Members of the State Building Code Council Executive Committee debated whether to start substantive work on the wildland-urban interface (WUI) code now or wait until DNR’s hazard maps are available; DNR maps are not expected to be complete until approximately June 2026, staff said.

Dustin (SBCC staff) noted the maps are arriving later than originally expected and that DNR project staff are working to complete them “a little bit sooner than maybe initially anticipated,” but still outside the 2024 code cycle. He said an emergency rule currently strips prior WAC 51-55 amendments so the council is effectively “starting fresh” with the model code. That status, Dustin said, makes early conversations useful to identify sticking points but cautioned against drafting final amendments without maps.

Council members were divided. Several members, including Jay Arnold and Tom Handy, supported starting preliminary work now to “get a jump start” and to inform future sessions if legislation returns. Others, including Katie Sheehan and Patrick Hanks, said earlier discussions without maps risk duplicative work and recommended waiting until maps or clearer schedules are available. Dave Pocott, who participates in DNR’s map steering committee, reiterated that hazard-and-risk mapping is intended as a tool for local jurisdictions to designate WUI areas and that maps will be modifiable by locals.

Suggestions from the committee included holding periodic, lower-frequency meetings in 2025 with more frequent meetings as maps near completion in 2026, preparing an integrated draft that reconciles prior state amendments and model-code language, and producing a short set of “big issues” to guide early discussion rather than drafting final rules. Dustin said staff would propose a meeting cadence and priorities for the April 18 council meeting; no formal vote was taken.

Committee members asked staff to coordinate with DNR and to provide an updated timeline and notice plan that highlights which WUI items are discussion-focused versus action-focused, so stakeholders can plan participation.