The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Fire code to be withdrawn from area
The Riverland Industrial Park is currently working to improve fire protection in the mixed-use area (commercial and residential) three miles south of Crested Butte. The subdivision was built prior to the adoption of the current fire protection code, which requires certain elements like proper pipeline flows of 750 gallons per minute (gpm), roadside hydrants every 500 feet, and at least a 35,000-gallon water storage tank.
Some of these elements have been installed, but the system in place cannot handle pipeline flows over 500 gpm.
Since Riverland property owners have determined they cannot fulfill all aspects of the current International Fire Code (IFC), and Crested Butte Fire Protection District (CBFPD) fire chief Ric Ems has made it clear the district will not consider further amending the code, representatives from the park have decided to withdraw Riverland from the IFC. Once it’s official, builders and developers would utilize the county’s building codes, and Riverland would be withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the Crested Butte Fire Protection District.
Russ Forrest, the county’s community development director, says there is overlap between the international building codes adopted by the county and the fire codes, and there would still be a high level of local fire protection for the buildings at Riverland.
Several months ago the county paid a consultant, Deborah Shaner, to prepare a report and identify pragmatic solutions that would be consistent with codes, yet recognize that there is limited infrastructure (inadequate plumbing) below ground at Riverland.
Forrest says Shaner is now on the national board that writes the IFC and is an expert on this subject. Shaner made a handful of recommendations that would greatly improve water flows and overall fire safety in Riverland, even if they don’t meet the IFC standards: flows of 500 gpm, a 40,000-gallon storage tank, system pressure of least 20 psi, and five fire hydrants.
Before the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will withdraw Riverland from the IFC, they want to see Shaner’s recommended improvements in place.
Forrest told county commissioners on Tuesday, April 7 that property owners are making good progress on those improvements. When the improvements are done, a resolution will be brought to commissioners. The resolution would recognize that the Shaner study was done and the recommended improvements have been made. Then commissioners should then be willing to withdraw Riverland from the IFC.
