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Town applies WUI building standards townwide; county fire to enforce defensible‑space inspections in mapped zones
Summary
Staff told the Planning Commission that the town has applied Wildland‑Urban Interface (WUI) construction standards townwide and that Santa Clara County Fire will perform rotating defensible‑space inspections in mapped fire hazard severity zones; noncompliance may trigger county weed‑abatement enforcement and assessment of abatement costs to property tax bills.
Los Altos Hills staff summarized state fire hazard severity zone (FHSZ) mapping and the town’s decision to apply Wildland‑Urban Interface (WUI) construction standards across the town at the March 5 Planning Commission meeting, and county fire staff explained inspection and enforcement processes for defensible space.
Staff said California’s updated FHSZ maps (map adoption effective July 2025) designated areas as moderate, high and very high severity. Because the town adopted part‑7 (WUI) building standards townwide for new construction, those heightened construction requirements for ember‑resistant roofs, exterior wall hardening and other home‑hardening measures now apply uniformly. "The structural standards are taken out of the building code standards, which are those WUI standards… and uniformly across the town," staff said.
County fire representatives explained the county would conduct rotating defensible‑space inspections in designated zones and that where owners fail to comply the county’s weed‑abatement program can compel work and place the assessment on the property tax roll. Denise Glum, community education and risk reduction manager with the Los Altos Hills County Fire District, said real‑estate defensible‑space disclosures for properties in very‑high and high severity zones have been required since 2021 and remain in effect.
Commissioners asked about cross‑jurisdictional issues (open‑space or county land adjacent to private parcels), tree removal, rebates for mitigation work, and whether the town’s adoption of WUI construction townwide would affect insurance or other developer obligations. County staff said rebate programs and a Home Ignition Zone (HIZ) assessment are available and that the county’s letter program is already active in the area; staff said roughly 1,600 notices went to property owners in the recent mailing.
Staff recommended public education, clear explanation of roles (town building standards vs. county enforcement), and continued coordination with the fire district. Commissioners asked staff to present clear, public‑facing materials summarizing what property owners must do depending on which mapped zone their property lies in.
