Castle Rock staff brief board on Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code; agenda items deferred after no quorum

At a June 2, 2025 meeting with only two board members present, the Town of Castle Rock Board of Building Appeals heard an extended update from town staff on the Colorado State Wildfire Resiliency Code and adjourned without a quorum, moving all agenda items to the September meeting.

Town staff member John White told the board that "one of the things, town staff has been following very closely is the Colorado state Wildfire Resiliency Code. It has a lot to do with fire mitigation," and summarized how the state map places most of Castle Rock in a moderate-risk zone that would trigger stricter building-material, roofing and vegetation requirements for new construction and certain additions.

The code matters locally because it sets statewide minimums and creates a timetable for municipal action: White said the state has published a resiliency map and that Castle Rock "will have 9 months to adopt it" and then an additional three months before enforcement would begin. He described four map zones (unshaded, yellow/light, orange/moderate, red/high) and said many currently undeveloped areas now mapped as orange may face restrictions that builders and homeowners did not expect.

White outlined specific technical effects for properties in higher-risk zones: exterior materials and roof details may need noncombustible assemblies or a one-hour exterior fire-rating; roof valleys may require metal flashing; certain venting details would change; and tree limbs or other vegetation within a 10-foot radius of structures could need removal in the orange/moderate zone. He also said the International Residential Code's permit exemptions for small detached structures are in flux and that jurisdictions are considering smaller permit thresholds for sheds and similar outbuildings.

White warned that the state has not earmarked additional funding for implementation. He said fire districts face an ongoing inspection burden — "Every house, every business, every structure. They have to do this every 3 years to make sure are they doing their fire mitigation?" — and asked how jurisdictions will staff and finance those inspections.

Board members and the town council liaison asked clarifying questions about which landscaping and fencing materials would be allowed, whether the rules are retroactive and how the code interacts with homeowners associations. White said the code "will take precedence over HOA guidelines. Absolutely." He also said the state map allows jurisdictions to propose local adjustments, which the state must still approve.

Other brief updates at the meeting: Town council liaison Hollingshead said Council continues to work through approvals for Pine Canyon and Brickyard developments and mentioned a police presentation on a drone camera system scheduled the following night.

With only two members present, meeting facilitator Sharon Chavez announced, "With only 2 members of the board present, we do not have a quorum. So the agenda items will move to the September meeting." The board adjourned at 6:27 p.m.

The meeting did not include any formal votes or adoption actions; staff indicated the town plans to consider local code adoption in mid-2026 to align with surrounding jurisdictions and the anticipated state schedule.