At a regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) in February of 2025, Archuleta County officially established a new Board of Review and Appeals (BoRA) through the adoption of Resolution 2025-19.
This board will provide Archuleta County citizens with an administrative appeal process regarding decisions made by building safety department staff. The County is actively seeking qualified volunteers from the community to serve as members of this new board.
The establishment of the BoRA is permitted by Colorado Revised Statute § 30-28-206, which grants the BoCC the authority to create such a board to address special exceptions to building codes, approve alternative construction methods and materials, decide on appeals of the building official’s decisions, and recommend changes to adopted building codes. Additionally, sections R112 and 113 of the Adopted Building Codes require the jurisdiction to establish a Board of Appeals for hearing and deciding appeals related to the application and interpretation of various codes.
The BoRA will have several key responsibilities, including:
- Hearing and deciding appeals of orders, decisions, or determinations made by the building official concerning the application and interpretation of the Adopted and Amended Building Codes.
- Granting special exceptions or modifications to the codes in appropriate cases, provided they do not compromise health, life, fire safety, or structural requirements.
- Reviewing and formulating suggested amendments to the Adopted and Amended Codes for the consideration of the BoCC.
The BoRA will consist of five members. The Pagosa Fire Protection District (PFPD) Board of Directors may appoint one full voting member. The county is specifically seeking four volunteer members to be appointed by the BoCC. These individuals must have experience in construction, structural or civil engineering, or building design. The terms for these appointees will be staggered with term expirations each year. Once established, members of BoRA will elect officers, draft by-laws and operating rules, which will then be submitted to the BoCC for ratification. Tony Medved, the Chief Building Official, will serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member.
“Leveraging community members with commercial and residential construction knowledge and experience will result in the most appropriate regulations for our community,” stated Archuleta County Development Director, Pam Flowers. The county encourages qualified and interested citizens to apply to be part of this vital new board.
Individuals interested in volunteering for the Board of Review and Appeals are encouraged to contact Chief Building Official, Tony Medved, tmedved@archuletacounty.gov, or call 970-264-8384.