Boulder's City Council unanimously backed a plan on Thursday night to expand the city's view of properties that will face additional requirements due to the risk of wildfire in Colorado. The move, which faces a final vote likely in June, will increase the number of properties considered to be in the Wildland Urban Interface from 4600 to over 16,000. 

Most of the property is west of Broadway, but in some areas, the properties that will likely face new restrictions will be east of the north-south throughfare.

"I think there's a growing level of fear and neighboring communities because of the Marshall Fire and what happened, our proximity to the mountains, " said Karl Guiler, development code amendment manager for the city's Planning and Development Services.

Some people spoke in support of the change in a lengthy council session on the issue Thursday night.

"The purpose is not just to protect individual homeowners, it's to protect our city," said one resident to the council.  

The change means properties in new areas of the city will be subject to greater requirements for building codes to reduce fire danger. There are three classes of property designation. Most of the additional properties will be a Class III designation, with the fewest requirements. It will mean things like fire-resilient roofs and decking, as well as metal, not plastic, gutters and downspouts, as well as restrictions on fencing material when fences are close to homes.

Reviews of the plans are mixed.

"I think it's a good idea to have some kind of fire protection regulations, but let's not overdo it, said longtime homeowner Janet Heimer.

Council members quizzed city leaders, including the Boulder Fire Chief, about the changes, but ultimately backed the plan. Boulder is trying to remain compliant with the International Wildland Urban Interface Code, which has been slowly dialing up recommended regulations about wildfire-prone areas. The city is in the 97th percentile of fire risk in the U.S.

The requirements will not mean retrofitting. It is only for new construction or for significant changes like a new deck, not replacing an old one.

"It's unrealistic to just change the rules overnight and then require everyone to meet the new rules, like the city doesn't have an enforcement arm that has the capability of enforcing to that level," said Guiler. 

Colorado has required communities to adopt codes like this to mandate that communities meet or exceed the requirements of the state model codes. Boulder is among those acting earlier. There are likely to be additional regulations coming on landscaping, with recommendations in the summer. Highly flammable vegetation like juniper trees could be prohibited.