Residents ask Redmond to adopt Oregon wildfire building code R327 for new homes

Jeff Rione, a Ridge of Eagle Crest resident and chair of the Community Wildfire Protection Committee, told the Redmond Urban Area Planning Commission on Dec. 10 that community members want the city to “formally adopt Oregon residential specialty code R327” to improve wildfire survivability for new homes. Rione said R327 addresses new dwellings and accessory structures with construction materials and requirements based on wildfire-mitigation best practices and that it would not apply retroactively to existing buildings.

Robin Church, representing the Project Wildfire Neighborhood Coalition and identifying herself as secretary of the coalition and emergency-preparedness lead for the Summit West Neighborhood District in Bend, said the code is “shelf ready” and urged Redmond to join regional adopters. Church cited local assessments and outreach to builders, saying many newly built homes have vulnerabilities—open vents, combustible siding and attached wooden fences—that increase ignition risk. “We start with the house itself, hardening the home, and then ... work towards a noncombustible first 5 feet around the home,” she said.

Speakers referenced regional momentum: Church said the City of Sisters has adopted similar standards and that Deschutes County is fast-tracking a recommendation to its planning commission. Presenters also cited cost studies, saying building to wildfire-resistant standards “adds less than 3 percent to construction costs” and quoting Headwaters Economics that “for every dollar invested in wildfire resistant construction, $2.10 in future losses can be avoided.” The presenters left copies of the Sisters ordinance and the county recommendation on the dais and asked commissioners to expedite review.

Commissioners did not vote on adopting R327 during the meeting. The comments were delivered under public comment; no formal staff report, ordinance, or amendment to the Redmond code was introduced or adopted on Dec. 10. The commission proceeded to regular business, including approval of prior minutes and continuation of another agenda item to the Jan. 21 meeting.

The presenters emphasized the focus of R327 on new construction and on proven home-hardening measures that address ember intrusion, surface fire near foundations, and radiant heat transfer between structures. Church said she and coalition members have met with a range of local builders and the incoming president of the Central Oregon Builders Association about vulnerabilities and potential code implications. Church also noted the coalition’s growth—from about 25 communities two and a half years ago to roughly 80 communities now—and that she has performed “at least 115 assessments” this year.

What happens next: The commission did not act on R327 during this meeting. Commissioners may request staff analysis or place the topic on a future agenda if they choose to pursue local code amendments; no such direction was recorded in the Dec. 10 transcript.

Votes at a glance: The commission approved the Oct. 29, 2025 minutes by voice vote and moved to continue the public hearing on the Redmond development code amendment to Jan. 21, 2026; individual roll-call votes were not recorded in the transcript.