Jefferson County advances local WUI code drafting, seeks $100,000 consulting amendment with Elk Creek

Jefferson County planning and fire-safety staff updated the Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 7 about progress drafting a county-wide Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) code intended to meet recent state requirements and to expand defensible-space and structure-hardening standards. Staff asked commissioners for direction to amend an existing intergovernmental agreement with Elk Creek Fire Protection District so county-authorized consulting funds can pay technical consultants assisting with code drafting and related updates.

Sarah Polis and Heather Guthrie (long-range planning) and Brida Van Horna (Building Safety) told commissioners that Colorado’s new statewide WUI requirements (referred to in the briefing as the CWRC) must be adopted locally by April 1, 2026, with implementation by July 1, 2026. Staff said the state-required elements are limited to structure hardening and defensible-space requirements, and that at a minimum Jefferson County must apply the state’s requirements to unincorporated areas without fire protection service. Staff said the county already enforces some building hardening and defensible-space measures in Appendix C of the building code and in Zoning Resolution section 39 but identified gaps because the state’s boundary and requirements extend farther.

Staff described an ongoing collaborative drafting process with the county’s fire protection districts, the sheriff’s office, the Colorado Wildfire Planning Center (CWPC) and other stakeholders. The county’s CWPP-based local WUI boundary map (adopted in 2024) is proposed to be used as the county’s official WUI map where it meets state criteria, staff said. They emphasized the proposed code would generally apply to new development and substantial exterior alterations rather than retroactively applying to existing structures.

Staff reported an initial draft is under internal review and that fire protection districts will deliver comments by Oct. 9. A revised public draft is expected in November, with public outreach and hearings in 2026. Staff also reported $100,000 in consulting funds was authorized by the Board in June to continue consultant services; however, to use that county-authorized appropriation with the consultant CWPC the county must amend the existing IGA with Elk Creek Fire Protection District to add a line item. Staff asked for direction to proceed with drafting IGA amendment language and to use the $100,000 to support CWPC services for the WUI code, Unified Land Use Code updates and technical manuals.

Commissioners asked about enforcement, implementation roles (county vs. fire protection districts), likely community outreach, mapping impacts in northern unincorporated areas, and whether the county could adopt standards stricter than the state in some places. Staff said enforcement and operational roles are being discussed and will depend on the final code; they also said CWPC and Elk Creek are assisting under grant-funded arrangements. Commissioners voiced support for robust outreach and for bringing formal amendment language back at an upcoming hearing. The board recorded consensus to move the IGA amendment forward for drafting and to continue the collaborative drafting process.