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North Logan staff brief council on House Bill 48, say WUI fees likely limited locally
Summary
City staff told the North Logan City Council on Oct. 22 that House Bill 48 and related WUI mapping likely would affect very few North Logan homes if the state uses a Level 7 map, while a lower-level map (Level 5–6) could expand impact; staff urged adopting the 2006 WUI code and coordinating with neighboring cities before state maps are finalized.
North Logan City staff on Oct. 22 gave council members a high‑level briefing on the Wildland‑Urban Interface (WUI) provisions tied to House Bill 48 and recommended the city prepare an ordinance adopting the 2006 WUI code.
Alan (staff) said the bill creates a statewide funding pool to help cover wildfire suppression and that the program uses state WUI mapping and risk levels. He told the council that if the state uses a Level 7 boundary — which is higher on the bench and farther from most homes — North Logan would likely have about one home above that line; if the state used Level 5 or 6, the number of affected properties could increase substantially. "There are 80,000 plus homes across the state of Utah that are above the level 7 line," Alan said, adding that "in North Logan, there's only maybe 1 home currently." He said early draft estimates discussed in his briefing put possible homeowner assessments in the rough range of $500 to $700, but stressed the figures were preliminary and based on initial square‑footage assumptions in the draft legislation.
Staff recommended two near‑term steps: adopt the 2006 WUI code (including Appendix D of the International Fire Code) so the city is prepared to enforce defensible‑space and construction standards 'above the line,' and coordinate with neighboring municipalities to shape how the state finalizes its high‑risk map. Chief Thompson and other staff described local preparedness measures already in place — a CERT team of more than 100 volunteers, an adopted community wildfire preparedness plan with evacuation elements, and recent investments in water and a new storage tank — which they said reduce North Logan's local WUI risk.
Council members asked how state and local maps would align and whether residents who fell 'above the line' would be notified. Alan said the city has not yet seen the state's final high‑risk map but expects it soon; staff emphasized they would use state data and the URAP raster grid as a baseline for local ordinance lines and that the council could adjust the local ordinance line later if needed.
Staff also reviewed technical code measures the city would enforce for new building in affected zones — for example, Class C or better roofing, enclosed soffits, defensible landscaping, and standards for access and water supply. Alan said many newer homes already implement those measures, and that some mitigation could reduce any state fee through the program's reduction provisions. "The most important thing is to keep us insured in the CWS [cooperative wildfire system]," staff said, noting air support and other suppression costs are substantial and that compliance affects eligibility for mutual aid and funding.
Next steps: staff said they would bring draft ordinance language and maps to council within the coming weeks so the city can act before the end of the year if required. The council and staff also agreed to continue outreach with nearby jurisdictions so the final state map and local enforcement line are coordinated.
