Virtual Commissioners Public Hearing at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 12

Boulder County, Colo. - The Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting Department is proposing an update to the ignition-resistant requirements for construction in Wildfire Zone 2, which comprises the Eastern area of unincorporated Boulder County. The Board of County Commissioners will review the proposed changes at a public hearing at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 12. This update has been prompted by recent wildfires, including the Marshall Fire.

What: Board of County Commissioners Public Hearing on Docket BORC-22-0001: Ignition Resistant Requirements for Construction in Wildfire Zone 2 (the Eastern area of Boulder County).
When: Thursday, May 12 starting at 11:30 a.m.
Where: Virtual meeting via Zoom. Register to attend.
Staff Report: The staff report will be posted by 4:30 p.m. on May 5 at www.boco.org/borc-22-0001

Ron Flax, Deputy Director of Community Planning & Permitting/Chief Building Official, will present a proposed update to the ignition resistant construction requirements for construction in Wildfire Zone 2 (the Eastern area of Boulder County, view the Boulder County Wildfire Zones map). This update will focus on exterior materials and construction details to be considered by the Board of County Commissioners for inclusion into the Boulder County Building Code Amendments to the currently adopted 2015 International Codes.

This update has been prompted by lessons learned from the recent Marshall Fire. The Board of Review held a public hearing on the proposed update on April 6, 2022, and recommended approval of the proposed changes to the Commissioners. The Boulder County Building Code Amendments apply to unincorporated areas of Boulder County, not in incorporated cities or towns.

There will be opportunity to provide public comment remotely during the May 12 virtual Public Hearing. Written comments can be emailed to commissioners@bouldercounty.org.Please include docket number “BORC-22-0001” in the subject line.

As part of this review process, a temporary pause on the issuance of building permits for new structures and certain additions in the unincorporated Boulder County areas of Wildfire Zone 2 not affected by the Marshall Fire is in effect through June 6, 2022. This pause does not apply to property owners who are building new structures and certain additions, so long as they commit to rebuild to the requirements adopted as Appendix A of Article 19-500 of the Boulder County Land Use Code.