Regional amendment package would lower county’s large‑home threshold, clarify HERS vs ERI

Eco Action Partners presented two proposed amendments to the county's draft adoption package: clarifying the large‑home compliance metric and lowering the size threshold for that category.

Kim Wills of Eco Action Partners told the meeting the cohort’s regional amendment package includes (1) a clarification that San Miguel County should reference a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) score instead of an ERI metric in local amendments “for clarity, simplicity and because that’s what we use here,” and (2) a local adjustment to the size category that triggers large‑home requirements, lowering it from the state’s 5,000 square‑foot starting point to roughly 3,500–3,600 square feet to reflect local building patterns.

Wills said most jurisdictions in the regional cohort are including the HERS clarification and the proposed lower threshold and that those amendments will be included in the package presented to county commissioners with staff recommendation. “Those amendments will go in front of the commissioners, with Matt's recommendation,” she said.

Board members asked follow‑up questions about the specific HERS score targets and how the change would apply across existing local categories. Maldigo and Wills noted that lowering the threshold would bring more dwellings into the 'large‑home' category that requires higher efficiency measures or ERI/HERS compliance, but would not change the required HERS score itself; staff said they will provide exact score mappings when the amendment language is circulated.

If the county adopts the amendment package, the local size trigger and the HERS/ERI specification will determine which new homes must follow stricter compliance paths and which retain the base code options.