Longmont council delays adoption of 2024 building and energy codes, seeks statewide and regional clarity
February 11, 2024 | Longmont, Boulder County, Colorado
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
Longmont City Council on Feb. 11 voted to delay adoption of updated building and energy codes, directing staff to await finalized state and regional amendments and to provide cost modeling before taking final action.
Blas Hernandez, the city's chief building official, told the council the state "low energy and carbon code" and a Northwest regional code cohort are still drafting amendments and that Group 14 is modeling cost and greenhouse-gas scenarios. Hernandez said the state’s first draft has drawn extensive public comment and that several technical provisions were moved to appendices, which cities may choose to adopt.
"The code cohort is preparing amendments that go above and beyond what the regular code requires," Hernandez said in the presentation, urging the council to allow time for cost modeling so staff can present energy use, greenhouse-gas impacts and predicted first- and annual-energy costs.
Councilors raised affordability, legal exposure and enforceability. Councilor Popkin supported a regional approach and said early adoption without modeling risks misaligning Longmont with neighboring cities; "this regional approach makes a lot of sense," Popkin said. Councilor Rodriguez urged caution on potential litigation and commended city attorneys for monitoring related cases. Councilor McCoy moved to delay; Councilor Christ seconded.
Mayor Peck announced the motion carried with a 6–1 vote. The council’s direction was to pause adoption of the 2024 code package and ask staff to return with analyses of the state low-energy draft, cohort amendments and the modeling results that compare the city's current (2021) code, the unamended 2024 IECC, and the cohort/state scenarios.
Staff said the delay is intended to allow Longmont to adopt a single, cohesive package that reflects the state finalization and regional consensus, rather than adopting now and re-adopting later. Hernandez noted the state’s timeline anticipates further drafts and public-comment periods before a final code.
Next steps: staff will provide cost and emissions modeling, draft proposed local amendments aligned to the state/cohort output, and return to council for further direction and potential ordinance language. No immediate code change took effect as a result of the vote.
Blas Hernandez, the city's chief building official, told the council the state "low energy and carbon code" and a Northwest regional code cohort are still drafting amendments and that Group 14 is modeling cost and greenhouse-gas scenarios. Hernandez said the state’s first draft has drawn extensive public comment and that several technical provisions were moved to appendices, which cities may choose to adopt.
"The code cohort is preparing amendments that go above and beyond what the regular code requires," Hernandez said in the presentation, urging the council to allow time for cost modeling so staff can present energy use, greenhouse-gas impacts and predicted first- and annual-energy costs.
Councilors raised affordability, legal exposure and enforceability. Councilor Popkin supported a regional approach and said early adoption without modeling risks misaligning Longmont with neighboring cities; "this regional approach makes a lot of sense," Popkin said. Councilor Rodriguez urged caution on potential litigation and commended city attorneys for monitoring related cases. Councilor McCoy moved to delay; Councilor Christ seconded.
Mayor Peck announced the motion carried with a 6–1 vote. The council’s direction was to pause adoption of the 2024 code package and ask staff to return with analyses of the state low-energy draft, cohort amendments and the modeling results that compare the city's current (2021) code, the unamended 2024 IECC, and the cohort/state scenarios.
Staff said the delay is intended to allow Longmont to adopt a single, cohesive package that reflects the state finalization and regional consensus, rather than adopting now and re-adopting later. Hernandez noted the state’s timeline anticipates further drafts and public-comment periods before a final code.
Next steps: staff will provide cost and emissions modeling, draft proposed local amendments aligned to the state/cohort output, and return to council for further direction and potential ordinance language. No immediate code change took effect as a result of the vote.
View the Full Meeting & All Its Details
This article offers just a summary. Unlock complete video, transcripts, and insights as a Founder Member.
✓
Watch full, unedited meeting videos
✓
Search every word spoken in unlimited transcripts
✓
AI summaries & real-time alerts (all government levels)
✓
Permanent access to expanding government content
30-day money-back guarantee
