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Design Criteria & Construction Document Requirements
Design Criteria
Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria Table
| Roof Snow Load | Wind Speed | Topographic effects | Seismic Design Category | Subject to Damage from Weathering | Subject to Damage from Frost Line Depth | Subject to Damage from Termite | Climate Zone | Winter Design Temperature | Ice Shield Underlayment Required | Flood Hazards | Air Freezing Index | Mean Annual Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Varies- see Table | Varies- see Section R301.2(4).1 | Yes | "B" | Severe | 42" Mini-mum | None to Slight | 7 | -10°F | Yes; see Section R905.1 | 2012 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maps | 2500 | 40°F |
The roof structure shall be designed for snow loads as determined by the Snow Load Design in this table. No snow load reductions shall be allowed. Click Here for a printable PDF.
Basic Snow Load Design Table
Roof Snow Load Requirements in Pounds Per Square Foot (PSF)
| Elevation (feet above sea level) | Basic Snow Load (PSF) | Elevation | Basic Snow Load (PSF) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6,500 to 6,750 | 35 | 9,001 to 9,250 | 85 | |
| 6,751 to 7,000 | 40 | 9,251 to 9,500 | 90 | |
| 7,001 to 7,250 | 45 | 9,501 to 9,750 | 95 | |
| 7,251 to 7,500 | 50 | 9,751 to 10,000 | 100 | |
| 7,501 to 7,750 | 55 | 10,001 to 10,250 | 110 | |
| 7,751 to 8,000 | 60 | 10,251 to 10,500 | 120 | |
| 8,001 to 8,250 | 65 | 10,501 to 10,750 | 128 | |
| 8,251 to 8,500 | 70 | 10,751 to 11,000 | 135 | |
| 8,501 to 8,750 | 75 | 11,001 to 11,500 | 150 | |
| 8,751 to 9,000 | 80 | N/A |
*The Snow Load requirements for a specific property can be found on Clear Map, the County online mapping service at the ClearMap website.
Wind Load Design
*The Wind Load requirements for a specific property can be found on Clear Map, the County online mapping service at the ClearMap website.
WILDFIRE HAZARD MITIGATION
The Wildfire Hazard Mitigation Plan was originally adopted in 1995 as an amendment to our Building Code. It was established in order to address the increasing hazards of the spread of our development into the less accessible and more heavily forested areas of our County. The Plan is a four-fold approach to reducing the hazards in those areas;
- Requires all new development and re-roofing to use a "Class A" rated roof. Because wood shakes and wood shingles are not "Class A" rated materials, special rated assemblies are required for wood roofs;
- Requires all new development and additions greater than 400 square feet to develop a "Defensible Space" around the existing and/or proposed structure(s);
- For properties where either the access road or the proposed or existing driveway does not nor can not meet the minimum standards, additional mitigation must be done in order to reduce the hazards resulting from either a structure fire or wildfire. These measures are to protect both the residents of the property and the firefighters responding to the fire call. The Point System Agreement was developed to help the property owner achieve additional mitigation.
- Requires all structures 4,400 square feet or more to be equipped with an approved monitored automatic suppression system.
The Defensible Space Plan will be developed by the Side Development Inspector and is explained in detail in that Department's information packet. The Site Development Inspector will also determine, at the time of your driveway permit site visit, whether the Wildfire Hazard Point System Agreement will be required.
The Building Department is then notified and the Agreement is initiated and mailed to the property owner or to the general contractor to be completed and later submitted with the building permit documents.
Elevation | Below 7,400 Feet | Above 7,400 Feet |
|---|---|---|
Latitude | 39 degrees North | 39 degrees North |
Winter Heating 99% Dry Bulb | -7° | -11° |
Summer Cooling 1% Dry Bulb | 95° | 90° |
Coincident Wet Bulb | 59° | 59° |
Design Grains difference at 50% Relative Humidity | -39° to -45° | -39° to -45° |
Daily Range | High (H) | High (H) |
Relative Humidity | 50% winter and summer | 50% winter and summer |
Indoor Design Temperature Heating | 72° | 72° |
Indoor Design Temperature Cooling | 75° | 75° |
Heating Temperature Difference | 79° | 83° |
Cooling Temperature Difference | 20° | 15° |
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC): While not required for windows in Climate Zone 7, the SHGC is still required data for Manual J calculations. SHGC should be taken directly from the sticker on the glass. If not known, either use default as per Table 102.1.3(3) of the 2009 IECC or equation SHGC equals 0.87 multiplied by the Shading Coefficient under19-23 of Manual J.
Altitude Correction Factor (ACF): Site-specific to elevation
Wind Velocity Values: 15 miles per hour for Heating and 7.5 miles per hour for Cooling
Minimum Residential Code Requirements
Chapter 3 Sections 303 – of the 2021 International Residential Code lists many non-structural requirements that all structures intended for habitation must meet. These requirements include:
Light, Ventilation and Heating – Section R303
Summary:
Lighting – All habitable rooms shall have window glazing to provide natural lighting that totals not less then 8% of the floor area of the room.
Ventilation – Natural ventilation shall be through windows, doors, louvers or other approved openings to the outdoor air. The minimum openable area shall be 4% of the floor area being ventilated.
Heating – Every dwelling unit shall be provided with heating facilities capable of maintaining a minimum room temperature of 680 F at a point 3 feet above the floor and 2 feet from the exterior wall of all habitable rooms.
Minimum Room Areas – Section R304
Summary:
Every dwelling unit shall have at least one habitable room that is not smaller than 120 square feet of floor area. Other habitable rooms, except kitchens, shall have floor areas of not less than 70 square feet. All habitable rooms shall not be less than 7 feet in any horizontal dimension.
Ceiling Height – Section R305
Summary:
Habitable rooms, hallways, bath and toilet rooms, laundry rooms, basements, etc. shall have a ceiling height of not less than 7 feet from the finished floor to the lowest projection from the ceiling. There is an exception for rooms with sloped ceilings requiring at least 50% of the minimum 70 square feet or 120 square feet floor area have ceiling height of at least 7 feet and no portion of the minimum floor area may have a ceiling height of less than 5 feet.
Sanitation – Section R306
Summary:
All dwelling units must be provided with a kitchen area containing a sink and a bathroom containing a toilet, a sink and a bathtub or shower. All plumbing fixtures shall be connected to both approved water supplies and approved sanitary sewers or approved private sewage disposal systems. Kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks, bathtubs, showers, bidets, laundry tubs and washing machine outlets shall be provided with hot and cold running water.
Please refer to the 2021 IRC for the complete text of the above referenced sections and all other applicable code requirements.
Residential Energy Efficiency Requirements
All new residential construction must comply with the provisions in Chapter 11 of the 2021 International Residential Code and the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code as adopted and amended by Clear Creek County. Due to our higher elevations and colder winters, our county is designated as Climate Zone 7. Any of the following three options may be used to design the new residence to be in compliance with this Code.
Option Number 1 - The prescriptive insulation requirements for Climate Zone 7 are found in Table N1102.1 and are as follows:
Table N1102.2
Insulation and Fenestration Requirements By Componenta
| Climate Zone | Fenestration U-Factor | Skylightb U-Factor | Ceiling R-Value | Wood Frame Wall R-Value | Mass Wall R-Value | Floor R-Value | Basementc Wall R-Value | Slabd R-Value and Depth | Crawl Space c Wall R-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0.30 | 0.55 | R-60 | R-20 + 5 ci | 19/21 | R-38 | 13 + 5 ci | 10, 4 feet | 13 + 5 ci |
Efficient Heating Unit and Duct Sizing - In order to ensure that the heating unit and ducts are sized correctly, Manual J and Manual D calculations are required to be submitted. Design Criteria for Manual J
Option Number 2 - As an alternative, compliance may also be demonstrated by using the calculation program known as REScheck, provided by the Department of Energy's Model Energy Code website and submitting the printout and inspection checklist.
Option Number 3 – Another alternative way to demonstrate compliance is through certification from an approved national, state or local energy efficiency program.
Commercial and Multi-Family Energy Efficiency Requirements
All new commercial and multi-family construction must comply with the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code as adopted and amended by Clear Creek County. Due to our higher elevations and colder winters, our county is designated as Climate Zone 7. Any of the three options may be used to design the multi-family residential or commercial development to be in compliance with this Code.
Option Number 1 - The Residential prescriptive requirements are found in Chapter 4 of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code; The Commercial prescriptive requirements are found in Chapter 5 of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code.
Efficient Heating Unit Sizing - In order to ensure that the heating unit is sized correctly, Manual J calculations are required to be submitted. Manual J Design Requirements
Option Number 2 - As an alternative, compliance may also be demonstrated by using the calculation programs provided by the Department of Energy's Model Energy Code on their website. For this compliance method, ComCheck, MechCheck and Lighting Calculations must be submitted.
Option Number 3 – Another alternative way to demonstrate compliance is through certification from an approved national, state or local energy efficiency program.
Construction Plan Requirements
Residential Construction Plan Submittal Requirements
We accept digital submissions only via our portal.
The following list of construction drawing requirements must be used to ensure that the plans for your new single-family residence or residential addition and/or alteration are as comprehensive and complete as possible. Submittals lacking sufficiently detailed and complete plans will not be accepted for review.
Please note: These are ONLY the requirements for the construction document portion of your application. To apply for a permit, please visit the Permits Portal to Apply. For a PDF Checklist of project specific requirements go to the Permits Page and scroll to the bottom and view the assortment of checklists.
- Digital set of plans, approved by all Land Use Departments. Plans shall be drawn to an acceptable, approved, architectural or engineer scale, dimensioned and consisting of but not limited to the following:
- Wet stamp of Licensed Colorado Engineer or Architect on all pages showing structural detail;
- Edition of the Code(s) used;
- Snow load and wind load the structure is designed for;
- Energy Efficiency Compliance including: Method used – Prescriptive, UA Alternative (REScheck) or Performance; Manual J, and Manual D calculation reports; Detail of Thermal Envelope; All insulation detail including foundation/slab insulation, wall, floor/ceiling, roof/ceiling and insulation for
and locations of all ducts passing through unconditioned spaces; Window and door schedule, including U-factors; REScheck report if UA Alternative method is used; LEED or other above the code program report if Performance method is used. - Floor plans Show all floors, both finished and unfinished and for additions or alterations, both existing and proposed. Detail shall include room usage, location, and size of windows and doors, headers, type and thickness of drywall used, location of lights, fans, outlets, GFIs, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire rated walls and assemblies, exit
corridors, and safety glazing. Basements should show the location of above items plus, all means of egress, windows, stairs, furnace, water heater, crawl space access and any other pertinent information including sizes of windows and doors, schedules, water heaters, combustion air, and ceiling heights. - Elevations Show all sides of the structure (maybe less for some additions), showing dimensions, grade levels, windows, doors, roof coverings, identification of exterior materials, guardrails, steps, stairs, basement lines, decks, patio covers, and porches.;
- Foundation Complete detail for Engineered Foundation System; Complete detail for perimeter foundation drain;
- Framing Complete detail for all framing, incl. floor framing for all floors, roof framing or truss specs and layout from truss
manufacturer, stair detail, decks, etc as well as all fasteners, hangers, hold downs, etc; - Braced Wall Design Designate the braced wall method(s) being used and show all anchoring to the foundation, nailing requirements, location of
braced wall panels, location of interior braced walls; - Cross section(s) One or more sections through building showing foundation, framing details, flooring, wall framing, decking, insulation including foundation/slab insulation, U factors and R values, basement walls, floor, and roof assembly. A typical wall section should note all pertinent information and extend from the foundation to roof.
- "Class A" Rated Roof Show the Class A material or the Class A rated assembly; Rated assembly for all fire-resistive construction measures chosen for Wildfire Hazard Point System Agreement when applicable.
- Locations of all plumbing fixtures;
- Location and fuel types of all water heaters, furnaces, boilers, wall heaters, etc;
- Locations and fuel types of gas, wood or pellet stoves, fireplaces or inserts;
- Locations of all required Smoke Detectors;
- Locations of all required Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Manufactured Homes
Manufactured homes are residential structures, which have been partially constructed in factories, inspected by State Inspectors and transported to the building site in two or more modules and are then assembled on the site built foundation, basement or first story. These manufactured homes may be constructed to meet either the International Residential Codes or HUD Codes, but they must also meet the requirements resulting from our colder climate, higher winds, and more snow. In addition to the other submittals, a letter from the manufacturer is required, that addresses each of the following issues:
1) States the Code the residence will be built in conformance with;
2) States the Snow Load and Wind Load the residence will be designed to;
3) States the residence will have a Class A rated roof and whether it will be installed in the factory or at the building site;
4) States the energy efficiency compliance method used;
5) When HUD Codes are used for the designing and building, the manufacturer must certify that the home meets or exceeds, on an equivalent performance engineering basis, standards established by the county building code
.
This assures both the homeowner and the Building Department that the proposed manufactured home will meet the code requirements for our county.
Commercial and Multi-Family Plan Submittal Requirements
The list of construction drawing requirements must be used to ensure that the plans for your commercial or multi-family project are as comprehensive and complete as possible. Submittals lacking sufficiently detailed and complete plans will not be accepted for review.
Two (2) complete sets of plans, approved by all Land Use Departments. Plans shall be drawn to an acceptable, approved, architectural or engineer scale, dimensioned and consisting of but not limited to the following:
- Wet stamp of Licensed Colorado Engineer or Architect on all pages showing structural detail;
- Edition of the Code(s) used;
- Snow load and wind load the structure is designed for;
- Energy Efficiency Compliance including: Method used – Prescriptive, UA Alternative (REScheck) or Performance; Manual J, and Manual D calculation reports; Detail of Thermal Envelope; All insulation detail including foundation/slab insulation, wall, floor/ceiling, roof/ceiling and insulation for and locations of all ducts passing through unconditioned spaces; Window and door schedule, including U-factors; REScheck report if UA Alternative method is used; LEED or other above the code program report if Performance method is used.
- Floor plans Show all floors, both finished and unfinished and for additions or alterations, both existing and proposed. Detail shall include room usage, location, and size of windows and doors, headers, type and thickness of drywall used, location of lights, fans, outlets, GFIs, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire rated walls and assemblies, exit
corridors, and safety glazing. Basements should show the location of above items plus, all means of egress, windows, stairs, furnace, water heater, crawl space access and any other pertinent information including sizes of windows and doors, schedules, water heaters, combustion air and ceiling heights. - Elevations Show all sides of the structure (maybe less for some additions), showing dimensions, grade levels, windows, doors, roof coverings, identification of exterior materials, guardrails, steps, stairs, basement lines, decks, patio covers, and porches.;
- Foundation Complete detail for Engineered Foundation System; Complete detail for perimeter foundation drain;
- Framing Complete detail for all framing, incl. floor framing for all floors, roof framing or truss specs and layout from truss manufacturer, stair detail, decks, etc as well as all fasteners, hangers, hold downs, etc;
- Braced Wall Design Designate the braced wall method(s) being used and show all anchoring to the foundation, nailing requirements, location of braced wall panels, location of interior braced walls;
- Cross section(s) One or more sections through building showing foundation, framing details, flooring, wall framing, decking, insulation including foundation/slab insulation, U factors and R values, basement walls, floor and roof assembly. A typical wall section should note all pertinent information and extend from the foundation to roof.
- "Class A" Rated Roof Show the Class A material or the Class A rated assembly; Rated assembly for all fire-resistive construction measures chosen for Wildfire Hazard Point System Agreement when applicable.
- Locations of all plumbing fixtures;
- Location and fuel types of all water heaters, furnaces, boilers, wall heaters, etc;
- Locations and fuel types of gas, wood or pellet stoves, fireplaces or inserts;
- Locations of all required Smoke Detectors;
- Locations of all required Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Wood Burning Stove and Fireplace Requirements
The County has adopted the 2015 International Residential, International Building, International Plumbing, International Mechanical, and International Fuel Gas Codes. All mechanical installations must comply with these codes. Our Code requires that all wood stoves and wood burning fireplace inserts be Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rated.
Deck Requirements
Open decks which are higher than 30 inches above the adjacent grade and all covered decks and porches, regardless of height above grade, are required to have a building permit – see the Decks page. Minimum frost depth for the piers is 36 inches below grade and the snow load requirements can be found in Basic Snow Load Design Table or on Clear Map, the County online mapping service.