Pitkin County staff lay out Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code adoption, commissioners press for wider public outreach

Pitkin County staff presented the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code and an adoption timetable at the Board of County Commissioners’ Jan. 20 work session, saying the model code was adopted by the state board on July 1, 2025 and jurisdictions must adopt by April 1–July 1, 2026 depending on the provision.

The briefing, led by county planning staff, listed key changes moving wildfire rules from land-use ordinances into the building code, including standardized statewide mapping developed by the Division of Fire Prevention and Control and the Colorado State Forest Service; expanded defensible-space requirements that account for steep slopes and long driveways; new roof-assembly standards for some agricultural structures; and alternate options to tempered windows such as multilayer glazing or double-pane with safety film.

"The model code was adopted on 07/01/2025," a staff presenter said, adding that local steps include the county’s planning and zoning review, a first reading and public hearing on Feb. 25 and a second reading targeted for March 25, with the building-code effect and permit triggers following in spring 2026.

Staff also described a new statewide hazard map that replaces earlier local maps with categories that include "unmapped" areas; the CWRC includes a ground‑truthing process that allows jurisdictions or wildfire experts to revise the mapped intensity at a parcel level. County staff emphasized they will continue to coordinate with local fire districts and that unmapped state designations would not automatically exempt properties in Pitkin County from local regulation.

Commissioners and attendees repeatedly pressed staff on public notification and the potential costs to homeowners. Commissioner Patty asked how the county will reach "regular people who don't do webinars or come into the office," noting the code could add construction costs that residents will shoulder. Staff said the county will issue a press release, run newspaper and social posts, host a Jan. 27 webinar and hold office hours and an open house, and said community‑relations staff is coordinating outreach.

On retroactivity, staff said the CWRC is not broadly retroactive: existing homes are generally not immediately subject to the new rules, but repairs or replacements that exceed specified thresholds (for example, replacing 25% of a building’s siding) can trigger upgrades to meet current code.

Commissioners asked whether the code would help homeowners obtain insurance. Staff and board members cautioned there is no guarantee: the presentation noted the code addresses wildfire risk specifically, while insurers also price other perils such as hail. "This code only addresses wildfire," one commissioner said. Staff noted insurers and the Institute for Business & Home Safety participated in code conversations and that hardening structures over time could improve insurability, but any market response remains uncertain.

Staff said the county will continue local meetings with fire jurisdictions and will bring detailed draft amendments to the planning and zoning body before the board's public readings. The county also plans to run a three‑year minimum cycle to update wildfire intensity mapping.

The board did not take formal action at the session; staff asked commissioners for feedback and said they will return with finalized amendment language at the prescribed hearings and readings. The county will hold a community webinar on Jan. 27 and a public open house during the adoption process, and staff invited comment ahead of the Feb. 25 hearing.