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Council hears concerns about wildfire resiliency code, sends measure to third reading after lengthy debate
Summary
Public commenters and multiple councilors raised questions about scope, retroactivity and homeowner costs for a proposed Lakewood wildfire resiliency code; staff said triggers are generally limited to new construction or substantial additions and enforcement will be complaint- and permit‑triggered. Council set the ordinance for third reading on May 11 (9–2).
At its April 27 meeting, the Lakewood City Council heard a detailed public hearing and hours of council questions about a proposed wildfire resiliency code that would add Chapter 14.31 to the Lakewood Municipal Code and adopt a corresponding Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) map.
Karen Gourde, a Ward 5 resident who opened public comment, said the ordinance "applies broadly" and urged the council to clarify whether new requirements would be applied to existing homes. She warned that common repairs such as roof replacement could "exceed the 25% threshold and trigger compliance" leading to upgraded materials, additional costs and possible vegetation modifications that homeowners may not expect.
City Engineer Keith Hensel answered technical questions from…
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