These instructions apply to all persons seeking to develop real property under the International Building Code in the Chaffee County Fire Protection District. Note, structures built under the International Residential Building Code are not reviewed by Chaffee Fire Protection District in most cases (exception: driveways for residences in the wildland urban interface). Using this map you can determine if you are located in the Chaffee County Fire Protection District. You can use the left menu to toggle on "fire district" and toggle off the other maps. If you are in the town of Salida or within the South Ark Fire Protection District, you should reach out to the Salida Fire Department for your site plan review needs. 

 

Municipal Site Plans: 

1. Poncha Springs. In Poncha Springs, the site plan review process and the building review process are combined into one review. This means that you will submit the information required below in one application. This application will be forwarded to Chaffe County Fire by the town of Poncha Springs, so do not send it to us directly. The fee for the site plan review will be added to the building review fee since the reviews are combined. 
   1. Applicable Law. The International Fire Code 2021 applies for both commercial and residential site plans. 
      1. Required Information: Provide a separate plans sheet titled "fire access and water supply plan" and include the information specified below to facilitate our review. 
         1. Hydrant Locations/Fire Flow: 
            1. Whether or not a sprinkler system is antcipated to be installed (y/n). If yes, whether it will be an NFPA 13 or NFPA 13R system. Note, if a sprinkler system is installed, its flow must comply with the applicable NFPA standard flow which is  determined by the state of Colorado. See the Fire Alarm and Suppression menu item for additional information. 
            2. Type of construction (IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIA, IIIB, IV, VA, VB).
            3. Total square footage of your structure, as defined by 2021 IFC B104.1-B104.3. 
            4. The locations of existing hydrants and newly proposed hydrants within 250 ft of any street or road frontage of your structure. Circles showing this radius should de drawn around the hydrants. 
         2. Fire Apparatus Access: 
            1. Pumper truck access will be required for all structures, which determines that all access roads have a minimum width of 20 feet at their narrowest point. 
            2. If a structure is over 30 feet high, then aerial apparatus access is required, which determines that access roads have a minimum width of 26 feet at their narrowest. 
            3. All turning radii must have an inside turning radius at least 28 feet, and an outside turning radius at least 47 feet. 
2. Buena Vista. In Buena Vista, the site plan process is separate from the building review process, and these are billed separately. Please include the information required below with your application materials to the Town of Buena Vista, which will forward your materials to us. 
   1. Applicable Law. The International Fire Code 2021 applies for both commercial and residential site plans. 
      1. Required Information: Provide a separate plans sheet titled "fire access and water supply plan" and include the information specified below to facilitate our review. 
         1. Hydrant Locations/Fire Flow: 
            1. Whether or not a sprinkler system is antcipated to be installed (y/n). If yes, whether it will be an NFPA 13 or NFPA 13R system. Note, if a sprinkler system is installed, its flow must comply with the applicable NFPA standard flow which is  determined by the state of Colorado. See the Fire Alarm and Suppression menu item for additional information. 
            2. Type of construction (IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIA, IIIB, IV, VA, VB).
            3. Total square footage of your structure, as defined by 2021 IFC B104.1-B104.3. 
            4. The locations of existing hydrants and newly proposed hydrants within 250 ft of any street or road frontage of your structure. Circles showing this radius should de drawn around the hydrants. 
         2. Fire Apparatus Access: 
            1. Pumper truck access will be required for all structures, which determines that all access roads have a minimum width of 20 feet at their narrowest point. 
            2. If a structure is over 30 feet high, then aerial apparatus access is required, which determines that access roads have a minimum width of 26 feet at their narrowest. 
            3. All turning radii must have an inside turning radius at least 28 feet, and an outside turning radius at least 47 feet. 
3. Unincorporated Chaffee County.  In Unincorporated Chaffee County, the site plan review process and the building review process are combined into one review. This means that you will submit the information required below in one application to the Chaffee County Building Department. This application will be forwarded to Chaffe County Fire, so do not send it to us directly. The fee for the site plan review will be added to the building review fee since the reviews are combined. 
   1. Residential properties in the Wildland Urban Interface will be reviewed for compliance with the wildland urban interface code. The Fire Prevention Division will review the plans for your driveway, and the Wildland & Mitigation Division will perform a site visit to inspect your driveway as well as the other required mitigation. Click here to review the driveway requirements. Click here for further information on the Wildland & Mitigation Division. 
   2.  Commercial properties require the following information: 
      1. Required Information: Provide a separate plans sheet titled "fire access and water supply plan" and include the information specified below to facilitate our review. 
         1. Water Supply. Governed by NFPA 1142.  
            1. Note whether a sprinkler system is anticipated to will be installed, and if so whether it is NFPA 13 or 13R. 
            2. Show any existing structures on the site plan within 50 feet of any part of a new structure, whether or not on the same lot. 
            3. Note the type of construction: (IA, IB, IIA, IIIB, IV, VA, VB). 
            4. Note the total square footage of each new structure. 
            5. Note the locations of existing cisterns or hydrants within one mile of your new structure. 
            6. Note the PRECISE use of your strcuture. For example, if storage is the use we need to know what will be stored there, and if it is retail, what will be sold. We also need to know if there will be storage racks, and if so how high. And we need to know whether any flammable/hazardous materials will be stored or used on site. 
         2. Fire Apparatus Access. 
            1. Pumper truck access will be required for all structures, which determines that all access roads have a minimum width of 20 feet at their narrowest point. 
            2. If a structure is over 30 feet high, then aerial apparatus access is required, which determines that access roads have a minimum width of 26 feet at their narrowest. 
            3. All turning radii must have an inside turning radius at least 28 feet, and an outside turning radius at least 47 feet. 

Fees. $150 per site plan review. Payment should be by check and made out to the Chaffee County Fire Protection District, and be for “Site Plan” followed by your street address including only the number and street, not city, state and zip code. It may be mailed to the address in the header with Attn: Fire Prevention Office or be dropped off in person at the same address. Our 499 Antero station will be prepared to receive hand delivered payment 7:00 AM-5:00 PM Monday through Friday excluding federal holidays.