Keystone to adopt county-style building code but strip renewable-energy mitigation provision for now

Town staff recommended Keystone adopt building-code updates that mirror Summit County's recent amendments but to remove the renewable energy mitigation program (REMP) from the local amendments while staff and council work through local implications.

At the June 17 work session staff said Summit County approved building-code updates that include REMP and other changes; staff recommended the town adopt codes that are substantially identical to county code for now but to explicitly exclude REMP from the town's local amendments. Staff emphasized that under the existing intergovernmental agreement (IGA) the county will continue to administer and enforce building codes in Keystone for at least the next 30 days while the town finalizes its own code decisions.

The town attorney and manager said removing the REMP provision now would not prevent future local action on energy policy and would avoid immediate complexity for builders; the town attorney proposed giving administrative authority to staff to make minor code changes where appropriate so the town could adapt without triggering state-level adoption requirements that apply when a municipality moves away from the county model.

Council discussed related items such as the threshold for automatic sprinkler requirements (county adopting 4,500 square feet, council discussed adopting 5,000 to align with neighboring towns). Staff said they would verify enforcement details with the county building official and bring final ordinance language back at second reading.