Commercial Construction
Use this process for:
- New commercial buildings
- Commercial additions or alterations
- Changes in occupancy or use
- Fire sprinkler systems
- Fire alarm systems
- Commercial kitchen suppression systems
- Other commercial fire-protection systems
Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, or PPRBD, issues the building permit. Colorado Springs Fire Department Fire Construction Services conducts commercial fire plan reviews and inspections within the BFFR district under an agreement with Black Forest Fire Rescue.
IMPORTANT: PERMIT HOLD
The building permit cannot be issued until all applicable BFFR requirements have been completed. This includes payment of the impact fee and CWRC fee, submission of required forms and documents, and completion of required reviews, inspections, or corrections.
Commercial Project Process
Step 1: Begin With PPRBD
Start the commercial building-permit and plan-submittal process with Pikes Peak Regional Building Department.
PPRBD will identify the building-permit requirements and route applicable commercial fire and life-safety plans for review.
Step 2: Complete Commercial Fire Plan Review
Colorado Springs Fire Department Fire Construction Services reviews commercial fire and life-safety plans for projects within the BFFR district.
The review may include:
- Fire department access
- Fire-flow and water-supply requirements
- Fire sprinkler systems
- Fire alarm systems
- Commercial kitchen suppression systems
- Hazardous materials
- Other required fire-protection systems
COMMERCIAL FIRE PLAN REVIEW AND STATUS
Commercial plan-review and inspection fees are established by Colorado Springs Fire Department.
VIEW THE CSFD FIRE FEE SCHEDULE
Step 3: Complete the BFFR Impact-Fee Process
Impact fees apply to qualifying new nonresidential development within the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District.
Provide BFFR with:
- Project address
- PPRBD permit or project number
- Applicant, owner, developer, or contractor contact information
- Proposed building use
- Complete building plans
- Total gross floor or gross building area
- Any additional information requested by BFFR
Nonresidential impact fees are based on the total gross floor or gross building area and the applicable development type:
- Commercial and retail
- Office
- Public and institutional
- Industrial and manufacturing
- Warehouse and storage
BFFR will review the project, determine the correct development classification, calculate the impact fee, and email an invoice. Applicants should not calculate or submit payment independently.
The impact fee must be paid in full before BFFR will approve the project for permit issuance.
Contact fielding.lucas@bffire.org to submit commercial impact-fee documentation or request an assessment.
VIEW THE CURRENT BFFR FEE SCHEDULE
Step 4: Complete Applicable CWRC Requirements
The Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code, or CWRC, may apply to new commercial construction and certain exterior improvement projects in designated Wildland-Urban Interface areas.
Applicability is based on:
- Property location
- Mapped fire-intensity classification
- Building use
- Type and scope of work
Complete the Required CWRC Form
For every applicable permit, the contractor, developer, or property owner must complete and return the CWRC Contractor Compliance Form. Sections that do not apply to the project may be marked N/A.
DOWNLOAD THE CWRC CONTRACTOR COMPLIANCE FORM
The compliance form does not replace any field inspection required by BFFR.
Review the inspection process, material guidance, contractor checklist, and other project documents before ordering exterior materials or beginning construction.
VIEW CWRC BUILDER AND CONTRACTOR DOCUMENTS
Pay the CWRC Fee and Complete Required Review
BFFR will determine the applicable CWRC classification, requirements, inspections, and fee. An invoice will be emailed to the applicant or contractor.
BFFR will not release the permit until:
- The completed CWRC Contractor Compliance Form has been received
- The applicable CWRC fee has been paid in full
- Required plans and product documentation have been reviewed
- Items marked for BFFR review have been resolved
- Required inspections or corrections have been completed
- All other applicable BFFR requirements have been satisfied
Step 5: Address Other BFFR District Requirements
Depending on the property and project, BFFR requirements may also address:
- Emergency apparatus access
- Roads, driveways, and turnarounds
- Address visibility
- Fire-flow and water-supply requirements
- Hydrants
- Cisterns or dry hydrants
- Fire lanes
- Access-control gates
- Knox Box installation
- Other site-specific fire-safety requirements
Contact BFFR early in the planning process to identify these requirements before finalizing the site design.
VIEW BFFR FIRE PREVENTION AND COMPLIANCE INFORMATION
Step 6: Pay Required Fees and Obtain Permit Clearance
Before the building permit can be issued, the applicant must:
- Pay the BFFR impact fee in full
- Pay the applicable CWRC fee
- Pay applicable CSFD plan-review or inspection fees
- Complete required BFFR forms and document submissions
- Obtain required commercial fire plan approvals
- Resolve outstanding review comments or corrections
- Satisfy all other applicable agency requirements
VIEW THE CURRENT BFFR FEE SCHEDULE
Payment does not replace required plan reviews, inspections, or approvals.
After BFFR receives and processes all applicable payments and documentation, BFFR will provide its approval through PPRBD.
Step 7: Begin Construction and Complete Inspections
Do not begin construction until PPRBD has issued the building permit.
During construction:
- PPRBD conducts applicable building inspections.
- Colorado Springs Fire Department Fire Construction Services conducts commercial fire and fire-protection-system inspections.
- BFFR conducts applicable CWRC or other locally required inspections.
All required corrections and final approvals must be completed before Certificate of Occupancy processing.
Questions?
BFFR Impact Fees, CWRC, and District Requirements
Phone: 719-495-4300
Email: Fielding.Lucas@bffire.org
CWRC Review and Inspections
Phone: 719-495-4300
Email: Fielding.Lucas@bffire.org
Commercial Fire Plan Review
Colorado Springs Fire Department Fire Construction Services
Phone: 719-385-5982, option 2
Email: fireconstructionservices@coloradosprings.gov
