Lake County schedules March 30 public hearing on wildfire resiliency code; new building hardening rules proposed

Lake County staff told the Planning & Zoning commission on March 23 that a public hearing on a proposed wildfire resiliency code is set for March 30 at 4 p.m. in the boardroom and that the county is recommending adoption of the Colorado code.

The proposed changes would require fire-hardening materials for new construction and for major additions or roof work — defined in staff remarks as projects that involve additions of 500 square feet or more, or roof repairs affecting 25% or more of the surface area. Staff also described three fire zones around structures intended to create defensible space and reduce wildfire spread; those zones would be reviewed during building plan approval and by planning staff.

"The public hearing on the wildfire resiliency code is coming up on the thirtieth next week," staff said, urging commissioners to note the effective-date timeline. If the county adopts the code at the process described, staff said it would become effective July 1.

Staff emphasized that the building department will administer the technical requirements and that planning staff will evaluate development proposals for conformance with the new zones. Commissioners did not take a formal vote on the code during the March 23 meeting; staff said the matter would be discussed at the upcoming hearing.

The announcement accompanies broader code updates: staff said the county is moving from the 2018 International Codes to the 2024 building and energy codes, with an expected effective date by the end of June.

Next steps: county staff will present the code and receive public comment at the March 30 hearing; any adoption timeline would follow subsequent review and required notices.