Castle Dale council adopts Wildland-Urban Interface ordinance and approves rezoning for smaller lots

The Castle Dale City Council voted unanimously April 9 to adopt a Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) ordinance and to rezone a parcel east of 5th East to R-1 8000 to permit smaller, more affordable lots.

Mayor Danny Van Wagoner presided over the meeting. Council member Joel Dorsch moved to adopt the WUI ordinance after Land Use recommended the code; Council member Michael Jorgensen seconded the motion and the council approved it 4–0 (Council member Bradley Giles was excused). The council later approved a rezoning request from R-1 to R-1 8000 for property owned by Barbra McKell; Land Use Administrator Kerry Lake said McKell agreed to accommodate a planned roadway right-of-way. Council member Dorsch moved to approve the rezoning and Council member Glen Gerber seconded; the motion passed by the same 4–0 margin.

Why it matters: WUI ordinances regulate development and defensible-space measures where homes border wildlands; local adoption typically affects building and vegetation rules intended to reduce wildfire risk. The rezoning decision is intended to allow smaller lot sizes on the McKell parcel, which city staff said could support more affordable housing options while preserving the planned roadway alignment.

What happened next: Both motions carried without recorded dissents. The council did not provide detailed text or ordinance sections in the meeting minutes; staff indicated the WUI text had come from Land Use and that additional implementation steps will follow. The rezoning was forwarded to the council after a Land Use public hearing and committee recommendation.