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Grand County pauses on wildfire-resiliency code after lengthy public hearing; building code adoption discussed
Summary
Grand County commissioners opened a public hearing on adopting the 2021 International Building Code and the 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code, heard substantial public concern about costs and map accuracy, and agreed to continue the hearing to April 14 to review pending state legislation and local issues.
Grand County commissioners opened a public hearing on proposed updates to the county's building code and a new wildfire resiliency standard, heard hours of testimony from builders, material suppliers, town managers and residents, and voted to continue the hearing to April 14 for further review.
Chris Menduso, the county's community development director, outlined the recommended local amendments to move to the 2021 International Building Code with targeted modifications. He said the county will incorporate specific 2024 wall-insulation and vapor-retarder language while avoiding a wholesale jump to the 2024 code. "Basically, every outside wall has to be a 1 hour firewall," Menduso said, summarizing the resiliency code's most consequential requirement and why the county is studying local options.
Builders and suppliers pressed commissioners to delay adoption. Philip Wood, a local builder, told the board the rules could add "anywhere from 50 to 100000 dollars to the cost" of a typical 2,000–2,200-square-foot home and said fast implementation would leave contractors and customers without clear pricing or permitting timetables. Corey Stafford of Builders 1st Source echoed that the statewide interface map and implementation tools are incomplete and that the county lacks funding and verification mechanisms to implement the code responsibly.
County building officials and the fire department described technical and enforcement challenges, including how changes to soffits, venting and window specifications could trigger widespread remodeling requirements. Robert Wilson, chief building official, noted practical tradeoffs in a hybrid approach to preserve construction affordability while addressing moisture and fire risks.
After extensive public comment and a review of pending state bills that could affect the local rules, the board voted to continue the hearing until April 14 to give staff time to refine the county's recommendation and monitor legislative changes. The hearing remains open and the county invited additional written input and materials from stakeholders before the continuation.
