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Spring City unanimously adopts updated Wildland-Urban Interface code required by state
Summary
Spring City adopted the 2024 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code as required by the state. The council discussed the state's risk map and clarified that enforcement will be through the county building official.
Spring City’s City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 2026-05 on April 2 to adopt the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (WUI), a state-directed update intended to reduce wildfire risk around structures.
Mayor Paul Penrod introduced the ordinance and Recorder Ruth Ann McCain explained that the state requires municipalities to adopt the updated code. The ordinance includes a statewide risk map that marks some areas as higher risk; McCain cautioned that the map is produced by the state and may not perfectly reflect on-the-ground vegetation in Spring City. The state’s update moved from the earlier 2006-based rules to the 2024 WUI code, which contributed to confusion about deadlines for adoption.
Council Member Stan Soper observed that the WUI rules are more consequential for mountain and cabin developments than for most areas inside Spring City. The mayor noted that insurance companies may use the state map when setting premiums and that the county building official will handle enforcement. The council voted to adopt the ordinance without further discussion.
Why it matters: Adopting the WUI code aligns Spring City with state wildfire safety requirements, affects permitting and development in mapped areas, and clarifies enforcement responsibility with the county building official.
Next steps: The ordinance becomes part of local code; staff will coordinate with the county building official on enforcement and provide public information on how mapped areas affect new construction and defensible-space requirements.
