Deschutes County is considering new building codes and land use regulations to protect communities from wildfire. Proposed changes could help make homes more fire-resistant and require homeowners to create defensible space around their homes.
The county acknowledged that updating local building codes to make homes more fire-resistant could make new construction and some remodels more expensive because of new requirements for decks, siding, vents and other materials.
The proposed rules would only apply to homes outside of city limits in unincorporated areas of the county.
Deschutes County Community Development Department invites residents to learn more about the proposed changes and provide their feedback through an online survey: www.deschutes.org/wildfiremitigationsurvey. The deadline for residents to provide their input is December 21st.
The Deschutes County Planning Commission will host two virtual meetings to provide residents a chance to learn more about the proposed changes and ask questions. Meetings will be held on:
- Thursday, November 19, at 6 p.m.
- Thursday, December 3, at 6 p.m.
Staff will share the results of the community’s feedback to the Board of County Commissioners in early 2021 and discuss how to proceed.
County officials estimate the fireproofing materials could add up to $3,000 to the cost of a 1,200-square-foot home and up to $6,000 for a home twice that size.
Staff will share the results of the community’s feedback to the Board of County Commissioners in early 2021 and discuss how to proceed.
For more information on how to participate in the virtual community meetings, visit www.deschutes.org/wildfiremitigation. For questions, or more information, contact Peter Gutowsky, Planning Manager, 541-385-1709, peter.gutowsky@deschutes.org; or Tanya Saltzman, Associate Planner, 541-388-6528, Tanya.Saltzman@deschutes.org.
Currently, Deschutes County does not have fire resistant building standards that are specific to decks, siding, vents and other materials. There is a fire resistant code for roofing materials. If residents are interested in learning in local programs that work on fire preparedness through education and grass root efforts in Deschutes County they can visit www.projectwildfire.org.
