Now that Pitkin County Public Health has issued directives allowing for the reopening of construction sites, building departments in Pitkin County, the City of Aspen, Town of Snowmass Village and Basalt will begin accepting construction site safety applications beginning April 23rd. Only construction with active building permits on file will be considered. The plans must meet stringent Public Health hygiene and social distancing protocols to limit the spread of COVID-19. Community Development Departments in jurisdictions where building permits are held will manage their own safety application and approval processes. After safety plans are approved construction in the community will be allowed to resume beginning April 27th.
As many as 920 construction sites now holding active permits in Pitkin County could reopen for work after their safety plans are approved.
“Building Department staff from each of the municipalities in Pitkin County are now undergoing training with the Public Health Department so that we can identify compliance with the Public Health directives in their safety plans,” said Pitkin County Community Development Director Cindy Houben. “Staff will then methodically consider each and every safety plan and only approve the ones we trust can comply with the restrictions. This gradual uptick in construction will give us and Public Health an opportunity to observe on-site to see how this is going to work,” Houben said.
Among the requirements for construction sites are strict adherence to social distancing protocols, reducing construction workforces to a minimum, handwashing stations on-site, monitoring the health of workers to control the possibility of anyone who is sick from being on a job site, safe carpooling recommendations and a long list of other Public Health protocols designed to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. That list is available at www.pitkincounty.com/covidconstruction.
According to the Pitkin County Public Health Board, construction site requirements may be altered in a more or less restrictive manner as more activity in the community gets underway and compliance is monitored.
Each municipality is managing its own active building permit safety plans.
Pitkin County - www.pitkincounty.com/covidconstruction
City of Aspen - www.cityofaspen.com/covidconstruction
Town of Snowmass Village -www.tosv.com/covid
Town of Basalt - www.basalt.net/covidconstruction
“The success of this rollout depends on the community. The sophistication that the construction community has offered to address the many Public Health concerns is remarkable. That has helped to give us and the Public Health Department the confidence we needed to consider unwinding construction in these uncertain times. We’re so lucky to have such talent and experience in both the public and private sectors. We know how to pull together when we need to,” Houben said.
Media Contact:
Cindy Houben - Pitkin County Community Development Director 970-319-0220