Woodland Hills planning commission adopts state, international wildland-urban interface codes

The Woodland Hills Planning Commission voted unanimously June 18 to adopt both the International Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Code and the Utah Wildland-Urban Interface Code into the city’s building regulations.

Commissioners said the move fills a gap in the city’s ordinances: the city had been following parts of the WUI guidance but had not formally adopted the codes in full. The commission’s action makes the International WUI Code as adopted for the International Building Code and International Residential Code, and the Utah WUI Code as adopted by the state of Utah, applicable to building construction in Woodland Hills. The commission directed that, where the two codes conflict, the more stringent interpretation will govern.

The proposal also adds enforcement provisions. The draft language presented to the commission states that violations of either code may be punished by fines as outlined in the city fee schedule or charged as a class C misdemeanor. Commissioners discussed whether the adoption would change current building practices and concluded the codes largely formalize what is already being followed while providing clearer, code-based specifics.

The commission opened for public comment on the item; no members of the public attended or provided remarks. After discussion, the commission moved and passed the adoption without recorded opposition.

Commission staff said the change is intended to clarify construction requirements and enforcement paths going forward; city staff will forward the recommendation to the city council for final action as part of the ordinance update process.

The commission also noted an ongoing statewide conversation—among fire chiefs and legislature—about minimum paved road widths for fire access. Commissioners observed the WUI adoption does not itself change road-width rules but is part of broader fire-safety planning being considered by the city.