Completed applications filed by May 31 deadline will qualify for reduction in Employee Housing Mitigation Impact fee

Deadline is May 31

 April 3, 2023 – San Miguel County – The San Miguel County Building Department is urging builders with pending projects to submit completed building permit applications by 5 p.m. on May 31 in order to receive a 50% reduction on the county’s Employee Housing Impact Mitigation Fees. After May 31, all projects will be subject to full fees.

Officials from the county’s building and planning departments stress that only complete applications will be considered for review. Among the documents builders must file with the county before the deadline are scaled construction plans prepared by Colorado certified design professionals, geotechnical reports and Home Energy Rating System (HERS) reports. Development permit applications must also be complete and include, if applicable: new construction/addition; driveway (including fire department approval, if necessary, and submittal to San Miguel County Road & Bridge, if required); OWTS (submitted to San Miguel County Environmental Health, if required); well, wetlands and floodplain permits. Also required as part of a complete application are: signed copy of the construction contract or owner-signed project budget; Homeowners Association written approval (if applicable/required); Owner’s Authorization of Agency for designated representative; and, proof of well, permit, or tap approval. In addition, all applicable fees must be paid.

Those looking to begin construction this summer and who want the 50% impact fee reduction, are encouraged to submit applications well before the May 31 deadline. Building permit applications that are submitted and/or made complete on or after to June 1, 2023 will be subject to 100% of the mitigation fee.

“Getting a complete application in well ahead of the deadline will give us time to verify the completeness of the application and will allow time so that the applicant can address any deficiencies,” said Planning Director, Kaye Simonson.

Completed applications will then be subject to normal review before the issuance of permits. Building Department Director, Matt Gonzales, recognizes there are numerous moving parts to a building development application. 

“We will let each applicant know as soon as possible that their application has been received and is complete, or whether it needs correcting before we can start the review process,” Gonzales said.

A determination of application completeness is not a finding that the application is in compliance with all applicable codes and regulations. Corrections and modifications may be required prior to issuance of any permit(s).

The Board of County Commissioners approved a revised version of the Employee Housing Impact Mitigation Fees in March. The revisions, based on public input, reflected an increase in the minimum square footage of qualifying buildings, a phasing in of the fees, and were revised so that the gaps at the transition points between mitigation rates were eliminated. The fees collected will then be used for employee housing projects.

Questions can be directed to the Building Department at 970-728-3923, email building@sanmiguelcountyco.gov or the Planning Department at planning@sanmiguelcountyco.gov

The checklist of development application requirements can be found here: https://www.sanmiguelcountyco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10057/Residential-Building-Application-Submittal-Requirements- 

Applications can be filed at: https://www.sanmiguelcountyco.gov/FormCenter/Building-Department-6/Building-Permit-Application-62