Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Mount Crested Butte, Colorado

Town of Mount Crested Butte’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Mount Crested Butte town limits.

  • Adopted codes listed on the town building page: 2021 International Building Code, Residential, Fire, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Property Maintenance, Energy Conservation, Existing Building; Colorado Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code; Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code.
  • The page says to refer to Chapter 6 or 8 of the town code or Ordinance No. 6, Series 2024 for all adoptions and local amendments; those local amendments were not retrieved.
  • The page states the state of Colorado determines electrical and plumbing code editions (National Electrical Code and International Plumbing Code) and says to contact the state for those editions.

  “the mt. crested butte town council approved an ordinance adopting the 2021 international building codes and the colorado model electric ready and solar ready code, which is in effect as of january 3, 2025.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Electrical and plumbing work inside Mount Crested Butte town limits.

  • The town's building page states the State of Colorado reviews and inspects electrical and plumbing work.
  • Town inspection requirements for other trades were not established; the town page links an 'inspections' page that was not retrieved.

  “the state of colorado is responsible for reviewing and inspecting electrical and plumbing.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Mount Crested Butte town limits: the town's own planning and zoning program (zoning areas shown on the town zoning map; rezonings handled by the town planning commission and town council).

  • The town's zoning map states it shows the different zoning areas within the town; the zoning ordinance text (district list and dimensional standards) was not retrieved and is not quoted here.
  • Land use applications for rezonings, design review and special use permits are reviewed by town staff and acted on by the Planning Commission and Town Council, per the planning page.

  “this includes processing land use applications for annexation, rezonings, design review, and special use permits for review by staff, and action by the town planning commission and town council”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Land inside Mount Crested Butte town limits: zoning areas as published on the town zoning map.

  • Only a map of the zoning areas was located; the district names and their use or dimensional tables were not retrieved in text form.

  “different zoning areas within the town of mt. cb:”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals inside Mount Crested Butte town limits operated under the town STR license program.

  • Short-term rentals are run through a town license with a local representative requirement, per the town STR page.
  • Renewal, complaint and lodging tax processes are linked from the page but their text was not retrieved.
  • Zoning-based limits on where STRs may operate were not established.

  “any property advertised or rented for 29 nights or less must have a short-term rental license.”

• Permit processPartial

  Land use and building applications inside Mount Crested Butte town limits.

  • The planning page describes the review path (staff review, then Planning Commission and Town Council action) at a summary level only.
  • Application forms and the applications fee resolution linked from the planning page were not retrieved.

  “this includes processing land use applications for annexation, rezonings, design review, and special use permits for review by staff, and action by the town planning commission and town council”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Mount Crested Butte or Gunnison County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Mount Crested Butte town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — New construction inside Mount Crested Butte town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for the main single-family residential district inside Mount Crested Butte town limits.
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for the main single-family residential district inside Mount Crested Butte town limits.
• Setbacks — Setbacks for the main single-family residential district inside Mount Crested Butte town limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.