In an effort to encourage denser development, Gov. Jared Polis signed a new bill into law on Tuesday to allow smaller apartment buildings in Colorado to be built with a single staircase, instead of the two previously required by building codes.
Backers say fewer internal stairways are a way to significantly lower the building cost for multi-family housing and help ease the state’s high cost of living. A similar bill failed to move through the legislature last year due to objections from fire chiefs about potential safety concerns.
Under House Bill 1273, cities with more than 100,000 residents must revise their building codes by Dec. 1, 2027, to allow for a single stairway exit in apartment buildings of up to five stories, with a maximum of four units to a floor. The law applies to Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Fort Collins, Lakewood, Thornton, Arvada, Westminster, Greeley, Pueblo, Boulder and Centennial.
Democratic Rep. Andrew Boesenecker of Fort Collins, is one of the bill’s main sponsors. He said when developers put up a large building with two stairways and a long hallway, they generally have to assemble many parcels of land into a single project, “which increases land acquisition costs by as much as 40 percent and also increases project durations.”
Boesnecker said the new law will reduce construction costs and pave the way for more construction of two-, three- and four-bedroom units in smaller buildings. It may also make it easier for smaller developers to put up new projects, adding to the housing supply.
Backers worked closely this year with the fire prevention specialists to address safety concerns, according to Boesnecker. Under the new law, buildings with a single staircase must also have automatic sprinklers throughout, be built of fire-resistant materials, and ensure a short travel distance from each unit to the staircase, as well as other building code safety measures.
“Design can accomplish so much, including using non-combustible materials,” he said.
