Manti City Council adopts Wildland-Urban Interface ordinance after brief public hearing

Manti City Council on Sept. 9 adopted a Wildland-Urban Interface ordinance aimed at reducing wildfire risk by aligning certain building and development rules with state WUI mapping.

President Mary Lynch opened a public hearing, explained that the county had provided model language and several state-mandated restrictions (for example, the ordinance can limit combustible roofing), and invited comments. Resident Susan Manning asked whether a county $1,000 fee she had encountered would apply in the city. Mary Lynch responded that "from what I've read, there's [a] $1,000 dollar charge" and that typically about $500 is returned to the property owner if required construction work is done as specified. After hearing no further public comment, the council voted by voice to place the ordinance into effect.

The ordinance was presented as a tool to make the city safer from wildfires by restricting certain materials and by applying the state-provided WUI map. Council members said the rule package was intended to align Manti with county and state wildfire-safety standards; the council took formal action in a single voice vote with no recorded opposition. The council noted that affected property owners would receive specifics on compliance and any fee structure in subsequent implementing guidance.

The next procedural step is local implementation: staff will publish the ordinance text and any guidance needed for property owners to determine whether their property lies in WUI zones and what construction changes are required.