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Keystone council approves first reading of wildfire-fuel ordinance, sets Aug. 11 public hearing
Summary
On first reading council backed a new ordinance defining hazardous trees and wildfire fuel hazards and asked staff to pursue outreach and coordination with Summit Fire and EMS; second reading and a public hearing are scheduled for Aug. 11, 2026.
The Keystone Town Council on first reading approved an ordinance to define and address hazardous trees and wildfire fuel hazards on private property and set a public hearing and second reading for Aug. 11, 2026. Council moved and seconded the measure after a staff presentation and extended discussion about enforcement and homeowner outreach.
The community development director, who led the presentation, said the ordinance was drafted with input from the town attorney and Summit Fire and EMS. He read the ordinance’s working definition of hazardous material: "Any disease, insect infested dying or dead standing tree or shrub or any slash down or accumulated woody debris located within certain distance of property lines, within overhead or adjacent to overhead utility line, within a distance equal to the height of the tree from a street," and explained the rule also covers areas adjacent to trails, open space boundaries and lift infrastructure because of ignition risk. He said Summit Fire and EMS will provide courtesy mitigation evaluations and that the town intends to focus the ordinance on fire management rather than aesthetics.
Councilmembers questioned how the town would identify violations and how staff would balance private property rights with community safety. One councilmember pressed staff on proactive identification versus complaint-driven enforcement; the director said the town will prioritize properties near critical infrastructure and will rely on a mix of communications, property‑manager coordination and complaint response rather than a town‑wide tree survey. Councilmembers recommended expanded outreach to HOAs and inclusion of guidance about available grants and rebate programs; staff cited county, U.S. Forest Service and state rebate options and said the town can act as a clearinghouse for resources.
Councilmember Solow moved to approve first reading of Ordinance 2026-011 and set a second reading and public hearing for Aug. 11, 2026; the measure was called for a roll-call vote following deliberations.
The ordinance remains at first reading; council directed staff to refine outreach language, clarify how "trails" and "adjacency" are defined in the ordinance text for clarity, and coordinate with Summit Fire and EMS on mitigation evaluations.
