Erie council repeals residential fire-sprinkler mandate for single-family homes in 4-3 vote

After an extended public hearing that included firefighters, builders and residents, the Erie Town Council voted 4-3 on March 24 to repeal the town's automatic residential fire-sprinkler requirement for single-family attached and detached homes.

Mayor Pro Tem Bell moved the ordinance repeal; following discussion the council approved Ordinance 11-2026 by roll-call vote: Council member Mortillero (yes), Council member O'Connor (yes), Council member Pesa Morelli (no), Council member Baer (no), Mayor Pro Tem Bell (yes), Council member Hoback (no), and Mayor Moore (yes). The motion passed 4-3.

The ordinance change removes the earlier requirement that new single-family homes be built with automatic sprinklers under the adopted 2021 International Residential Code. Staff had briefed council on the ordinance as a continued public hearing and summarized analysis on options including a sprinkler-ready infrastructure approach and optional buyer-installed systems. Staff said builder-installed systems typically ranged from about $7,500 for attached townhomes to $12,000-plus for larger single-family homes; some builders and industry groups estimated added costs could reach about $15,000 or more per home depending on scope and local fees.

Deputy Fire Marshal Doug Saba, speaking for Mountain View Fire Protection District, urged the council to retain sprinklers, citing National Fire Protection Association figures and firefighter experience. "Keep the sprinkler requirement... Reduces death by 90 percent and injuries of 60 percent," Saba told the council, arguing sprinklers save lives and lessen firefighter risk.

Builders and the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver countered that mandatory sprinklers increase the cost of new homes and reduce affordability and housing production. "This requirement added roughly $15,000 to the price of a new home," said Morgan Cullen of the HBA of Metro Denver, who argued that the greatest fire risk remains older housing stock and that modern building codes and smoke-alarm systems have cut residential fire deaths.

Council debate centered on balancing safety benefits against affordability and infrastructure tradeoffs. Some councilors argued the sprinkler requirement protected families and firefighters; others said the added construction cost has contributed to a sharp drop in permits and could price first-time buyers out of the market. Council members also discussed water-system impacts from required 1-inch service taps for sprinklered homes and noted staff had waived incremental meter fees to reduce that up-front cost.

The council specified that sprinklers remain mandatory for multifamily buildings and that the repeal applies to single-family attached and detached homes. Council members who opposed repeal said they would continue to pursue other safety measures such as expanded smoke-alarm coverage and educational programs.

Action details: Ordinance 11-2026 (amending Erie Municipal Code Title 9, section 9.1.2) was approved by a 4-3 vote. The council did not adopt additional mandatory water-usage or safety programs at the March 24 meeting, but staff may return with related proposals.

Vote tally: Yes'(4): Mortillero, O'Connor, Mayor Pro Tem Bell, Mayor Moore. No'(3): Pesa Morelli, Baer, Hoback.

Next steps: The repeal will be codified per municipal procedures; council discussion indicated interest in pursuing other, non-mandatory safety measures and continuing conversations about affordability and infrastructure impacts.