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Council designates whole town as Wildland‑Urban Interface under new state law; fees and maps remain county questions
Summary
Brighton adopted an ordinance clarifying that lands within town limits are designated Wildland‑Urban Interface (WUI) under House Bill 48. Fire officials urged adoption to align with state SES mapping; council and staff flagged outstanding county rules on home‑assessment fees and asked for a county‑level map review and interagency coordination.
Brighton — The Brighton Town Council adopted an ordinance clarifying that the town lies within the state‑defined Wildland‑Urban Interface (WUI) area and discussed how the change intersects with new state law and upcoming county rules.
Wade Watkins, fire marshal for the Unified Fire Authority, told the council that House Bill 48 (effective March 3, 2025) requires jurisdictions to adopt WUI maps by Jan. 1, 2026, and recommended full adoption for Brighton. "The due date to adopt the WUI map for this jurisdiction would be…01/01/2026," Watkins said, and he described how the state’s structure exposure score (SES) and ember‑casting metrics informed recommended boundaries.
Council members raised concerns about the scale and the maps—several noted local vegetation differences (aspens vs. firs) and wind patterns that affect ember casting. Watkins said the local legislative body has discretion to adjust the map but that the state’s SES-based mapping is the recommended starting point. He also warned that home‑assessment fees to be administered by Salt Lake County are separate from map adoption: "When the home assessment fees come, because they will come, we have to understand that that's somewhat separate from the adoption," he said.
Legal counsel and staff clarified the town’s proposed ordinance adopts the WUI designation for the entire town by placing town lands under the relevant code section; the ordinance was considered housekeeping by some members but necessary to comply with state statute. Council moved and approved the ordinance (voice vote). Members directed staff to seek a county GIS map tailored to Brighton, to circulate it for local input and to track forthcoming county rules on assessments and fee collection.
Next steps: staff to request a Salt Lake County GIS map, circulate it to council and the community for feedback, and monitor state/county rulemaking that defines assessment procedures and potential fees.
