Midway staff reviews state wildland-urban interface map; higher-risk areas get stricter building and landscaping standards

Planning staff presented a state-produced wildland-urban interface map for Midway, described the map’s risk categories, and explained how the city will apply building and landscaping standards in higher-risk areas.

Michael said the map categorizes areas by vegetation and structure density; low-risk areas are shown lighter, moderate areas orange and high-risk areas red. He identified Lime Canyon and several older cabin subdivisions (including Oak Haven) as higher-risk neighborhoods and noted Midway has a history of wildfires in those hills.

Staff said the state expects cities and counties to adopt a local map and that the city’s line for the higher-risk area should follow easily identified landmarks such as creeks and roads. He described the chosen boundary in Midway — following Springtown Road, 5th South, Snake Creek and other landmarks — and said any new structures north or west of the line would need to meet wildfire-resistant building and landscaping standards.

Michael also explained that once risk zones are finalized, higher-risk property owners could face additional assessments or fees that would be used for wildfire prevention and firefighting; he said that process is likely a couple of years away. He added the city can update the map and standards over time and that staff relied on the Fire District’s recommendations in drawing the line.

There were no motions or votes on the map at this meeting; staff presented it as an informational item and noted the city previously adopted the map for use in planning.