<section number="57-8-4.5"><effdate>11/6/2025</effdate><histories><history>Amended by Chapter <modchap sess="2025S1">15</modchap>, 2025 Special Session 1</history><modyear>2025</modyear></histories><catchline>Removing or altering partition or creating aperture between adjoining units.</catchline><subsection number="57-8-4.5(1)">Subject to the declaration, a unit owner may, after acquiring an adjoining unit that shares a common wall with the unit owner's unit:<subsection number="57-8-4.5(1)(a)">remove or alter a partition between the unit owner's unit and the acquired unit, even if the partition is entirely or partly common areas and facilities; or</subsection><subsection number="57-8-4.5(1)(b)">create an aperture to the adjoining unit or portion of a unit.</subsection></subsection><subsection number="57-8-4.5(2)">A unit owner may not take an action under Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="57-8-4.5(1)" start="0">(1)</xref> if the action would:<subsection number="57-8-4.5(2)(a)">impair the structural integrity or mechanical systems of the building or either unit;</subsection><subsection number="57-8-4.5(2)(b)">reduce the support of any portion of the common areas and facilities or another unit; or</subsection><subsection number="57-8-4.5(2)(c)">constitute a violation of Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="10-20-811">10-20-811</xref> or <xref depth="3" refnumber="17-79-711">17-79-711</xref>, as applicable, a local government land use ordinance, or a building code.</subsection></subsection><subsection number="57-8-4.5(3)">The management committee may require a unit owner to submit, at the unit owner's expense, a registered professional engineer's or registered architect's opinion stating that a proposed change to the unit owner's unit will not:<subsection number="57-8-4.5(3)(a)">impair the structural integrity or mechanical systems of the building or either unit;</subsection><subsection number="57-8-4.5(3)(b)">reduce the support or integrity of common areas and facilities; or</subsection><subsection number="57-8-4.5(3)(c)">compromise structural components.</subsection></subsection><subsection number="57-8-4.5(4)">The management committee may require a unit owner to pay all of the legal and other expenses of the association of unit owners related to a proposed alteration to the unit or building under this section.</subsection><subsection number="57-8-4.5(5)">An action under Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="57-8-4.5(1)" start="0">(1)</xref> does not change an assessment or voting right attributable to the unit owner's unit or the acquired unit, unless the declaration provides otherwise.</subsection></section>