrator or referred to the Historic Preservation Commission for signs in the B/BB districts
• Fees for Sign Permit review are set by City Council resolution per the Development Code's own Article 4 introduction ('Fees charged for consideration of the requests in this Article are set by resolution of the City Council... current fee schedule is available from the Code Administrator') -- this is the same unlocatable resolution-based fee mechanism (most recently identified as Resolution 2021-21) already extensively chased and documented as unpublished online elsewhere in this file for building/electrical/plumbing/mechanical permits
• A separate Building Permit may additionally be required depending on the sign's structural scope (e.g. a freestanding sign with a new foundation), per this file's residential-building-permit and commercial-tenant-improvement entries

Required documents

• RequiredSign Permit ApplicationIncludes a graphic of the sign (size, lettering, colors, symbols) and a photo/drawing showing its relationship to the building, attachment design, and illumination method, submitted to the Code Administrator (Community Development / Building Department)
• OptionalStructural Engineering DrawingsRequired only if the Code Administrator determines they are necessary, primarily based on the sign's weight
• OptionalHistoric Compatibility Review Materials (B and BB Zone Districts)Lettering style, colors, and other elements evaluated for historic compatibility; approved administratively by the Code Administrator or referred to the Historic Preservation Commission

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Fire suppression (sprinkler) and fire alarm system installations are governed by the City's locally-adopted International Fire Code (2018 IFC per Municode Ch. 18, Art. 9, per this file's codesAdopted list) and are processed through the standard City Building Permit / combination-inspector process -- no dedicated Fire Marshal, fire-prevention division, or standalone sprinkler/alarm permit application was found on the Fire Department's own website
• CODE-EDITION DISCREPANCY, noted honestly rather than resolved: the City's own 'Compliance With Adopted Fire Code' webpage (a Brycer/'Compliance Engine' widget) currently displays 'International Fire Code 2024' as the adopted standard, which conflicts with this file's already-verified Municode citation of the 2018 IFC (Ord. No. 2019-03, chapter amendment history through Ord. No. 2023-13 effective 1-3-24). A separate eLaws.us mirror of Ch. 18 Art. 9 (checked this review) shows stale/garbled text referencing a 2012-era ordinance (Ord. 2014-02). Given this file's prior research already established Municode's Chapter 18 text as the governing, most-recently-verified source, the 2018 IFC citation is treated as authoritative here, but the Brycer widget's '2024' claim could not be independently reconciled and should be confirmed directly with the Fire Department before relying on either figure for a specific IFC-edition compliance question
• The City uses 'The Compliance Engine' by Brycer, a third-party cloud system, to track RECURRING inspection compliance for fire protection systems already installed in commercial buildings (notifying owners when periodic inspections are due or lapsed) -- this is a compliance-tracking/notification tool for existing systems, not a new-installation permitting mechanism, and is distinct from the Building Permit process that governs a NEW sprinkler or alarm system installation
• No City or Fire Department document itemizes a distinct 'Public Safety' or fire-protection-specific inspection category separate from the standard rough/final trade inspections documented elsewhere in this file (contrast with Craig/Moffat County's explicit checklist, which names 'Fire Protection / Suppression System / Fire-Smoke Alarms/Detectors' as its own inspection line) -- Cripple Creek's own Building Department pages and Permits/Inspections/Contractors Licensing page, checked directly, describe only the general Foundation/Framing/Rough Trade/Final inspection sequence used across this file's other permit types
• Within a designated Historic District (most of the City's B and BB zone districts), any exterior-visible fire-suppression equipment, piping, or alarm-notification device (e.g. an exterior fire department connection, horn/strobe, or standpipe) would fall under the same Certificate of Appropriateness review already documented in this file's residential-building-permit and commercial-tenant-improvement entries
• Electrical work associated with a monitored fire alarm system remains governed by the State of Colorado (DORA) electrician-licensing framework already documented in this file's electrical-permit entry -- Cripple Creek runs no separate local electrical licensing program
• Fees are set per the City's general Building Fee Schedule by City Council resolution (most recently identified as Resolution 2021-21) -- the same unlocatable resolution-based fee mechanism already extensively chased and documented elsewhere in this file

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application -- Fire Suppression/Alarm scopeNo dedicated fire-sprinkler/alarm application or checklist was found; fire-suppression/alarm work is filed under the standard Building Permit Application, submitted to the Building Department
• OptionalCertificate of Appropriateness (if exterior-visible within a Historic District)Required only if the installation involves an exterior-visible component (e.g. fire department connection, exterior alarm device) on a structure within a designated Historic District

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A Conditional Use Request is the City's general mechanism for a change of use, per Development Code Table 4-1: 'Any change of use in land or building to a Conditional Use' routes to a Conditional Use Request, with Planning Commission recommendation to City Council and a final City Council decision after public hearing (Sec. 4.6.2)
• Conditional Use Request applications must include a written narrative addressing 7 review criteria (Sec. 4.6.2): community benefit vs. unique project characteristics; whether the request would overburden public infrastructure/services; compatibility with existing/planned adjacent uses; whether the proposal meets or exceeds applicable zoning-district standards outside the specific relief requested; adequacy of any additional design standards imposed; consistency with the Intent and Applicability of the zoning district and adjacent districts; and whether the district's standard requirements impose an undue burden
• A Development Plan (Sec. 4.3) must generally accompany the Conditional Use Request unless no exterior changes are proposed to an existing building, parking area, or other exterior facility
• Authority to issue a building permit under an approved Conditional Use Request expires two (2) years after the grant date unless a building permit has been issued AND materials acquired AND the foundation placed for at least one permitted building, OR (where no construction is required) the actual use has already commenced
• For a NONconforming use being changed to reduce its non-conformance (rather than a use change requiring new Conditional Use approval), Development Code Sec. 4.9 provides a lighter track: a written narrative addressing the non-conformance reduction plus site plan/elevation information submitted to the Code Administrator, who forwards it to the Planning Commission once deemed complete -- no City Council hearing is described for this narrower track
• The City's adopted 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC, Ch. 18 Art. 10 per this file's codesAdopted list) governs the life-safety/building-code compliance analysis for a change of occupancy classification; no local amendment to this specific chapter addressing change-of-occupancy was independently located on Municode or the City's Building Department pages this review
• If the change of use also involves construction, remodeling, or modification of the structure, the applicable standard Building Permit track (new construction, addition/remodel, or commercial tenant improvement, per this file's other entries) additionally applies, including Historic District Certificate of Appropriateness review if the property is within a designated Historic District and exterior changes are involved
• Fees for Conditional Use Request review are set by City Council resolution per Development Code Article 4's own introductory text; no numeric fee table for this process was located, the same unresolved-resolution gap documented elsewhere in this file
• The City's Building Department 'Forms, Requirements & Codes' page (previously indexed by search engines) returned an HTTP 404 when checked directly this review -- it is not confirmed whether a dedicated Change-of-Use or Change-of-Occupancy application form exists there or elsewhere on the City's site; confirm the current form/process directly with the Code Administrator

Required documents

• RequiredConditional Use Request ApplicationWritten narrative addressing the Sec. 4.6.2 review criteria, submitted to the Code Administrator; required if the new use is not permitted-by-right in the applicable zoning district
• OptionalDevelopment PlanRequired to accompany the Conditional Use Request unless no exterior changes are proposed (Sec. 4.3)
• OptionalBuilding Permit ApplicationRequired only if the change of use also involves construction, remodeling, or modification of the structure
• OptionalCertificate of Appropriateness (if within a Historic District)Required for any exterior-visible alteration accompanying the use change within a designated Historic District

Fee schedule