(1) The board of county commissioners of each county in the state, subject to the requirements of section 25-7-123, C.R.S., may prepare, adopt, and implement a county fire management plan that details individual county policies on fire management for prescribed burns, fuels management, or natural ignition burns on lands owned by the state or county. Such plans shall be developed in coordination with the county sheriff, the division of fire prevention and control in the department of public safety, and the appropriate state and local governmental entities. All interested parties shall have the opportunity to comment on the plan prior to its adoption and implementation.
(2) County fire management plans created pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall:
(a) Clearly define appropriate responses in order to mitigate immediate threats to public safety; and
(b) Set forth the conditions under which prescribed or natural ignition fires shall be managed.
(3) Any county that adopts and adheres to a county fire management plan shall be accorded liability protection pursuant to article 10 of title 24, C.R.S.
(4) Federal government agencies, subject to the provisions of sections 25-7-106 (7) and (8) and 25-7-114.7 (2)(a)(III), C.R.S., and private landowners may enter into memoranda of understanding with the board of county commissioners to include public or private lands that are within the boundaries of the county under the county fire management plan. Counties may purchase an indemnification insurance policy and private landowners who enter into memoranda of understanding with the board shall have the opportunity to opt into such policy.
(5) Nothing in this section shall infringe upon or otherwise affect the ability of agricultural producers to conduct burning on their property.
Source: L. 2000: Entire section added, p. 1304, � 8, effective May 26. L. 2013: (1) amended, (SB 13-083), ch. 249, p. 1310, � 15, effective May 23.
Cross references: For the legislative declaration in the 2013 act amending subsection (1), see section 1 of chapter 249, Session Laws of Colorado 2013.
30-11-125. Licensing program for building contractors - contents of program - requirements - exceptions - definitions. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) (I) Building contractor means a building contractor who for compensation directs, supervises, or undertakes any work for which a county building permit is required. A county licensing program established in accordance with the provisions of this section shall exclude from the definition of building contractor any person whose sole function in the work for which a county building permit is required is to perform labor under the supervision or direction of a building contractor.
(II) Building contractor shall not include an electrician required to be licensed by the state pursuant to article 115 of title 12 or a plumber required to be licensed by the state pursuant to article 155 of title 12.
(b) County means any county or city and county in the state.
(c) Municipality means any home rule or statutory city or town in the state.
(d) Person means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, or other legal entity.
(2) Subject to the requirements of this section, any county that has adopted a building code may establish a licensing program to require a person who engages in the business of being a building contractor within the unincorporated areas of the county to obtain a license from the county prior to engaging in the business. The county may develop the licensing program in accordance with the requirements of this section, and any such program may include one or more of the following:
(a) Procedures that a building contractor would follow in order to obtain or renew a license, including the submission of any documentation or information as may be required by the county;
(b) A requirement that the building contractor achieve a passing grade on a nationally recognized examination promulgated by the international code council that is commonly used and accepted in the industry;
(c) Specification of the duration of the license issued by the county;
(d) Subject to the requirements of subsection (3) of this section, the imposition of a reasonable fee to be charged by the county to a building contractor to cover the costs of any testing required to be performed by the county, the processing of the application, or any other costs incurred by the county in connection with the issuance or renewal of a license; or
(e) Grounds for the revocation or suspension of a license issued by the county, grounds for the revocation or suspension of a building permit issued for a project for which the building contractor is found not to be in compliance with the county's licensing requirements, or grounds for the imposition of any lesser sanction, which shall be based on objective standards and criteria developed from the county building code, and procedures to be followed by the county in carrying out the revocation, suspension, or other sanction based upon such grounds, including a process for appealing any sanction so imposed.
(3) Any county that establishes a licensing program pursuant to this section shall issue a license to a building contractor holding a valid license issued by another county or municipality in the state without requiring the building contractor to take or achieve a passing grade on any examination conducted by the county if the license issued by such other county or municipality required the building contractor to achieve a passing grade on a nationally recognized examination promulgated by the international code council commonly used and accepted in the industry. In the case of a building contractor holding a valid license issued by another county or municipality in the state, the fee charged by a secondary county for issuance or renewal of a license in accordance with the requirements of this section shall be reasonable and limited to costs incurred by the secondary county in processing the application and otherwise administering the issuance or renewal of a license required by this section.
(4) If a building contractor applying for a license complies with the requirements for obtaining a license established by the county, the county shall issue a provisional license to the building contractor no later than seven business days after the building contractor has submitted a complete application. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (5) of this section, any failure on the part of the county to issue a nonprovisional license within forty-five days after submission of a complete application to a building contractor who has otherwise satisfied all other requirements for obtaining a license shall not preclude the building contractor from engaging in the business of being a building contractor and applying for a building permit for unincorporated areas of the county.
(5) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (4) of this section, no person shall engage in the business of being a building contractor within the unincorporated areas of any county that has adopted a licensing program created pursuant to this section unless the person holds a valid license issued or recognized by the county in accordance with the requirements of this section.
(6) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section:
(a) The provisions of this section shall apply to any licensing program operated or administered by a county that is in existence as of August 3, 2007. Any licensing program operated or administered by a county as of August 3, 2007, that satisfies or is amended to satisfy the requirements of this section is hereby ratified as compliant with the requirements of this section and need not be reestablished by the county.
(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require any individual to hold a license to perform repair or maintenance work on his or her own property, nor shall it prevent a person from employing an individual on either a full-time or a part-time basis to perform repair or maintenance work on his or her own property who is not licensed under the provisions of this section.
Source: L. 2007: Entire section added, p. 392, � 1, effective August 3. L. 2019: (1)(a)(II) amended, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 1718, � 214, effective October 1.
30-11-126. Workforce development - incentives - limitations - authority to exceed revenue-raising limitations - legislative declaration - definitions. (1) (a) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:
(I) The health, safety, and welfare of the people of Colorado as well as the economic development and growth of local communities in the state depend on the development of a workforce that meets the needs of employers in the state;
(II) Financial incentives are often necessary to attract resources for workforce development, and such incentives can be particularly effective when offered at the local level; and
(III) Providing such incentives stimulates economic development in the state and results in the creation and maintenance of new jobs.
(b) The general assembly further finds and declares that it is in the best interests of the citizens of the state and the economic development of local governments within the state to create an incentive at the county level for taxpayers to contribute to a program that allows counties to provide financial assistance to county residents to pursue post-secondary education or training.
(2) For purposes of this section, county means any county or city and county.
(3) Any county may establish a workforce development program, to be known as bright future Colorado, to provide financial assistance to county residents who pursue post-secondary education or training from an accredited institution of higher education or certified training program. A county workforce development program may include, but need not be limited to, county residents who are high school graduates, county residents who have successfully completed a high school equivalency examination, as defined in section 22-33-102 (8.5), C.R.S., or county residents who are veterans. Any county that establishes a workforce development program may also establish a workforce development fund to accept contributions for the purpose of the program.
(4) (a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a county that has established a workforce development program may offer an incentive, in the form of a county property tax credit or rebate, to a residential or commercial property owner in the county who contributes to a county workforce development fund.
(b) A county shall not make any appropriation in furtherance of a workforce development program or give any credit or rebate pursuant to this section unless the board of county commissioners approves the total program amount annually at a public budget hearing.
Source: L. 2015: Entire section added, (SB 15-082), ch. 11, p. 25, � 1, effective August 5.