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Weld County Code Ordinance 2026-03
In the Matter of Repealing and Reenacting, with Amendments, Chapter 2
Administration of the Weld County Code
Be it ordained by the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Weld, State
of Colorado:
Whereas, the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, pursuant to
Colorado statute and the Weld County Home Rule Charter, is vested with the authority of
administering the affairs of Weld County, Colorado, and
Whereas, the Board of County Commissioners, on December 28, 2000, adopted
Weld County Code Ordinance 2000-1, enacting a comprehensive Code for the County of
Weld, including the codification of all previously adopted ordinances of a general and
permanent nature enacted on or before said date of adoption, and
Whereas, the Weld County Code is in need of revision and clarification with regard to
procedures, terms, and requirements therein.
Now, therefore, be it ordained by the Board of County Commissioners of the County of
Weld, State of Colorado, that certain existing Chapters of the Weld County Code be, and
hereby are, repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, and the various Chapters are
revised to read as follows.
Chapter 2
Administration
ARTICLE XVI Emergency Management
Amend Sec. 2-16-10. Definitions, as follows:
For the purposes of this Article, certain terms or words used herein shall be interpreted
as defined in this Section. The following specific words and phrases, when appearing in
this Chapter in uppercase letters, shall have the meanings stated in this Section:
DISASTER means a severe or prolonged incident which threatens life, property,
environment, or critical systems.
EMERGENCY means an incident, natural or human caused, that requires responsive
actions to protect life, property, environment, or critical systems.
EMERGENCY EPIDEMIC means cases of an illness or condition, communicable or
noncommunicable, caused by bioterrorism, pandemic influenza, or novel and highly fatal
infectious agents or biological toxins.
Insert the following after EOC:
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MITIGATION means the sustained action to reduce or eliminate risk to people and
property from hazards and their effects.
Insert the following after OEM:
PANDEMIC INFLUENZA means a widespread epidemic of influenza caused by a
highly virulent strain of the influenza virus.
Insert the following after PIO:
PREPAREDNESS means a continuous cycle of planning, organizing, training,
equipping, exercising, evaluating, and taking corrective action.
PREVENTION means preventing human-caused hazards, from potential natural
DISASTERS or terrorist attacks.
RECOVERY means the short, intermediate, and long-term actions taken to restore
community functions, services, vital resources, facilities, programs, continuity of local
government services and functions, and infrastructure to the affected area.
RESPONSE means the actions taken directly following the onset of an EMERGENCY
or DISASTER to provide immediate assistance to maintain life, improve health, and
protect property.
Amend Sec. 2-16-20. Statement of purpose and authorization.
EMERGENCIES and DISASTERS can occur at any time within ,_inincorporated Weld
County and any of its municipalities. Local government has the primary responsibility for
managing EMERGENCY and DISASTER management activities that reduce or eliminate
or reduce hazardous events,and for the preparation for,This includes PREPAREDNESS,
response toRESPONSE, and recovery from,RECOVERY efforts for significant
EMERGENCYIES and DISASTERS events that can and do occur. All areas of Weld
County are at risk for three (3) types of DISASTERS:
A. Natural disastersDISASTERS. Weld County is at risk from tornadoes, floods,
severe storms (e.g., snow, rain, and hail), EMERGENCY EPIDEMIC, PANDEMIC
INFLUENZA, urban and wildland fires, and drought.
B. Technological d+sastersDISASTERS. Weld County is at risk for technological
disasters DISASTERS such as power failures, dam failures, hazardous materials
incidents along transportation routes or industrial areas, civil unrest, major air and
ground transportation accidents and attacks by a foreign enemy or terrorist
organization in the form of chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons.
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C. Man-made disastersDISASTERS. Possible man-made disasters DISASTERS
which could create an emergency response include transportation incidents
involving hazardous substances, major air and ground transportation accidents,
civil disturbances, terrorists, or bomb threats and conventional, nuclear, biological,
or chemical attacks.
Weld County Commissioners has created the OEM pursuant to the authority granted in
Section 24 33.5 707, C.R.S., and appointed a DIRECTOR. In recognition of the risks such
as DISASTERS pose to life and property, the Board of Weld County Commissioners had
established the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), in accordance with C.R.S. §24-
33.5-707, and has appointed a DIRECTOR.
Amend Sec. 2-16-30. Delegation of authority.
ssioners directs and authorizes the DIRECTOR to
provide and coordinate EMERGENCY and DISASTER prevention, preparedne.s,
various municipalities within Weld County. The DIRECTOR shall be responsible for
responsibilities of all local agencies and officials and of the EMERGENCY and DISASTER
response chain of command. The DIRECTOR is also authorized to act as the coordinating
As directed by C.R.S §24-33.5-707, the Board of Weld County Commissioners directs
and authorizes the DIRECTOR to provide and coordinate EMERGENCY and DISASTER,
PREVENTION, PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, RECOVERY AND MITIGATION
services within unincorporated Weld County and among the various municipalities within
Weld County. The DIRECTOR is responsible for planning and coordinating local
EMERGENCY and DISASTER services. Additionally, the DIRECTOR is tasked with
preparing and maintaining a current local comprehensive emergency plan and distributing
a clear and complete written statement of the EMERGENCY responsibilities of all local
agencies and officials and of the EMERGENCY and DISASTER response chain of
command to all appropriate officials. The DIRECTOR is further authorized to act as the
coordinating official with the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency
Management.
The DIRECTOR shall chair the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) as
approved by the Colorado Emergency Planning Commission.
In accordance with the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
(EPCRA), 42 U.S.C. §11022 (Section 301-304, 312), the DIRECTOR, acting as Chair of
the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), shall ensure the collection,
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maintenance, and availability of Tier II hazardous chemical inventory reports submitted
by facilities within Weld County. These reports shall be used to support emergency
planning, response, and public information consistent with federal and state law.
Per C.R.S. §29-22-102, the Weld County Board of County Commissioners has
designated the DIRECTOR as the Designated Emergency Response Authority (DERA)
for all unincorporated Weld County.
The DIRECTOR of OEM shall assign other staff members, both salaried and
volunteer, and delegate such powers and duties within the means at his/her disposal as
he/she sees proper. The scope of the activities of OEM shall be in accordance with the
national standard of emergency management in the areas of PREPAREDNESS,
PREVENTION, RESPONSE, RECOVERY, and MITIGATION.
The DIRECTOR of OEM is authorized to order an Incident Management Team (IMT)
to provide a command-and-control infrastructure in order to manage the operational,
logistical, informational, planning, fiscal, community, political, and safety issues
associated with complex incidents.
Add Sec. 2-16-40. OEM Responsibilities.
OEM is responsible for coordinating preparedness and management activity related
to DISASTERS and major EMERGENCIES within Weld County and shall, in conformity
with the rules and regulations provided hereinafter, perform the following:
(1) Develop, revise, and exercise the Weld County Comprehensive Emergency
Management Plan and its annexes in coordination with other municipalities and
special districts.
(2) Manage the EOC to provide a coordinated response by Weld County to
DISASTERS and other EMERGENCIES.
(3) Coordinate and collaborate in activities with municipal and private agencies'
emergency management programs.
(4) Sponsor and deliver instruction and training to Weld County personnel, privately
owned, or operated logistic support groups to secure unity, balance, and
coordination in the emergency management program.
Amend Sec. 2-16-4050. Weld County Emergency Operations Center activation and
operation.
The Board of Weld County Commissioners directs and authorizes the DIRECTOR to
activate the EOC during disasters EMERGENCIES OR DISASTERS to
assist with response RESPONSE and recovery RECOVERY efforts. Activation and
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operation of the EOC will be in accordance with National Incident Management System
principles. The DIRECTOR is authorized toappropriate engage both Weld County
and external personnel, as necessary, to operate the EOC to the level
needed to support emergency response and rec„ver„-EMERGENCY, RESPONSE, AND
RECOVERY efforts. Resource ordering through the EOC will follow EOC ordering
procedures determined by the DIRECTOR. Resources ordered through the EOC must be
approved by the DIRECTOR, the Weld County Director of Finance Officer, and
Administration. or the Weld County Controller, or the Director of Administration, in
coordination with the designated Finance and Logistics Section Chief;Coordinators.
Add Sec. 2-16-60. Disaster and Emergency Declaration.
The DIRECTOR of OEM will inform and update the Board of Weld County Commissioners
on the status of EMERGENCIES and DISASTERS and, when needed, will recommend
the Board of Weld County Commissioners declare a local DISASTER or EMERGENCY.
Amend Sec. 2-16-5070. Contracts.
Upon the activation of the EOC, those contracts necessary for the support of EOC
and incident command operations shall be approved by the DIRECTOR, the`Wel y
Director of Finance and Administration, or the Weld County Controller, the Weld Finance
Officer, and the Weld County Controller or the Director of Administration, only if they are
within the limits of such contract approval authority delegated to him or her by resolution
of the Board of County Commissioners, as authorized in Sec. 5-4-80. Contracts shall be
approved and executed pursuant to the procedures and requirements set forth in Sec. 2-
1-40.
Amend Sec. 2-16-6080. Purchasing rules.
Upon the activation of the EOC, all of the purchasing rules set forth in Chapter 5,
Article IV, Section 10 of this Code shall be suspendedfollowed. The DIRECTOR, the Weld
County Director of Finance and Administration, and the Weld County Controller Weld
Finance Officer, and the Weld County Controller or the Director of Administration, shall
have the authority to approve any purchases that are necessary in order to continue EOC
and incident command operations.
Amend Sec. 2-16- ; 90. Press releases.
All press releases concerning issues regarding emergencies or disasters will be
coordinated with the OEM and the PIO. Inquiries for information about the response to an
emergency or disaster and the activation of the EOC shall be referred to the PIO for
response.
Amend Sec. 2-16-80100. Reassignment of duties upon EOC activation.
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Upon EOC activation of the EOC, the DIRECTOR may temporarily reassign any
County personnel, as a condition of employment, to facilitate the operation of the EOC
and to support incident command operations.
Amend Sec. 2-16- 110. Emergency and disaster review and after_action report.
Upon deactivation of the EOC after an EMERGENCY or DISASTER, the DIRECTOR
shall be responsible for reviewing the incident and submitting an after:action report to the
Board of County Commissioners.
Add Sec. 2-16-120. Adoption of 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code with
amendments.
Pursuant to the requirements of C.R.S. §24-33.5-1237(2)(a), the Board of Weld
County Commissioners hereby adopts the 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code ("the
Code"), found at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bhSESWE9pei6MMsv52VeGtC WBgD7bVA/view,
for the unincorporated area of Weld County not within fire district boundaries, with the
following amendments:
A. Delete the entirety of Part 2 of Chapter 1.
B. Delete the entirety of Appendix C.
Because the Board does not have rules and regulations or a cooperative agreement
in place for the enforcement of the Code in the unincorporated area of Weld County not
within fire district boundaries, the Board will request support from the State of Colorado
Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Prevention and Control ("the Division"), to
conduct inspections and enforce the Code in the area to which it applies, pursuant to the
Division's procedures set forth in C.R.S. . .24-33.5-1213, as authorized by C.R.S. §24-
33.5-1237(2)(d).
Be it further ordained by the Board that the Clerk to the Board be, and hereby is, directed
to arrange for Municode to supplement the Weld County Code with the amendments
contained herein, to coincide with chapters, articles, divisions, sections, and subsections
as they currently exist within said Code; and to resolve any inconsistencies regarding
capitalization, grammar, and numbering or placement of chapters, articles, divisions,
sections, and subsections in said Code.
Be it further ordained by the Board, if any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence,
clause, or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held or decided to be
unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions
hereof. The Board of County Commissioners hereby declares that it would have enacted
this Ordinance in each and every section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause, and
phrase thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections,
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paragraphs, sentences, clauses, or phrases might be declared to be unconstitutional or
invalid.
First Reading: February 9, 2026
Publication: February 13, 2026, in the Greeley Tribune
Second Reading Rescheduled to: February 25, 2026
Publication: February 2728, 2026, in the Greeley Tribune
Final Reading: March 911, 2026
Publication: March 1-314, 2026, in the Greeley Tribune
Effective: March19, 2026
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