Huerfano County adopts Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code after brief debate

Huerfano County commissioners approved Resolution No. 26-18 to amend chapters 7 and 11 of the county code and adopt the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code, a measure commissioners said was required by state authorities.

The resolution was introduced under Action Items; a commissioner said the county must adopt the update because “the state says we have to.” The board heard brief public comment from a member of the building authority, who said the update would increase housing costs.

“I personally am very much against this wildfire resiliency code updates. It makes building a home incredibly more expensive than it already is,” the building authority member said.

Commissioners acknowledged the concern but indicated limited local discretion if the state requires the code. The chair called the roll and declared the motion passed. The transcript records the chair saying “Motion passes,” though a numeric vote tally was not specified in the record provided.

The resolution changes local building-code references to align county regulations with the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code and is intended to address hazards to life and property from wildfire, according to the motion language introduced at the meeting. The board did not add amendments on the record. The county did not provide a detailed cost estimate at the meeting for how the code changes would affect average homebuilding expenses.

The next procedural step noted at the meeting was adoption on the record; no further public hearings were scheduled during the session.