To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Ceila Rethamel, Interim Director, Public Works & Development
Prepared By:
prepared
Jason Reynolds, Planning Division Manager, PWD
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presenter
Presenter: Jason Reynolds, Planning Division Manager, PWD
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Subject:
title
Adoption of the 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The Wildfire Resiliency Code Board(WCRB) adopted the 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code on July 1, 2025. Per Section 24-35.5-1237(2)(a), Colorado Revised Statutes, a local governing jurisdiction must adopt a code that meets or exceeds the minimum standards of the Wildlife Resiliency Code within nine months of adoption by the WRCB, which is April 1, 2026. Given the state mandate, staff recommends that the Board of County Commissioners adopt the 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code.
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Alignment with Strategic Plan: Good Governance - Deliver mandated and essential services with excellence.
Background and Discussion: With SB23-166, the Colorado legislature created the Wildfire Resiliency Code Board (WRCB), which was tasked with creating a statewide wildfire resiliency code. The legislation required "governing bodies" to adopt those codes within six months after the WRCB finalized them on July 1, 2025. The "governing body" in Arapahoe County's jurisdiction is either a fire protection district or, in areas without a fire protection district, the Board of County Commissioners. In 2025, the legislature adopted SB25-142, which granted governing bodies an additional three months to adopt the codes, extending the local adoption deadline to April 1, 2026.
Arapahoe County discussed the upcoming changes at the Homebuilders Association quarterly meeting on January 8, 2026. The HBA is aware of the code and some organizations including the Colorado Municipal League, Industry/Building Trades Coalition, and the American Wood Council are requesting that the legislature delay the local govern...
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