SAGUACHE COUNTY
LAND USE DEPARTMENT
SAGUACHE COUNTY
LAND USE DEPARTMENT
Welcome to the Saguache County Land Use Department's homepage. We have created it to serve the public with enhanced access to information on Land Use and Health Code issues.
Please click on a topic of your choice.
As of this date Saguache County has no building codes. However Saguache County does require that a building permit be obtained prior to construction or placement of structures intended for human occupancy. In addition there are certain State and Local codes which apply to structures intended for human occupancy. The County's permit requirements do not apply to barns, sheds or other structures that are not intended for human occupancy.
State statutes require that any dwelling be provided with adequate facilities for the disposal of sewage. If centralized sewer is not available, then an Individual Sewage Disposal System (ISDS) must be installed. These systems must be inspected and permitted by the County, prior to occupancy.
The State also requires that any dwelling to be supplied with water, gas or electricity of any kind be permitted and inspected by the State. This must take place prior to occupancy.
There are no structural requirements for residential dwellings. Although this allows great freedom in design and construction, the builder is responsible for the integrity of the structure and safety of it's occupants. It is suggested that indiduals build to some standard, such as HUD or UBC.
Prior to any construction please check with the appropriate State offices to insure compliance with all regulations. Here is a brief list of offices that you may need:
The Individual Sewage Disposal System (ISDS) program was created to provide a standard of protection to the public while accomodating the needs of the individual homebuilder. Any dwelling or structure within the unincorporated area of the county that is not provided with central sewer must install and maintain an ISDS. In Saguache County there is a required minimum of one acre lot size to install both a well and an ISDS. For systems of 2000 gallons a day or less, this may be permited through the Saguache County Board of Health. Systems in excess of 2,000 gallons per day must obtain a permit from the State.
In most cases the ISDS will consist of a septic tank and leach field. If soil conditions do not permit the use of this type of system, other methods of disposal are available. These include the use of mounded systems, evapotranspiration systems, septic vaults or aerobic treatment systems.
Currently there is much interest in composting toilets and grey water systems. These are allowable methods, provided that certain criteria are met. If you are interested in using a composting system you must provide treatment for grey water. Grey water must be handled as any other sewage, through an approved ISDS. This means that you will be installing two seperate systems, one composting and one greywater leach field. There are many misconceptions about grey water, one of which is that it is a safe effluent. In many cases grey water can have a higher bacteria count than black water. It is for this reason that it has to be handled in such a manner.
If you desire to utilize a system that employs a new technology, approval for it's use must be obtained from the State.
PERMITS
Prior to the installation of a system an ISDS Permit Application must be filed with the County. After processing, the County will arrange to perform a percolation test on the property. The results of this test will determine the suitability and size of your system. After the installation of the system, prior to covering it up, the ISDS inspector will inspect it to ensure that it has been constructed properly. After the final inspection and once all fees have been paid the County will issue the permit.
To obtain a permit please contact the Saguache County Land Use Office at (719)655-2321.
State statutes impose substantial penalties on individuals who maintain dwelling without proper sewage disposal systems as well as those who modify sytems without required permits and inspection.
Well permits are administered through the Colorado Division of Water Resources . In Saguache County two seperate offices are responsible for these permits. The Alamosa office handles permits within the San Luis Valley basin. You may contact this office at 422 4th St., Alamosa, Colo. 81101 or call (719) 589-6683. The Gunnison office handles permits within the Gunnison Basin. You may contact this office at
Saguache County has a minimal zoning plan in effect at this time. Essentially the entire county is zoned as agricultural. Any intended use which does not fit within the allowed uses of this designation must go through a Conditional Use process. This process allows for public input and must be reviewed by the County Planning Commission prior to approval by the Board of County Commissioners.
All other uses should be considered conditional and must be approved by the County. The Conditional Use process includes requirements for mailout to adjacent property owners, application fees and required engineered drawings. After the application has been completed, it is forwarded to the Saguache County Planning Commission for review. Their recommendations guide the Board of County Commissioners in making the final decision.
In addition to the Agricultural designation there is another designation of Primitive Recreation. This classification allows parcels of 10 acres or more to be used on a seasonal basis for hunting camps and other camping purposes. There may be no structures on these properties other than a small corral for horses etc.. Any campers or trailers may be on site no longer than 6 months out of the year.
Due to current trends toward larger lot sizes in Saguache County there have been recent increases in lot consolidations. This document will hopefully answer many of the questions about lot consolidation consolidation. At the time that most of the subdivisions in the county were created there were few if any regulations. Because of this most were laid out with very small lot sizes, down to one tenth of an acre. Not only does ths make them unbuildable due to health codes, but the resulting densities would be unbearable in a rural setting. The act of consolidation is simply one of taking several small lots and combining them into one larger lot. To accomplish this the existing lot lines between them must be removed or "vacated". This must be done with the approval of the County Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners. Once consolidated there is little if any chance of them being redivided. In some circumstances the applicant will also ask that roads, cul-de-sacs or alleys running through their consolidated lot be vacated as well. This may also be granted provided that the circumstances warrant such an action.
There are several reasons for consolidating. Many of the lots in the older subdivisions are unbuildable due to size or terrain. The owner of several lots may choose to build on an existing lot line for optimum siting. This however may not be possible due to setback requirements of the subdivision in question. Therefore the lot line must be vacated. Local codes require a minimum of a one acre lot to install both a well and a septic system. This may require the consolidation of several smaller lots.
There are certain costs associated with the consolidation process which may run into several thousand dollars. There are requirements for mailout to adjacent property owners, application fees and required engineered drawings, this is probaly the most expensive aspect of your application. These costs are outweighed by the benefits if one is planning to keep the land for long period of time. Additionally there may be tax incentives if this process results in a lower property tax assessment. Please contact the Assessor's Office to determine any benefits. If you are a member of a Property or Homeowners Association there may be reduced dues. Please contact your representative in these associations.
After the application has been completed it is forwarded to the Saguache County Planning Commission for review. Their recommendation guide the Board of County Commissioners in making the final decision.
County regulations require that adjacent property owners be notified of intended consolidations. As an adjacent property owner, the effect of this consolidation on you is beneficial. Rather than having several homes built next to you, there can be only one. There is no change of use, only the currently allowed uses may be taken advantage of. There is no change to your tax rate. The applicant cannot consolidate your property or any other property that they do not own outright.
Saguache County requires that all subdivisions of property that create parcels less than 35 acres be approved. Under these regulation provisions must be made for sewage, roads, water etc..
There are allowances made for small divisions of land which do not create a large number of parcels, this is the Subdivision Exemption. The common use of this exemption is to divide a small parcel of land off of a large tract to provide a home site for children or to sell off unused land from an agricultural operation.
As with most requests for County approval of land use issues there are certain conditions which must be met. There are requirements for mailout to adjacent property owners, application fees and required engineered drawings. After the application has been completed it is forwarded to the Saguache County Planning Commission for review. Their recommendations guide the Board of County Commissioners in making the final decision.
The Land Use department is currently developing the capability to apply GIS and GPS technology to it's operations. This program endeavors to use a sophisticated Geographical Information System (GIS) to map the county and it's resources. This information will aid in better decision making in issues regarding future growth and development. Part of the process will involve data collection with Global Positioning (GPS) equipment. It is intended to make these maps available to the public through direct computer dialup and/or the Internet.
For more information on GIS
To see a complete copy of the Saguache County Land Use Development Code, please click here.
For more information on any of these subjects you may contact the Saguache County Land Use Department at PO Box 655, Saguache, Colo., 81149 or phone at (719) 655-2321
This page is under construction and will be updated on a regular basis to provide the latest information.
Comments and queries should be forwarded to Patrick Smith landuse@rmi.net
Copyright © 1997 Patrick Smith
Most recent revision March 11, 1997.