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Interlaken council hears HB 48/WUI update as town is mapped largely high risk
Summary
Council members were told Interlaken lies entirely in the Wildland-Urban Interface and most of the town is listed high risk; the town must adopt a WUI code and faces new homeowner requirements and phased fees under HB 48 proposals.
At its March 3 meeting, the Interlaken Town Council received an update on state House Bill 48 and Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) rules that officials said could change construction and defensible-space requirements for every homeowner in town.
Mayor Greg Harrigan and Town Administrator Bart Smith reported that Interlaken falls entirely within the WUI and that most of the town has been rated high risk on the map provided by the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL). Council members were told the state legislature was still considering modifications to HB 48 and that those changes could be announced within weeks. Under the guidance presented to the council, Interlaken would have to adopt either the 2006 or 2024 WUI code and a state-provided high-risk map.
The council was briefed on how enforcement and costs could unfold. In 2026 and 2027, property owners in designated high-risk areas would face a standard fee estimated between $20 and $100, calculated by taxable square footage of structures; beginning in 2028, fees would instead be assessed using a home-by-home risk assessment and the size of the structure. Officials said those funds would be collected through Wasatch County taxes and would contribute to fire prevention and response and to a state-wide FFSL fire prevention program. Staff warned homeowners that, under the current WUI approach, construction materials and defensible-space standards can apply regardless of a home’s age and that lacking compliance could affect insurance coverage in a fire.
Wasatch Fire District representatives offered to hold a town meeting at the district firehouse to explain HB 48 and WUI implications and to answer resident questions. They also offered to perform limited chipping of woody debris in town rather than recommend a private tree-removal contractor. Council members directed staff to prepare an information packet on HB 48 and to explore potential mitigation grant opportunities through MAG and FFSL.
The council did not adopt any code changes at the meeting. Officials said more specific advice and any required municipal ordinance or code adoption would follow the state’s final guidance and additional local discussion.
