Lake County Board of Review begins expedited review of wildfire resiliency and energy/building codes ahead of state deadlines

Lake County staff and outside consultants presented detailed guidance to the Board of Review on adopting several sets of codes required or encouraged under recent state rules, with an urgent timeline driven by state adoption deadlines.

Staff said state legislation (referred to in the presentation as “Senate Bill 25 1 42”) requires jurisdictions to adopt a wildfire resiliency code and to act on energy‑code requirements. Barbara Rice of Stone’s COTA Associates described the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code as adapted from the 2024 International Wildland Urban Interface code to suit Colorado conditions and to "safeguard life and property" through structure hardening, defensible space and hazard mapping. She said the code focuses mainly on occupiable or habitable buildings and that the code’s triggers include additions greater than 500 square feet and major roof work (replacing or reroofing more than about 25% can trigger full roof upgrade requirements).

Consultants explained state mapping places most of Lake County into moderate and high hazard zones, which would require…